


Apex Predator

by FoxMaiden



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Abuse, Aftercare, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Collars, Daddy Kink, Dom/sub, Espionage, F/M, Hybrids, Just General Torture, Kid Fluff - Freeform, Kinky, Like I'm not joking read with caution, M/M, Multi, Rough Sex, Self Harm, Singing, Spanking, Terrible People as in of Moral Character, The feels, french words, puppy play briefly mentioned, trigger - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2018-03-21 18:41:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 168
Words: 503,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3702191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxMaiden/pseuds/FoxMaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was simple or at least it was supposed to be, but life just had to complicate it didn't it. This story begins with with one woman, five Achievement Hunters, and the lasting impression of mistakes made from all of them would have. Mainly a young Geoff who couldn't even fathom the affect she would later have to come on his life.</p><p>P.S.A<br/>If you were looking for a narrative of fairytale love with daring princes to save the princess, and an ending where true love conquers all then this might not be the story for you. This is a story full of anger, happiness, sadness, betrayal, joy, and love in all its forms. You will find an evil that is horrendous in all it does, and a light so pure you wonder why it's here in the first place. This story explores the darkness of the human psyche, and how twisted hearts can truly become. At times you'll see the light, and at others you will not. Rather in the light's place you'll find something darker and sinister that will make you question your original conjectures about humanity itself. You'll find emotions you really didn't think you would, so please if that's not your cup of tea just leave. And if it is then by all means come in and enjoy the ride, it's got a hell of a kick.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Self Portraits

Iridessa Burns was the daughter of Joel Heyman (Papa) and Burnie Burns (Dad). She had long red hair that fell into wide ringlets and blue eyes that could strike a man dead if they wanted to... most of the time though they didn't... What could she say? She had a bit of a temper. Iri much like her father was a natural born charmer and could talk a salesman into selling his soul if she wanted to. But of course that was only to the people she knew, sometimes she had a crippling sense of shyness that often left her alone and at home on her Friday nights. Iri was a smart girl, but she often put a metaphorical foot in her mouth seeing as she was known around the art department for having a smartass comeback for everything... Though these comebacks were more often than not hurtful to someone, and while she never meant any of it her parents would often demand her apologize. Having two Alphas who were also your adoptive parents didn’t really help when word got around the office that she had been causing trouble. And that brings us to now where Iri was currently fleeing from Joel as he had received yet another complaint about Iri’s rude comments. As much as she would have loved to listen to her father drone on about how she really should make a few less comments; she figured hiding in the AH office might be better. So striding quickly out of the Annex part of the building she makes her way to the open aired area that was the AH area… or as she liked to call it the Pipeline of Inspiration. In all truth this was the room where she garnered most of her inspiration to draw, even though the man in charge often shooed her out. Iri could never quite understand why Geoff didn’t like her, all she knew was that he didn’t and when she asked her fathers they merely sighed sadly at her and said I’ll tell you when you're older. Well older came around and they still just shrugged and said not everyone will like you in your life, maybe this is the one person. Iri, however found herself holding no ill will towards the Gent so as she practically flew into the office, she crashed right into the man while in her oblivious fleeing.  
“Oh Mr. Ramsey I’m so sorry.. I didn’t mean to.” She stutters quietly as she stands up and offers a hand that is refused with a look of disdain. “Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine, what are you doing in here?” Geoff all but growls as the older Alpha stands up and smells the scent of distress on the young woman.  
“I’m just here to visit Gavin.” Iri mumbles as the British Omega turns at the sound of his name, taking off his headphones and standing up.  
“What can I do for you my lovely?” Gavin asks as he strolls over to her, and this was when Iri caught the man’s scent. God she adored it, probably too much for any sane person but she absolutely adored the way Gavin smelt of freshly mown grass and sometimes if she concentrated hard enough she could even make out a hint of oak.  
“I was wondering if you by chance had time to…” Iri trails off as she hears Joel’s footsteps getting louder. “Hide me.”  
“Hide you? What are you hiding… Oh bullocks what did you do now?”  
“Nothing, Gav hurry he’s coming.” Iri pressures and the rest of the office merely sighs. Looking around the room quickly she notices the perfect hiding spot. Dragging Gavin back to his desk, she tucks herself underneath, and motions for Gavin to sit as Iri then pulls the seat forward so her face is resting on his thigh. A little bit unorthodox, but she wasn’t complaining... Did she mention she was a loner?.. and love wasn't particularly her strong point.  
“Hey guys have you seen Iri?” Joel’s sharp tone asks as he enters the room looking for his troublesome daughter. Taking a swift look around he doesn’t see her, but he also notices that Gavin was squirming in his seat. Then again Gavin is a weird dude so that’s not really surprising, Geoff was probably rough with him last night and the lanky omega was still a bit sore.  
“Uh not today at least… did you check the animation department?” Ryan pipes up helpfully, he hated watching such a spirited person be reduced to hiding though he knew she should just face him. Part of him wondered what it would be like to break such a person… he was the mad king after all, though he’s pretty sure her best friend and his mate would be quite upset if he tried.  
“Dude get out of our office, can’t you see we’re in the middle of a LLLLEET’S PLAY!” Ray snaps as he notices how uncomfortable Gavin looks, and he didn’t want him to rat out his friend.  
“Alright, but if you see her send her my way.” Joel orders as he leaves the room causing Gavin to release a sigh of relief while pushing back so the woman could exit.  
“Thanks Ray, seriously owe you man. Gav was about to give me away here with all his fidgeting.” Iri remarks as she crawls out from underneath and dusts off her knees while fixing her strapless blue dress that fell just above her knees. Iridessa wasn’t really tall and Ray would always make jokes about how short she was considering even Jeremy was taller than her; however, when she finally snapped and punched him he would then tell her that he loved having a pocket-sized friend.  
“I got you girl, Team Stray fo life!” Ray says with a smile as he fist bumped her. Team Stray was their tag name, it was a reference to how both of them had lost their parents early on in life. Ray was eighteen and graduating high school when he found out his parents had been murdered. Iri had been ten when a truck had slammed into their car killing Geoff’s late mate Griffon and the child she had been pregnant with, and it also took the lives of her mother as well as her father, Burnie’s brother. The doctors said it was a miracle she wasn’t hurt, but it didn’t quite feel like a miracle when she watched their casket’s being lowered into the ground.. or the nightmares she had that never seemed to quite ever go away. She loved her adoptive parents, but she missed her mother and father terribly… however her and Ray found solace in the fact that they had each other.. team stray till the end.  
“So are you going to leave or what because we do have work to do?” Geoff asks abruptly dragging her from her thoughts.  
“Yeah of course.. Sorry Mr. Ramsey. Thanks again guys.” Iri says with a forced smile as she left the office at a near sprint with tears in her eyes. She wasn’t sure what had triggered it this time, but the panic attack set in swiftly as the room began to spin and the air left her lungs. Iri tried to make it to her desk in the Annex, but her body had other plans as her vision blackened on the edges and she crashed to the hard floor.  
“Chris you break it, you buy it!” Burnie growls as he opens his office door to pummel the rambunctious Alpha for yet again destroying company property. However, all he notices is someone lying on the ground and it takes only a second before he realizes it is Iri. “Iri? Iri!” Burnie shouts as he rushes to his fallen daughter who lies limply on the floor he picks her up gingerly and lays her on the couch in his office. “Princess wake up.” He whispers as he opens the first aid kit on a shelf in the room. Burnie takes out a few pieces of gauze and a bandage as well as some antiseptic.  
“Mmm Dad… Dad my head hurts…” Iri groans as she blinks slowly trying to garner her surroundings while attempting to sit up, but Burnie pushes her back down gently.  
“Hey just stay down for me… What happened?” He asks quietly as he comes back over and sits beside her curled up form. She doesn’t say anything rather just puts her head on his knee so he can clean the wound on her forehead.  
“Hey Burns have you seen.. Aha I got you now!” Joel smirks as he enters the office to find his daughter lying on the couch with Burnie glaring at his obnoxious entrance.  
“Joel, Darlin can you be just a little bit quieter?”  
“Sorry, what happened to you, Kiddo?”  
“Nothing.” Iri mumbles while shifting away from her parents and lying with her back to them.  
“Sure doesn’t sound like nothing Princess.”  
“Did someone hurt you? I’ll kick their ass if they did.” Joel offers as he was fiercely over protective of his little girl… even though she wasn’t so little anymore, but he was a father. And she would always be the carrot top in a sundress who loved to sit on his shoulders at parades, or who would cuddle into his side quietly while watching TV, or the reason he did his Caboose voice when Burnie got finished scolding her because it made her giggle.  
“I’m fine… I gotta go… Art stuff to do.” Iri mumbles while standing on shaky legs, if she could make it to her desk then she wouldn’t have to answer their prying questions… if she was lucky Miles would be there to ask her stupid questions to take her mind off of the incident. Making her way out of the office she can feel her fathers staring after her in worry, and part of her wanted to go back, but the other pushed her forward to her desk where Miles sat looking at the sketches of new character designs.  
“Hey Iri.” Miles says absentmindedly as he ganders at the artwork before him. He loved the new RWBY drawings, but one drawing in particularly caught his attention. It was that of a lone wolf standing in a dark forest staring up at a crimson crescent moon. The wolf was reddish brown with blue eyes that held a look of forlorn. It was a haunting drawing that send shivers down the omega’s spine.  
“Sup Miles, what can I do you for?” Iri inquires while sitting down at her desk and watching the man carefully as he examines the drawing in his hand. Doing a mental check she realizes that he has the wolf one, and without thinking she reaches for it quickly, ripping it from his hands. That was a personal portrait that no one should have ever seen, Iri thought she had locked that one in her drawer.  
“But I was.”  
“No.”  
“Iri, but that one was so.”  
“Go away Miles.”  
“I.”  
“Go. Away. Miles.” Iri growls and the omega nods slowly as he slinks back off to whence he came leaving her alone in the semi darkness. She knew looking at the picture was a bad idea as she felt tears prick her eyes and then start to stream down her cheeks. The portrait had been something that she’d drawn by accident, a picture that had never meant to leave her mind… and now she stared bitterly at the wolf… Such a lonely creature, looking to a moon that cared nothing for it, with the hope that it did… But how could the moon? It was not meant to care, it was meant to merely light the midnight sky with it’s hauntingly pale glow.  
“Iri?” A lightly accented voice asks and the smell of cinnamon floods her nostrils.  
“Go away.”  
“Why the fuck are you crying?”  
“None of your business.”  
“Well it is now since you know I can’t fucking leave a damsel in distress… Now tell your white knight what’s wrong.” Michael says while taking a swig of his drink and offers her one.  
“Thanks, and if you're my white knight then I’m royally fucked.” Iri mutters with a small smile as she turns to take a swig of the drink. Michael smirks and just uses a thumb to wipe away her tears with a shrug.  
“Hey I’m better than Ray, at least I could actually save you… I doubt he could even take a punch.” Michael boasts as he puffs out his chest and gestures to the bandage on her head. “So who am I saving you from this time?” This wouldn't be the first time he'd have to beat up someone who was hitting the girl... He still remembers the last asshole who'd thought it'd been okay to push her around for his own pleasure.  
“No one Michael, I just fell.”  
“Yeah and I’m the Queen of England.”  
“I really did fall though.”  
“Oh no I don’t doubt that, but why did you fall?”  
“I tripped.” Iri lies and Michael just snorts.  
“Mmhmm you want to play games with Ray and I?”  
“I can’t…” Iri mumbles as she gestures to the art on the table. “I have to.”  
“No you don’t and besides big bad Geoff is gone for lunch with Gavin.”  
“Why didn’t you go with your lovers?” Iri asks in curiosity as she stands up and pushes her art into piles making sure to bury her portrait under her other works. She knew that Geoff had taken the two omegas into his bed as well as his heart after the accident. Iri always thought Michael should have been an Alpha, but then again what did she know she was still unpresented.  
“I had a Rage Quit to do, but turns out it didn’t take as long as I thought it would… So tell me what happened?” Michael asks as he leads her into the nearly empty office save for Ray and now them.  
“What up girl.” Ray says with a smile as he notices the pair entering.  
“Hey again Ray, Michael I told you I fell.”  
“Yeah I got that, but why did you fall?”  
“Because she’s got two left feet?” Ray interjects as he feels the tension in the air between them.  
“Exactly… God why don’t you guys have the air on?” Iri mutters as she suddenly feels very hot, and body felt weak.. maybe she was getting sick she thought quietly to herself.  
“Uh it’s like 64 degrees in here, I’m fucking freezing.” Michael says as he glimpses how suddenly weak the woman looks. “You okay there Iri?”  
“No I’m hot and I don’t…” It’s at that moment Geoff comes into the room and Iri isn’t sure why, but a needy whine releases from her throat as she smells the man’s scent… He was an Alpha and her body wanted an Alpha right now. Geoff gives her a curious look as the woman stares at him needily while walking towards him as though possessed by some unseen force. “Mr…. Ramsey…. please.”  
“Iridessa are you… Oh my… Guys she just presented.” Geoff remarks quietly as his nose is flooded by the wonderfully fertile stench of a newly minted omega.. it was quite overpowering. So much so that he had to fight his instincts to keep from bending her over the couch, and showing the new Omega what a knot felt like. “Get… Someone.” Geoff orders and Michael dashes from the room with Ray not far behind.  
“Please Mr. Ramsey… Oh please I’m so hot… and wet… I can feel the slick starting to drip… Geoff.” Iri whines as she grinds herself against him, trying to get him to do something to relieve the heat… His body was like a cold drink of water in the scorching desert that was hers. She wanted him to cool her off, to make the heat go away, and she didn’t care how he did it either.  
“Iri.” Geoff whispers with a smile as the woman looks up to him with lustful eyes. “Come with me.” He orders with a strictness in his voice that her body craves, Geoff didn’t doubt that if he asked she would bend over right now. However he couldn’t do that to her, so he leads her to the couch where he sits and she straddles his lap. Iri, a slave to her instincts begins to kiss his neck and roll her hips slowly desperate to get the knot that biology promised he had. “No.”  
“But… Mr. Ramsey.. I’m so hot and..” Iri stutters in between kissing his neck roughly, her body needed this… she needed him and she needed him now. Her mind didn’t care that this man hated her, it only cared that he knotted her.  
“I said no… Iri stop, Iridessa listen to me!” Geoff growls and the young omega stops in her tracks looking to the man for direction. “Good girl.”  
“Princess, are you alright?” Burnie’s strong voice rings through the lust clouded air followed by Joel’s worried eyes.  
“Come here Kiddo, come to Papa.” Joel urges and the woman nearly leaps off of Geoff to the open arms of her father. “There’s our good girl, now let’s get you home eh?”  
“Papa… So hot.” Iri whines as Joel leads her from the room leaving the others there.  
“Geoff are you okay?” Burnie asks as the Alpha just sits there watching the empty doorway.  
“She.. She smells just like Griffon.” Geoff murmurs through a lips that were just beginning to quiver as he feels a tear slip down from his eyes… How could she it’s physically impossible, yet she smelled nearly the same as his dead mate... She smelled like a clear winter's night with a campfire burning nearby. “Burnie how could she?”  
“Geoff, I’m… Geoff I… I shouldn’t have…”  
“It’s not your fault, she wanted to go… It was Margaret's parents and you know how close those two were.” Geoff mutters as that night replays in his mind almost nine years ago. He remembers the call from Joel and driving to the scene to find his mate who was so vibrant and full of life so… so lifeless. And remembers seeing the little girl who sat now orphaned by a tree with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders staring at the burning wreck. He remembers how she cried while the others were busy with preparations and he remembers walking over to her and sitting down beside her as the tears streamed down both of their faces while Geoff held her tightly. The last thing Geoff remembered hearing was how sorry she was or and over again… and even then Geoff didn’t understand why she was sorry… even now he knew the whole thing wasn’t her fault, but she apologized regardless and he knew the anger he held towards her was dumb.. almost childish, but for the life of him he couldn’t… he couldn’t forgive her.


	2. A picture is worth a thousand words, but your memory is worth a million

“Geoff?” Burnie says interrupting the Gent’s flashback and drawing him back to his sad reality.  
“I just..”  
“Why don’t you take the day off? I’ll drive you home so the others can still work.” Burnie tells him quietly while the other just follows him complacently to the car. The drive is a blur that Geoff easily forgets as Burnie opens the door for him and leads the man into his house. Burnie still had the key from back when the accident had first happened, and Geoff had been so depressed that he wouldn’t eat or leave his house rather just choosing to stare at old pictures of her. He hoped Geoff wouldn’t sink that low again so after making sure his friend was okay Burnie drove over to his house where even from the driveway he heard Iri screaming in pain. Taking this as a bad sign he rushes into the house to find Joel lying unconscious on the living room floor, and Iri herself holding her head in pain.  
“Iri what’s wrong?” Burnie asks as he rushes to the girl who blinks back tearful eyes as the pain stabs into her skull. “What happened to Joel?”  
“I… My… head…” Iri mumbles brokenly as her body finally gives in and she drops to the floor for the second time today.  
“Well it’s safe to say you're an Apex like your father.” Burnie grumbles as he shakes Joel awake who had been rather dazed considering his ears were still a little ringy from her screaming. “Joel are you okay?”  
“I’M FINE!” Joel shouts as he stands up using the nearby couch as leverage.  
“Why are you shouting?”  
“Sorry my ears were… you know when a loud explosion goes off and then you can’t hear for a while that’s what it was like.” Joel explains quickly while gesturing to their daughter lying limply on the floor.  
“So you're telling me she screamed so loud that your ears didn’t work properly for a minute or two?” Burnie stares at him incredulously.  
“She screams really loudly sometimes.” Joel says defensively as Burnie just shakes his head.  
“Uh huh, let’s just get her into bed. I doubt she’ll be this calm next time she wakes up.” Burnie says as he picks her up easily and starts down towards her old room. Iri had an apartment, a job, and was quite the self sufficient person so she rarely needed someone to take care of her. Ever since she moved out, and started paying her own bills the chance of her taking free handouts was slim even when her fathers insisted that it was alright… Well Joel insisted it was alright, things had been complicated between them for awhile now. However, Iri was much like her mother in that way, she was a woman who was more than happy to work and help others, but often refused help herself. She wouldn’t give you the shirt off her back, but she would help you get your own. So moments like these were far and few between, it might be the sap in Burnie but he liked to cherish them… It made up for all the times she would fight with him, and tell him he wasn’t her father… that she didn’t have a father anymore… He remembers her saying that it would have been better if she died in that accident and for that he slapped her… he slapped her so hard Joel was worried that he had broken her jaw. Burnie then remembered watching her leave with a look of betrayal on her face, and he remembered Joel stopping him from going after her as she took her car keys disappearing off into the dark night. The pair didn’t speak for nearly five months and she didn’t come home rather sleeping at Ray’s apartment in-between work and school. It had taken Joel weeks to get her to at least talk to him, and even then it was short snappy answers that made him wonder if she would ever come home. And then there was the nail that shut the coffin completely, it was the anniversary of her parent’s death and Burnie had, had one too many to drink. So naturally drunk Burnie, the douche that he was left a voicemail that no amount of talking with Joel would ever fix, and just like she was gone. She came over within the next week, got her clothes and personal belongings, and then moved into her own place by Ray. Iri finished out high school and continued working on her art until she was finally good enough for Monty’s approval, which constituted her employment as a staff member. Burnie still remembers the surprise in his mind when Matt told them that Monty had personally recommended her. Though now as he watched her sleep so peacefully he wondered what it would mean for her to be an Apex Predator considering all he knew was that they were different… Different but the same, he had never had a chance to really ask his brother what made him different all he ever told him was that he got awful headaches. This made Burnie wonder about something else that had come along after the accident. It was Geoff’s hatred for the sole survivor, and part of him wondered if Geoff still truly hated her, or if it was merely a bad habit the man picked up and had gotten used to over the years… Burnie left the room wondering a great deal more things, but none of them ever came to rest heavily on his mind rather just flitting here and there as he calmly went back to work after being assured by Joel that he could handle it.  
Geoff’s House

Geoff sat, well really it was laying but that was a minor detail in his mind as he stared at the picture in his hand. It was a wedding day photo… The only wedding photo that had really mattered to him to at least enough keep after her death. It had been a dark time for him after she was gone and in his anger he had tossed out anything that had reminded him of her. Except for this one photo... Part of him wondered why he loved this photo so much, maybe it was the simplicity of it all or maybe it was the fact that Griffon was in it, but something about it called to him in the greatest of ways. Not great as in happy, but rather with a sense of hope; perhaps it was there hope for a better life or perhaps it was their hope of happiness. Geoff would never and for that fact could never know, but he did know that this photo made him happy… that she had made him happy.  
“I shouldn’t let this drag me down… I should just put it away… I should…” Geoff mumbles as he stares into the mirror by over the dresser. “Life is full of shoulds and shouldn’ts.”  
‘Just like you shouldn’t hate her after nine years.’ A tiny voice in Geoff’s mind quips, which he just promptly sighs at while he walks over to the dresser and puts the photo away. ‘If you were truly a better person you would forgive her… she’s just a pup, and she did naught but survive.’  
“Old man are you here?” Michael’s voice asks as Geoff hears him shut the door.  
“Michael shush! He could be sleeping.” Gavin’s scolds seconds later as his mates begin to bicker.  
“If he was asleep shouldn’t the door be locked?”  
“Maybe he forgot to lock it.”  
“Geoff doesn’t forget those kinda things.”  
“Well maybe.”  
“Gavvers it’s okay, I’m up.” Geoff answers calmly as he descends the stairs to find his two omegas in the living room where the two are smiling hesitantly.  
“We didn’t wake you did we?” Gavin asks and Geoff just shakes his head in no.  
“Nope, how was the rest of the day?”  
“It was good…” Geoff can hear Gavin explaining various incidents and the funny things that ensued, but he found himself not really listening rather just smiling when his boy smiled. It wasn’t until Michael scowled that he truly began to listen as Gav went into great detail about the wonderful scent he had smelled in the office.  
“Gav stop, I don’t think Geoff needs to hear about.”  
“But Michael it was just top, I thought I was standing next to a campfire on a cold winter’s night.”  
“Oh yeah? Tell me about this wonderful scent.” Geoff says with a surprisingly relaxed tone. Usually he wouldn’t care to hear about something like this, but the way Gavin was so animated about it had his interests piqued.  
“Well it was like burning an evergreen tree, but not real smokey rather just enough to sorta coat your sense of smell. And it was like you could feel the cold nipping at your nose, but not like being plunged into a cold lake.” Gavin explains and Geoff smiles at him while flicking his nose.  
“That’s quite a smell it sounds like, a damn shame I had to miss it.” Geoff jests as he watches Michael watch him warily. The youngest had always been wary of him as though the Alpha might hit him at any second, and Geoff had never figured out why because he had never hit his boys to begin with.  
“Yeah and it smelled just like Griffon.” Gavin finishes and this is when Geoff realizes who exactly he had been talking about. “I can’t say I’m surprised she’s an Omega, but the smell… Her scent really throws me off.”  
“Gav just stop.” Michael warns as he notices how stiff Geoff had become at the mention of her name. “Geoff are you.”  
“I’m fine, and yeah I can’t believe how similar the two are.”  
“We should go visit her, you know make sure she’s alright.” Gavin suggests and at this Geoff growls darkly. He could handle his mate’s quiet wondering, but right now wasn’t the time for his intrusive behavior.  
“Gav, I’m sure her fathers can handle this.” Geoff tells him while staring at him sharply causing the omega to relent in his pesky behavior. “Are you two hungry?”  
“No, I ate a big lunch.” Michael lies as he heads back towards the door. “I have to go check on things at my apartment, but I’ll be back here soon.” Geoff however stands up and places a hand on his shoulder, effectively stopping the man.  
“Do you need any help?”  
“Naa I’m okay Geoff, you and Gavin have a good dinner. I’ll be back soon.” Michael assures them as Gavin smiles at him, and the elder merely nods while giving him a quick kiss.  
“We’ll be here.” Geoff replies and Michael just heads out the door with car keys in hand.  
“Where do you suppose he’s going?”  
“Probably his apartment, now come help me make dinner you twit.”  
“Oy!” Gavin squawks in surprise as Geoff gropes his butt roughly.

Michael’s Apartment/ Iri’s Apartment

It takes him about twenty minutes to drive to his shared apartment that he almost never used unless his mates really ticked him off or he needed to get some work done. He had been sharing this apartment with Iri since she had first started working at the company which was about seven months or so. The reasoning had been it was nice to have a space all to himself and Iri was a more than happy to maintain this space. Plus it was much closer than her old apartment building and since Ray had practically moved in with Ryan. She had told him she felt safer in this part of town plus Michael showed up occasionally, and the company was welcomed in her mind. Sometimes Michael found it hard to believe that the now omega didn’t have more friends besides most of the Achievement Hunters, and Miles on days when she could tolerate him. It wasn’t like she wasn’t a friendly person when you talked to her, and sure she had some reclusive tendencies, but hey who didn’t. Though now he wondered if she would be here or if her fathers had taken her back to their house. Michael guessed the latter as he unlocked the door to find it empty save for the large painting in the middle of the room drying he assumed. Curious as to what it was this time he takes a look to find it almost as astonishing as she was. The painting was of a reddish brown wolf with brilliant blue eyes sparkling with ferocity about to pounce on a larger darker brown wolf with cold green eyes that sent shivers through his body. He had to force himself to look away from the painting lest he stay trapped in that moment with the wolves themselves.  
“Hey Michael.” Iri’s tired voice says as she stumbles into the apartment, and crashes onto the couch heavily. She lies face down on the sofa and kicks off her shoes before noticing how weak she truly was from this change.  
“Iri, I thought you were with Joel?”  
“Keyword there is were, I left when I woke up… But I left him a note so he wouldn’t worry.” Iri says with a smile as she yawns loudly while blinking slowly. She may not like Burnie of late but she still cherished Joel, and it would be cruel to leave him in wondering. “Did you hear? I’m a newly minted Omega, all shiny and new.” She mutters into her arms as sleep threatens to take back over.  
“Yeah so tell me again why you left.”  
“As Rage Against the Machine so eloquently puts, ‘I don’t wanna be there anymore.’”  
“So do you just plan to ride this one out by yourself?”  
“Ding, ding somebody give… the man… a prize.” Iri grimaces as another round of pain racks her body leaving her shuddering. Michael just growls at the hard headed woman who holds her stomach in pain. “Cramps are a bitch.”  
“Yeah they are, but this won’t last long… Come on let’s get you into bed so you don’t ruin the couch.” Michael says as he lifts her up easily noticing how light she really is or maybe lifting was just making him stronger. Placing her softly on the bed in her room, he goes to leave but a small needy sound leaves her throat.  
“You… I… Can’t you stay?” Iri asks gently as she stares up hopefully at the man standing before her biting his lip in apprehension. “I.. won’t bite.”  
“No I’m sure you won’t, but one in particular might rip your damn head off for just suggesting that.”  
“I see… Then you should just go so I don’t tempt you.” Iri mutters while turning away from Michael with hurt in her eyes. She didn’t know why it hurt so much, she had no reason to be hurt because he was a mated man… She had no right to even ask the man.  
“I’m sorry, but you know…”  
“Michael it’s cool we’re just friends so...” Iri trails off into the pillow… too afraid to continue her train of thought. What was she even doing this was her friend? He was her friend nothing more, and just like the self portrait she was alone. She didn’t need him so why was she asking, and then it dawns on her this must be the omega inside; desperate for companionship because apparently it wasn’t keen on being alone right now.  
“I hate when you say that… You say it like it’s a bad thing.” Michael mutters bitterly as he watches her just shiver on top of the covers. He had to admit she looked really pitiful lying so broken on the bed, and really what could a few harmless cuddles hurt… it’s not like they were scenting, and besides he could just take a shower before he went back to Geoff’s. Michael remembers what it felt like to go through presenting on his own, and he didn’t want anybody to feel as abandoned as he was. So very gingerly he slips into the bed, wrapping his arms around her gently, and resting his head on top of hers. She makes a muffled whine, but Michael just hushes her while humming soothingly causing Iri’s eyes to flutter shut quickly. It isn’t maybe an hour or two in that Michael begins to feel his own eyelids waver, and despite his best attempts to stay awake he falls asleep holding the shaking omega woman.

Midnight  
Geoff’s House

Gavin and Geoff had finished up dinner hours ago and were now watching a string of Netflix shows while cuddling on the couch. It is at the end of the sixth straight episode Geoff yawns widely and ruffles Gavin’s hair gently, but the younger doesn’t stir rather choosing to snuggle in closer.  
“Gav, buddy come on let’s go to bed.” Geoff urges and the other just blinks at him complacently.  
“Hmm... Geoff where’s my boi?” Gavin asks and the other rubs his face while picking up his phone then starts dialing the other’s number. He listens to it ring and ring and ring until the voicemail answers.  
‘If this is Gavin just fuck off, if this is my mom sorry for swearing, and if this is anyone else just you know leave me an actual message.’ It answers leaving Geoff wondering what the hell the man was actually doing.  
“Gav, I guess he’s busy.” Geoff answers with a shrug and the other sighs.  
“Or he fell asleep playing Xbox again.”  
“My guess is on the second one, now come on let’s get some sleep.” Geoff tells him with a kiss pressed gently to the others lips causing him to moan and push into it.  
“Alpha please.” Gavin whimpers needily and Geoff just shakes his head. He knew Gavin had a tendency to become needy when he first woke up, but Geoff just wasn’t quite up to it tonight.  
“Not tonight buddy, old man needs some sleep.”  
“Your not old, just a tease.” Gavin mumbles as he crashes into the sheets wearing only his boxers, same as the other. It takes no time for Geoff to follow him and the younger curls up into his side and he pulls his omega close. Geoff falls asleep with the scent of fresh cut grass and hints of oak in his nose. Gavin smiles into his chest as he catches a whiff of good whiskey and fresh peaches; it was odd for such a gruff man to smell like peaches, but it was pleasant to his palette so who was he to complain. At that thought he felt himself drifting down into sleep’s longing embrace.


	3. With Beauty Comes Pain

The Morning

Michael awakes to the sound of throwing up and quiet swearing. So standing up slowly he makes his way to the sound only to realize that he was still at his apartment, and after checking his phone he sees several missed calls from Geoff.  
“Iri?” Michael inquires as he opens the door to find the woman drenched in sweat, and puking her guts out into the toilet; choosing to ignore his mate for his sick friend. There would be hell to pay regardless, so why not help her first. He grimaces at the sound as he gets a washcloth, wets it, and then places the cool rag on the back of her neck.  
“I’m sorry.” Iri murmurs quietly as she stares at the ground, refusing to meet Michael’s eyes.  
“For what? This is normal, well throwing up is a possibility but not.”  
“That’s not what I meant… You stayed and now Geoff is probably mad at you, and it’s all my fault.” Iri cuts him off while still refusing to look at him. “Now he just hates me more.”  
“It’s cool Iri, and I’m sure Geoff doesn’t hate you.”  
“That’s a lie and you know it… He’s hated me longer than I thought even possible.” Iri tells him and she didn’t blame Geoff one bit for his hatred… Hell she’d hate her too if the situation was reversed. Why was she the lucky one?  
“No… he doesn’t hate you, he just hates that you lived.” Michael says and at this Iri merely nods while turning back to the toilet. He realizes that maybe that didn’t really help so he tried to rephrase it so it sounded better. “Geoff hates that she died, and he hates that your parents died, but I don’t think he really hates you.”  
“He just hates everything else.”  
“Exactly, hey I got to go to the office. Will you be okay on your own?” Michael asks as he looks at her warily. She nods and he leaves the room to go get some clothes to change in to. “If you need anything don’t hesitate to call, I’ll be here in like ten minutes.”  
“Thanks Michael, and I really am sorry about last night… I shouldn’t have asked.”  
“Don’t worry about it, we’re buds and buds cuddle platonically sometimes.” Michael adds with a smirk while striding past her to enter the shower, and begins stripping behind the curtain as the other vomits harshly into the toilet. Taking a quick shower and making sure to scrub her scent off of him as best as he could. Wrapping a towel around his hips he heads to his bedroom where he throws on a pair of clothes that smelled as much like Geoff as possible hoping it would cover up her strong scent. Michael leaves making sure to lock the front door behind him even in his rush. He wasn’t late, but he was cutting it close and he’s sure Geoff will ask him where he went. However, when he strolls into the office he can’t help, but notice how quiet it is as the others are all absorbed into their own tasks. So when he sits down at his desk he can’t help, but startle slightly when his phone vibrates loudly. Shifting his eyes down he sees its from Ray. He turns, only to see the other quietly perfecting a game that he was probably doing a guide for before turning back to his starting up computer and answering him. 

‘How is she?’ - From Beaner. Ray knew that the two shared an apartment.  
‘Fine, but why are you texting me? Shouldn’t you just ask her?’ - Mogar  
‘She wouldn’t answer my texts this morning, and I figured you went to visit her when Vav asked me if you were at mine. Rye said she was probably too sick to answer.’- Beaner  
‘Yeah it’s hitting her pretty hard. Can you stop by during lunch to make sure she’s okay, and not drowning in her own vomit? I would but you know how Geoff gets when I visit my place too often.’ -Mogar  
‘Yeah we’ll go… So I take it you spent the night.’ -Beaner  
‘I didn’t want to leave her by herself and she didn’t want to stay with Joel; besides it is partly my apartment so I can stay there if I want to. Geoff doesn’t own me.’ -Mogar  
‘Didn’t say he did.’ - Beaner

Michael looks up from his phone to see Ray staring at him with twitching lips like he wanted to say something, but was holding back. So he just turned back to his latest Rage Quit in an attempt to splice together some form of entertainment from his screaming. Part of him wondered why people enjoyed this shit so much, it was literally him screaming at some stupid game trying not to break the nearest object. But hey, who was he to deny the audience what they wanted. As he finished up his work around noonish Michael felt his stomach growl. He was right about to ask Gavin if he wanted to get something for lunch, but Geoff taps his shoulder suddenly.  
“Hey you ready?” Geoff asks and Michael nods quickly while saving his latest work then grabbing his phone before they headed out. They were in the parking lot before Geoff started asking him questions. “So where’d you go last night?”  
“I went to my apartment, why?” Michael says casually while looking up into his Alpha’s questioning eyes, he wasn’t lying he was at his apartment.  
“Oh I was just curious, but you know what’s even more curious?” Geoff asks with knowing eyes and Michael just shrugs unknowingly as Gavin gives both of them a confused look. “Uh no I can’t say I do. Is it Gavin’s faces lack of symmetry?”  
“Oye my face has plenty of symmetry you mingey ginger!”  
“Ouch boi, that one stung a little.” Michael jokes trying to lighten the mood that Geoff seemed to be in.  
“No, I was referring to how your scent seems to be crossed with another… I smell cinnamon with a touch of honey, and something else that shouldn’t be there.” Geoff says accusatorily and Michael freezes at this accusation. “And why is that Michael?”  
“Because my apartment smells different than your house, and I slept there last night Geoff.” Michael responds calmly, he was prepared for that question considering it was the simplest one to answer.  
“See yeah, that’s where the problem arises. I’ve been to your apartment and it has never once smelled so much like burning evergreens.”  
“Boi, what’s he on about?” Gavin asks as he turns to Michael who sighs heavily and looks guiltily at them. Michael knew it would come out sooner or later, but he had hoped it would be later rather than sooner.  
“Well if you think I’m cheating on you then you are wrong.”  
“Then why do you smell different?”  
“Geoff, I have been sharing an apartment with Iri.” Michael tells them and he plans to explain the situation further, but doesn’t have a chance as Geoff releases a throaty growl that stops him dead in his tracks. It is minutes later before he is slammed into the side of the car, and Geoff’s lips are on his nearly suffocating him.  
“Why?” Geoff growls as he pulls back and grabs Michael’s wrists pinning them to the heated metal causing him to hiss in pain. “Answer me Omega.” Geoff orders in a voice that Michael wishes he could refuse, but biology refuses to let that happen.  
“She needed a place to stay after Ray moved in with Ryan that was safe, and I needed place that I could be sure would be taken care of.” Michael explains hesitantly, and Geoff just curls his lip in anger.  
“So you offered her yours?”  
“No, she pays most of the rent, and I chip in a little on the side so it’s fully taken care. Geoff we’re just friends.” Michael tells the man gruffly as he wrenches his wrists away in anger. “I went over there last night to make sure she was okay. I was being a friend you asshole!”  
“I thought she went home with Joel?” Gavin adds, but Michael just scoffs.  
“Yeah she stayed there for awhile, but when I got there she was just dragging herself into the place… I didn’t want to leave her by herself since she was throwing up… not a damn thing happened you insecure dick!” Michael tells them as he pushes past the crowding alpha who narrowed his eyes after him.  
“Who gave you permission to leave?” Geoff snarls at him.  
“I don’t need your ‘permission’ I’m a fucking adult you douche!” Michael snaps at him while storming back towards the office leaving Gavin and Geoff in the parking lot. Gavin watches Geoff carefully, he knew the alpha had a tendency to make hasty decisions in anger.  
“Geoff?”  
“What Gavin?”  
“Nothing…” Gavin mumbles and at this he can see the other’s expression soften slightly.  
“I’m so stupid.” Geoff grumbles as he quells the urge to hit something.  
“Yeah you are… You better go apologize before he kills someone.”  
“I don’t think he’s the only one who deserves an apology.”  
“No, I can think of another person whose apology is long overdue.” Gavin remarks and Geoff just sighs. “I know it’s hard to face, but you will feel better if you do.”  
“Since when did you become so smart?” Geoff jokes and Gavin just huffs.  
“I’ve always been this smart you're just too dumb to notice.”  
“Ouch…”  
“Will you go already?”  
“How about a kiss? Just one for luck.”  
“Fine you knob.” Gavin answers with a smirk as he leans into Geoff who gives him a chaste kiss that Gavin wished he could deepen, but the other had things to do today besides snog him. After Geoff left Gavin wondered if someone could get high off of kissing, or if oxygen was really as big of a deal as everyone thought it was. Then again it probably was because you need it to live so at least that question was answered… Maybe he really was as dumb as people said… No he knew too much about cameras to ever truly be dumb. So with those thoughts out of the way he heads back into the office hoping to find some food in the fridge since it was too late to get it from anywhere else.

Apartment

When Ray arrived he and Ryan showed up with chicken broth that the Gent had insisted they bring. It was filled with nutrients to help replace the ones her body was casting out.  
“Should we knock or…” Ryan trails off as the lad produces a key.  
“What can I say we like to party.” Ray says jokingly as he unlocks the front door to find it eerily quiet, and not just quiet but dead silent. Ryan looks to the other and gestures to the closed door at the end of a short hallway. The pair walk down there, and after opening the door find Iri curled up in a corner shaking with blood crusted on her shoulders as well as her ears.  
“What the fuck! Iri, are you okay?” Ray asks worriedly as he dashes to her side to find her barely breathing.  
“Ray, can you back up so I can see her?” Ryan says to the frazzled omega who nods frantically.  
“Ry is she… she’s not dead right?”  
“No Ray just very sick… Go get me some hot water and a rag so I can clean the blood off of her neck and ears.” Ryan tells him and the younger goes off to gather said materials while he picks her up off the floor, and lies her on the bed. When Ray returns he hands Ryan the cloth, and the older begins dabbing gently at the dried blood while the other stares at him with worry.  
“Should we take her to the hospital?” Ray asks after a few silent minutes between the two, Ryan however just shakes his head as he continues his work quietly. “Should we take her home with us since Michael won’t likely be able to come back with Geoff’s anger and all?”  
“Ray, I think she will be fine here by herself.” Ryan lies as he tries to assure his flustered mate of her condition; secretly he wanted to take her with him but part of him knew she would just wake up and wander out. At least if she stayed here, she would be in one spot and not wandering around for any old Alpha to snatch up. “I think we get some fluids in her, make sure she is fed, and then we leave the rest up to her. She’s a big girl now, she doesn’t need our help, and if she does I’m sure she’ll ask.”  
“But.”  
“Ray.” Ryan says in a warning tone that causes the omega to shut his mouth, but he still whined worriedly. With a forced sigh Ray finally relents and settles for sitting beside his best friend as Ryan finishes his work. It takes maybe twenty or so minutes till the gent is satisfied, and backs away from the bed noticing how it smelled faintly of Michael.  
“I know why Michael was so tense this morning.”  
“Yeah, you smelled it too… I bet he didn’t want to leave her all alone.” Ryan answers and Ray nods in agreement. “I’ll go warm up some of the broth, try to wake her up.”  
“Okay.” Ray first tries to gently shake the pale woman into consciousness, but all he receives are sleepy murmurs. “Iridessa, come on man; Iri you're freaking me out with all this death-like silence. Wake up.”  
“Mmm Ray? Ray what... what are you doing here?” Iri asks with a hoarse throat most likely from being so sick. Blinking several times she tries to figure out where she was, and why did she feel so terrible, also why was Ray here? It isn’t till Ryan walks in with a steaming mug that she figures Michael must have told them how awful she looked this morning. “Hey Ryan... Sorry about,” (Gestures to herself) “all this. You didn’t have to come, I’m fine.”  
“Fine my ass, you look like someone ran you over with a train!” Ray nearly shouts in anger at his harsh tone Iri looks down in submission. The action causes Ryan to growl in irritation at his vibrant lover.  
“It’s fine Iri, and besides I’ve always been interested in what your and Michael’s apartment looks like.” Ryan says which seems to relax the fearful girl as he offers her the mug with a smile. “You need to drink this.”  
“No Ryan, I’m okay.”  
“I wasn’t asking.” Ryan’s once pleasantly suggestive tone flat-lines into his do it or I’ll hurt you tone, leaving her with little room to question him. She goes to lean forward to take the mug from him, but as she does it suddenly flies from his grip and smashes against the wall in front of her.  
“What the fuck?”  
“I.. I’m sorry, I must have bumped it with my hands or something… I’ll clean it up.” Iri mumbles apologetically while slowly getting out of bed only to fall straight to the ground with a yelp. Her stupid knees hadn’t wanted to work properly leaving her lying on the cold, wood floor for a few seconds before Ryan’s strong grip lifted her easily back onto the bed.  
“You need to rest now Iri. I’ll get some towels to mop it up and I’ll get you a new cup.” Ryan wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but it felt right and this poor girl was truly very sick. Ray had always joked that if Geoff wasn’t already pack alpha Ryan would have happily taken the job… Or maybe he wondered what it would be like to have multiple mates like Geoff himself… He wouldn’t particularly mind that, she would be a very attractive omega… Well when she wasn’t dying because of the change. Ryan made a mental note to bring this up to the woman at a later date… Also to Ray, and he should probably tell Ray first…. Man his thoughts were jumbled today. Once Ryan had left the room Ray turned to face her with curious eyes.  
“How are you feeling?”  
“Not good Narvaez, not good at all.” Iri remarks as she brings her knees up to her chest, and rests her head on them. She hoped they would leave soon because she wasn’t sure how long she could keep from crying due to the pain at the base of her spine and the top of her head. Iri didn’t understand why this was happening, or what it meant because her health class hadn’t prepared her for this… and the fear she felt was nearly overwhelming… She wanted someone to hold her and tell her it would be all better, and someone to nuzzle as well as scent with that didn’t have a mate already.. Iri couldn’t stand the thought of stealing anyone’s mate it seemed much too cruel in her eyes. As if sensing her distress Ray moved closer and pulled her to his chest, with a sigh he wraps his arms around her… Iri wanted to stay in his close grip, she wanted to stay near his chest, grounded by his heart beat but her mind refused to allow it. Forcing Iri to worm her way out. Ray tilts his head at her actions, and instead of asking why he just stares at her back for a few minutes before nuzzling the base of her neck. It was meant to be a friendly gesture, an attempt to get her to allow the scenting, but Iri growled darkly in response. Taking the hint her friend backs off leaving her to lie in the middle of the bed curled into a defensive ball. When Ryan comes into the room he carries several towels as well as more broth which he sets down on the nightstand, then mops up the mess quickly. It wasn’t until he is done that he notices how apprehensive Ray is, like he wants to touch her but he won’t. Ryan however held no hesitation when he sat beside her head, and stroked her neck softly trying to coax the omega to look at him. But he receives nothing other than a sound of distress, the alpha in him wanted nothing more than to pull her into his grasp, and nuzzle the pain away. So he keeps kneading the skin till he works his way to her chin where he eases the tight muscles to relax, and as he goes to lean down to look into her eyes. She bites him… Like she literally bites his fingers, and not even a playful bite rather a forceful bite that sends his instincts into overdrive. Without thinking he snarls and grabs her throat forcing her to bear it while pinning her down. Iri doesn’t even fight the Alpha as her mind tells her body to submit. Ray was about to intervene, but Ryan comes back to himself and smiles gently while releasing her neck then sitting back on his knees.  
“Bad girl, don’t bite.” The gent scolds lightly with a smile as he flicks her nose. Ray releases a breath he hadn’t thought he was holding. “Iridessa we need to leave, but we’ll stop by after work… Be a good girl and drink that for me, and then I want you to sleep.” Ryan orders in his alpha voice and Iri just nods slowly. So with that the pair leave ready to finish out the work day with the knowledge that she wasn’t dying in a corner of her apartment. It can’t be more than five minutes after they leave that Iri feels the ripping of skin on her back and something protruding from the spot. Seconds later a similar feeling is felt on her head leaving her ragged throat even rougher, and her mind in a hazy cloud of pain… She isn’t sure what rational part of her mind forces her to her phone, where she types a single phrase into her most recent contact. Which was ironically the last person she had ever told this phrase to in over half a year. And before it’s sent she feels her vision fade to black, but she doesn’t fight it this time rather allowing the tidal wave of pitch to crash over her pain addled mind.


	4. Pre-game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little rapey, so considered yourself warned.

It’s about four-thirty pm when Burnie leaves his meeting and at this he finally turns his phone back on, which is flooded by incoming messages from various staff including Barbara, Gus, and he even had one from Kara. However there’s one message that stands out in his inbox, and instantly puts him on edge… and not a good edge, an edge that made his fatherly instincts tingle with anxiousness. Normally this wouldn’t cause him to worry at all, but he had a feeling that something bad was happening; so he made his way into Joel’s office where the man sat scribbling down a few notes on a pad of sticky notes.  
“Joel?”  
“Yeah what’s up Burns?” Joel answers as he looks up from his soon to be finished comic book of a man losing his head, and then regaining it… Today had been a really slow day for him.  
“Have you talked to Iridessa lately?” Burnie asks knowing that if anyone had talked to their daughter it was most likely him, but he just sighs.  
“Not really, she won’t answer my calls… I’m assuming it’s because the change is hitting her pretty hard.” Joel tells him and he still wished she wouldn’t have left the house. He would have rather taken care of her than come to work.  
“Okay.. I just.. You know I got this strange text from her a couple of hours ago… Did you get anything?”  
“Uh no, what’s it say Burns?” Joel inquires with mild surprise considering she didn’t talk to him unless it was absolutely necessary. Burnie hands him the phone and Joel reads the message which wasn’t really that strange at all. “Burnie all it says is I love you Dad… Last I checked not really cause for death con one. Actually it’s kinda good, maybe it means she’ll start talking to you again… You should text her back.”  
“I don’t know Joel it just feels… it feels wrong.”  
“Maybe you're just not used to her saying it to you after the fight?”  
“Yeah… yeah I bet that’s just it.” Burnie mutters as he leaves his mate’s office, but not before he gets a quick kiss from the man as he goes back to work.  
‘Love you too, Iri.’  
Burnie shoots back after he stares at it for a few more seconds, maybe this time would be different. Sure she probably wouldn’t come back to the house, but hopefully she might accept the Sunday dinner invitations Joel always offered her. And with a smile tugging at his lips he goes back to work finishing up work that Matt had asked him to do before the end of the week. 

About Seven pm

Burnie eyes were tired of staring at his computer and so he decided it was time to call it quits, sure the work wasn’t done but he wouldn’t get anything else done tonight. Looking around the office he noticed how empty it was and with a quick stop in Joel’s empty office he realizes that most everyone had gone home for the day. So Burnie makes his way to the car when he receives another text from Iri. Wow that’s two in one day… Hmm things must be looking up.  
‘Dad can I come over to the house tonight? We really need to talk.’- Iri  
'Sure Princess, I’m just leaving the office now. Do you want me to pick you up, since Joel said the change was hitting you pretty hard?’- Dad  
‘No, I’ll meet you at the house okay… Love you.’ Iri  
He can’t help the smile that tugs at his lips as he starts up his car and drives to the house. It takes roughly fifteen minutes to get there, and he can see her dark blue 2006 honda civic sitting in front of the house. Burnie opened the door to find Joel quietly murmuring something, and Iri’s hushed tone coming from the kitchen.  
“Hey guys!” Burnie calls cheerily however his smile falters slightly when he comes into the kitchen to find Iri hanging her head lowly, and Joel offering her a concerned look. “What’s... “  
“Dad don’t freak out!” Iri warns as her father catches a glimpse of her newest appendages. After she had sent the first text she had passed out, and when she awoke she found that two fox ears as well as a matching tail had grown on her body. At first her mind had panicked and then the tail itself panicked causing only more panic. After a solid hour of just straight panic, and the remembrance that Ryan and Ray were coming over later had sent her into overdrive. First she googled this, and after nothing came up she called a doctor who seemed very worried for her mental health. Lastly she called Joel and asked if they could talk. She figured he assumed about the fight, but when she showed up like this and explained the situation the man’s eyes widened. He knew something, but he refused to tell her until Burnie was here. “Dad?”  
“I knew it, your father warned that this would be an option in his will… he said it was so unlikely that he never even feared the outcome, but your mother was one as well and you know how that doubles the chances… Griffon had warned me that this could happen.” Burnie rambles leaving his daughter in complete confusion as the young fox’s ears flattened down towards her skull in fear.  
“What?” Iri says in confusion and her tail twitches with the exact same feeling. “How could Griffon know anything?... Wait what am I?”  
“Society calls you a nuisance, and a resource to be exploited… But in truth you are what they call an Apex Predator… An evolutionary deviance.” Joel tells her very seriously and her eyes widen in fear.  
“Nuisance?”  
“No.” Burnie says glaring at Joel for calling her that. “Basically you are a creature whose DNA slightly varies from that of a normal person. All of us are based loosely off of wolves in our body language, mating characteristics, and basically every other way except from our outward appearance… Save for some. You however, and your parents were mildly different. He never really explained it to me, but I caught a few glimpses of his wolf-tail.” Burnie starts to explain, but Joel interrupts him.  
“If you didn’t guess your mother was quite the vixen, though she was an arctic fox… You appear to be a red fox.”  
“Thanks Joel for that brilliant deduction. As I was saying an Apex Predator usually exhibits physical traits of the given animal, and my brother mentioned something about having gifts.. But he died before I could ever truly know anything else.”  
“And you mentioned Griffon, what did you mean?”  
“Griffon herself was an Apex, but she was a bear mix… Though her tail had been chopped off in a chainsaw accident so she displayed no outward signs.”  
“What was her gift?”  
“Oh she was able to contort wood, and make it grow.” Joel answers helpfully and watches as his daughter merely nods at the sudden influx of information. “It’s not a bad thing, and if it’s any consolation they match your hair.”  
“Anything else I should know?” Iri snaps as she feels her anger starting to bubble up. God what an awful inheritance her parents left her. “I mean besides the whole tail situation.”  
“Uh no, but I don’t really know enough to answer beyond what I told you… However, in the will, it mentions that Apexes will attract or bring forth the traits of others… Sorta like a domino effect, and Apexes rarely mate with anything but other Apexes.” Burnie tells her and Iri nods while flicking her tail back and forth in irritation.  
“So what is Geoff?” Joel asks that question suddenly dawning on him.  
“I said rarely Darlin, I’m ninety percent sure he’s a normal dude.”  
“Well this has been lovely and super informative, but I gotta go.” Iri says fighting the urge to just storm out into the night, and smash things in anger… Part of Michael had started to rub off on her she thinks.  
“Maybe you should stay the night, and we can try to hash this out together.” Burnie argues, but Iri just shakes her head.  
“I think this is something I need to figure out on my own… Thanks for the info Dad, and I love you two.” Iri tells them while heading towards her car. However her mind told her that she didn’t need the car that she should just leave it, but logic told her to take the car. So driving back to her place in record time, and throwing the car in park. Iri storms the stairs of her building hurrying as fast as she can because the fox part of her told her that being seen like this would probably be bad. With Burnie’s words ringing in her ears she opens the door quickly and slides down it in relief as it shuts. Though the relief is short lived when she finds five out of the six Achievement Hunters staring at her expectantly.  
“Hi.” Iri mumbles quickly trying to quell her instinct that told her to run, to find an exit, or to hide. There were too many people for her fox to be comfortable with, and far too many to keep from seeing the large bushy tail.  
“Is that a tail?” Ray’s curious voice asks breaking the suddenly overpowering silence.  
“Yeah… it’s been a hell of a day…” Iri trails off as her ears flick towards the sound of Geoff snorting in surprise.  
“Apex, well damn I should have known.” Geoff says with a shake of his head, mentally kicking himself for have not figuring it out sooner. This explains why his feelings had been so strong towards her in the first place. Apexes when grouped together form packs much easier than normal people, and when most of his pack died his mind clung to the last remaining member. However, he, himself hadn’t wanted to so in trying to reject his natural instinct he made sure both of them were as unhappy as could possibly be. So the Apex in her must have drawn him to her even though it hadn’t truly presented itself yet; leaving his instincts in complete frustration like waiting for a flower to bloom that refuses to. Just like it called him to Michael and Gavin who had yet to present themselves fully yet.  
“Bloody hell, Michael she looks just like a vixen.” Gavin comments to the other who just raises his eyebrows while staring at her with interest. She hadn’t realized how close Gavin actually was until he reached his hand out to pet the fluffy tail; Iri had to hold back whimpers of pleasure as the Brit strokes her new furry appendage.  
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.” Iri answers as she stands up quickly to escape his soft touches, only to stumble forward and be met with a face full of Geoff. “Sorry Mr. Ramsey.”  
“It’s alright, and if anyone should be sorry it should be me… I want you to know that it wasn’t fair for me to blame you all these years for something you couldn’t control.” Geoff says suddenly as he hugs the newly minted vixen with a near death grip. He wasn’t for heartfelt moments so for him this was about as good as it gets, and Iri was more than happy with it. “Also my names Geoff, Mr. Ramsey makes me feel old, kid.”  
“Of course Mr… Geoff… And I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for asking Michael to stay with me last night. I had no right and it was…” Iri stutters out as she is hugged by the man who for nine years appeared to hate her... Perhaps Michael had been right that Geoff hadn't hated her, just hated that she was the only one who lived.  
“Iri it’s alright, sheesh are you always this apologetic?”  
“Sorry… Dammit, no, your scent muddles my brain and makes me want to please you.” Iri admits quietly and the eldest gent just smiles along with the others.  
“That’s because I’m an alpha, and your omega desires guidance…. and probably some scenting.” Geoff informs her and she nods. “But your fox desires to be left alone, quite a conundrum you got going on in that mind of yours.”  
“How did you know?” Iri looks up to the man in amazement. Maybe he really was an Apex, and he could read minds.  
“I heard Ray and Ryan talking about how you bit him earlier. The Omega craves nothing more than to bend to an Alpha’s will, but your fox refuses to allow it to fully submit like it wants.” Geoff says as he continues holding the mildly confused woman who smelled pretty damn good to him, and his instincts wanted nothing more than to claim her. Though he knew even as vulnerable as she was now Iri wouldn’t allow it, a fox’s heart isn’t claimed rather it is gifted.  
“So how do I stop them?” Iri asks wondering how to keep herself from being metaphorically ripped in two, or maybe she really would be torn in two… Hey it was a possibility, no one knew much about Apex Predators anyways.  
“Hmm… Just find the right Alpha.” Geoff tells her with a smirk as he releases her though he merely backs up a little. Iri wasn’t sure why but she butted her head into his chest, and the gent just chuckled at her playful actions. It was healthy for newly presented Omegas to behave this way, it showed Alphas and other Omegas that they were ready for companionship. Though he doubted the woman knew that, Burnie and Joel were amazing parents but he doubted they knew much about Omegas. “Someone wants to play, however I’m not the one you should look to… You don’t fight an Alpha unless you're challenging them. Just a helpful hint.” Geoff says maintaining his light tone as the fox turns to face the rest of the room with a her tail flicking, ready for action. Iri won’t deny it, it felt a little strange at first but gradually she could feel how her instincts told her to relax, that these people wouldn’t hurt her, and mostly that they weren’t enemies. Even though she can’t hear what Ryan says exactly, the way Ray steps up intrigues her. It wasn’t as much as a ‘come get me’ motion as it was a, ‘hey if you want to rumble, I’m game.’ Though before she can step forward something catches her attention.  
‘If I wear tighter pants will Geoff notice?’  
‘I wonder how mad Geoff really is that I smashed his...’ Iri heard the words almost whispered into her mind from nearby. She glances at the other two omegas who are standing near Geoff watching her casually as if waiting for her to make a move. However, her eyes fall upon the elder Gent, who, she might add is smirking as though he knows something that he isn’t sharing. So making the decision to ignore it seeing as the Gent would never reveal it anyways; Iri turns back to face Ray who is smiling at her. It takes less than a second before he pinches her ear, and she let’s out a tiny growl. He manages to evade her attempts to tackle him, but eventually she catches his foot. The two tumble down and she goes to pin him, but he flips them over until she eventually gives in due to the pain of having her tail crushed against the floor.  
“Gotcha!” He pants over her as she bears her neck for him and Ray just lowers himself to the flesh where he bites it just hard enough for her to yelp. She looks up to him with confusion as she rubs the bitten skin, slightly smeared with tiny drops of blood. Ray just smirks, and says jokingly, “Welcome to the bottom, Omega.”  
“Hmm someone doesn’t understand how this works… Loser always gets bitten by the winner, but never hard enough to scar. Scars are saved for mates.” Ryan tells the woman who lies underneath Ray with a now understanding look. Pack dynamics weren’t really her thing since she was sorta a lone wolf all her life… not that she didn’t like people, it’s just people are hard to get along with and being by yourself is just easier…. It isn’t long before she feels the call of sleep start to tug on her mind, and with a yawn she stares at Ray expectantly. Though she wanted him to get off, her body probably wouldn’t mind if he stayed.  
“Well it is getting to be that time of night, and we have to work tomorrow.” Geoff says and Ryan nods in agreement offering Ray a hand up, who accepts it graciously. Michael and Gavin already stood up while heading towards the door with the others not far behind leaving Iri staring after them.  
‘She looks lonely.’  
‘I think we could fit another in the bed tonight.’  
‘Bet Geoff will ask her to come with.’ A rather smug voice that sounds an awful lot like Michael whispers, and this is when Iri realizes that these voices were the others… She was hearing their thoughts… Holy shit this was her gift! The look of amazement that crossed Iri’s face was what truly alerted him that the girl was listening to them.  
“Hey if you want we could fit another in our bed tonight.” Geoff’s knowing voice says aloud, and she practically leaps at this his strong voice breaking her concentration.  
“Uh, you know I would love to but… but not yet, I think I need some time to mull this over.” Iri says quickly schooling her expressions. This man had hated her for the better part of nine years; it would be highly inappropriate for her to just jump in his bed after one apology. The Alpha nods his head in understanding while exiting the apartment leaving her and Ryan by themselves. Ray had headed out with Gavin, now puffed up in pride at his tiny victory.  
“You know I noticed you didn’t drink that broth.”  
“Sorry Ryan.. freaky day you know, and I wasn’t really that hungry.” Iri mutters apologetically as she stands up and dusts herself off. Ryan can’t help, but smirk as he catches how the tail sways gently as if moving along to some unknown tempo. He doesn’t hesitate when he suddenly gets closer to the young vixen, and Iri stares at him in mild confusion. “Did you need something?”  
“You know I have been watching you since you came to the company, and I can’t help but notice how reserved you are. Why is that?” Ryan asks as he runs a hand over the tip of her tail.  
“Well I am Burnie’s legal daughter and I represent the company, so it would be rude of me to dishonor the name.” Iri replies, not sure what the Alpha is really getting at.  
“Hmm, I think now might be the time to mingle seeing as your scent is nearly as intoxicating as Ray’s rose one.” Ryan whispers to her with what she thought was seduction, but Iri wasn’t quite sure. “I can’t think of a better playmate for Ray.” He murmurs while pressing a finger to the new bite on her neck, causing Iri to flinch away slightly.  
“Hey Ry you coming?” Ray’s light tone asks as he pokes his head in the room to find Ryan suspiciously close to Iri. He couldn’t tell what had been said, but the way his friend was arched away from his mate made him wonder.  
“Of course Ray. I was merely telling you're friend that if there was any time to mingle, it would be now.” Ryan answers with a smile as he pulls back his blood speckled finger tip, and lifts it to his lips where he sucks it clean while catching the Omega's curious eyes. Iri says nothing merely gulping at the man's seductive stare, and feels a blush creep onto her cheeks.  
“Oh shit, he’s right. Iri be careful though; Alpha’s will say anything to get in your pants, just ask Gavin.” Ray warns as the pair leaves the room, and Iri can’t help but shake her head to clear out the older’s soft yet cloying scent of early morning dew on the leaves of pecan trees. A strange combination between the two, but oddly sensual given the roses. So as she crossed the room to the nearby window hoping to air out the house with the fresh evening air. Her mind couldn’t help but wander to the way Ryan had just acted towards her… Like she was an omega he wanted, and it was true that the Gent had helped her on multiple occasions with work, but nothing ever warranted this sort of behavior. And part of her wished she still smoked to at least give her mind a sense of calm in this turbulent situation. However, maybe she should just go paint instead of staring out a window. Turning away from the window she decides to do that, and heads to her art studio which was really just the guest room converted to match her needs. Flipping on the light switch she makes her way across the sketch covered walls, which were originally a calming dark blue that helped her get into an artsy mood. Believe it or not even artists themselves have slumps where it takes more than a few encouraging words to get back into it. More often than not it takes the release of some pent up thought or emotion the artist themselves didn’t know was in there. Some of Iri’s best works were after she fought with Burnie or had secretly confessed her fears and doubts to Ray. The man had been there when no one else had and even through all the cuts that left her bleeding. He had been the first one to be by her side, bandaging the jagged slashes. She smiled at the portrait of a pair of deer fawns who were playing in a meadow with a watchful buck standing off in the distance. So with that image in her mind she sits staring at a large canvas that called to her like a siren’s song. Picking up the brush she takes a deep breath and puts all the feeling she has into it, allowing none to escape her. Iri loses herself in painting letting nothing other than the feelings to control what happened, lulling her into a meditative state. No other focus, but the colors and her feelings.

Hours later

When Iri finally comes back to herself she places the paint and the brush down to see what had become of her once white canvas. The scene was that of pack of wolves, all of varying colors, and varying sizes. However, there was one whom was dusty brown in the sunlight that was clearly the leader, sitting proudly with his head held high. His gaze was calm and his eyes were a light blue that seemed to not only inspire, but also secure it’s higher status amongst the others as well. Next to it stood a wolf with lighter brown fur that seemed rather unruly and green eyes that gleamed mischievously. Farthest to the left, one stood a reddish brown one with chocolate brown eyes that held her gaze firmly. It was like they wished to portray more than they truly did, but instead just settled for a mix of anger and uneasiness. An animal ready to strike when it felt threatened. Now to the leader’s right sat two other wolves who were colored completely opposite of each other, and seem to be a pack of their own.. One black who was leaning on the blonde one next to him heavily. The blonde one provided a grounding sense for the skittish black one, that much Iri could tell from the way it looked down lovingly at the other. Iri couldn’t help, but smile at the way the pair sat so close reminding her very much of the real thing. But just above them on an outcropping ledge sat a fox, who even Iri herself knew was her. The fox looked as though it wanted nothing more to join them, but something caused her to abstain. Perhaps it was the fear of being rejected, or her overlying sense of doubt that she could ever really belong to a group that cared so much for each other.  
“Foxes aren’t pack animals.” Iri whispers to herself as tears stream down her face having finally realized what she feared the most. Foxes didn’t need packs to feel safe, and they couldn’t stand having others close to them for long periods of time.  
‘You don’t belong here.’ Her subconscious tells her gruffly, and she can’t help but nod in agreement. ‘It would be better to just leave.’  
“I know.” Iri responds while staring into the eyes of the painted fox, who seems pleased with this answer. “Foxes and wolves are natural enemies.” That was why her fox had been so afraid of all of them, foxes were meant to flee from wolves not stay and have a friendly chat. Yet this didn’t explain to her why she and Ray got along so fabulously, it was probably just the luck of the draw on that one. Given that her mother had been a fox, and still she mated a wolf… So it wasn’t impossible, just improbable and that was enough to quell her fox’s anxiety…. For now. Stepping away from the painting she picks up her scattered brushes and then goes to rinse them off in the kitchen. Whilst in the kitchen she catches a glimpse at the now barely rising sun, and her tail flits in frustration. She spent an entire night painting, and now that she thought about it her stomach rumbled in hunger. Also she was pretty sure a shower was in order given that her body reeked of sweat, paint, and mildly of blood. So with a heavy sigh she finishes up cleaning her brushes, and sets an alarm on her phone for 8: 30 a.m. figuring she wouldn’t truly be needed until at least ten. 

Office  
11 o’clock

Miles had been looking everywhere for his friend. He searched the AH office which was full of groggy no’s, and then he looked near Joel’s office wondering if she had been in there only to be met with a head shake and a ‘get out of my office I’m busy.’ So now he had settled back at his desk in Annex where Kerry was rambling about a plot twist for RWBY that involved a catapult.  
“Miles how hard do you think that would be to work into the story? I mean really, it’s just one catapult.” Kerry argues and Miles just stares at him incredulously.  
“Why do they need a catapult in the first place?”  
“Because… You weren’t listening were you?”  
“I didn’t hear a damn word.”  
“No one ever does…” Kerry says with an exasperated sigh, leaving to go work on a way to really insert a catapult into the story. Part of him felt bad for not listening to the beta, but he was more curious as to where his main animator was. So with that in mind he sighs and goes back to work, deciding to be productive rather than uselessly wonder. 

2 p.m.

Now Miles wasn’t a man to easily anger, and sure everybody had off-days, but she could have at least had the decency to answer a text.  
“Hey Miles.” A familiar voice says as it passes by him swiftly. Turning he catches a glimpse of a red fox tail after doing a mild double take he realizes who it was. It was Iri wearing jean shorts with a violet short sleeve, v-neck, and a pair of dark brown cowboy boots.  
“Hi… What’s with the get up?” Miles asks gesturing to her body.  
“Uh these are called clothes Miles and you wear them on your body. You actually have some on if you need another example.” Iri quips while walking off towards her desk.  
“Hey wait! I.. You know what I meant!” Miles nearly shouts as he storms after her while the other just wears a knowing smirk.  
“It’s a long story, but all you need to know is that it’s a mutation… A family trait if you must.” Iri replies as the animated man goes to say something, but she hushes him with a look. “I heard from Aaron that you're looking for me. What did you need?”  
“I was… Wait how long have you been here?”  
“Since like 10:30, but I was helping Kara with some paperwork, and then Jackson wanted some help with a few RvB sketches. I’m actually now just getting back to my desk.” Iri explains and the other just nods while still staring at the tail moving mindlessly. “Eyes are over here champ.”  
“Sorry it’s just so distracting… Anyways Kerry and I wanted to talk to you a few things…” Miles starts while grabbing her arm and taking her with him. Truth be told he wasn’t as surprised as he should have been, but hey this is Roosterteeth and strange is normal for them.

9 pm

“Thank fuck today is over.” Iri mutters to herself. She was more than happy the day was over, or at least mostly over as she collected her purse and keys from their spot on her cluttered desk. Which reminded her of how she had been meaning to clean it, and honestly she should just do it now seeing as there was nothing grabbing her immediate attention. So sitting down at her desk Iri started rifling to the miscellaneous memos, and doodles that lay scattered across the work space. About halfway through she nearly misses the tiny flip book laid casually on the corner of her desk atop a stack of papers. Curious as to what it was she picks it up flipping it through to find that it said ‘Dinner at Geoff’s.’ It was dated for today and Iri cocks her head at this until she sees the last page. ‘Show up or else.’ Or else? That was funny and Iri just shakes her head at the violent man’s piss poor attempt at threatening her. Michael was known for making little books like these when he got bored, she knew because there were plenty of them floating around the apartment. Usually she would answer him in a form of a flip book, but she doubted he was still here having heard Jack leave earlier followed by Ryan and Ray… plus it was like 9:56 and dinner was most likely had by now; which reminded her of how she had yet to eat save for the apple she found in the kitchen around lunch time. So finishing up her aforementioned task, and grabbing her keys swiftly she headed towards the exit. Though she is stopped by Chris who smiles at her while grabbing his bag about to head out like her.  
“Hey Iri wait up! Do you want me to walk you to your car since it’s so late?” Chris asks her as he notices the omega heading for the door. Sure he was no white knight, but the parking lot was kinda spooky on nights like these.  
“Uh, no I think I’ll be okay… Thanks though, have a good weekend.” Iri replies while walking past the alpha with a smile; she had been walking alone in this parking lot for months if something bad was going to happen it would have already. Given the fact that it was going on 10:20 at night it was fair to say the parking lot was dark, and by dark she means nearly pitch black except for waning moon casting a pale, glow over it. Thinking nothing of it she makes her way to her car unbeknownst to the man lurking a few paces behind her. About halfway to her car she can feel an ominous presence, and as the sliver of moon is covered by a cloud; leaving her in total darkness a hand grabs at her mouth preventing her from screaming. Another hand finds it’s way around her neck as if feeling for something, she guesses a mating scar as the man soon begins groping her ass when he finds none.  
“Shh… Now what’s a pretty little thing like you doing out here this late at night?” The man’s gruff voice asks as he stares evilly into Iri’s frightened eyes while she tries to buck out of his tight grip. “Hmm an Omega… Fresh aren’t you, I’d reckoned it just hit you a few days ago.. I bet that hole of yours is nice and tight, hungry for a knot.” He whispers while licking at her neck tasting her strong scent and savoring the smoke on his tongue, Iri can’t help the tears that fall during her struggle with the man. She feels bile rising in her throat as he moves his hand on her mouth only to have it covered by his disgustingly vile one. He bites her bottom lip roughly causing her to taste blood as he pushes his tongue into her mouth. Iri bites it and the man pulls back with a growl, “Bite me again, and this gets much rougher than you want it to Sweetheart.”  
“Please stop, please just quit now, and I won’t report you.. I’ll just..”  
“Haha it’s a little too late for that Foxy, you’ve seem to got me all excited.” He comments as her tail tries to smack his hand away from her thigh.  
“Stop, I don’t want this!” Iri tries to shout only to have it muffled by his mouth again. She can feel as his hands begin to undo her pants slowly, and then to her horror his own. He notices how the omega under him stopped bucking and just laid there. “Now there’s a good girl, just stay nice and still for me… We’ll have you bouncing on my knot real soon Darling.”  
“Please don’t.” Iri begs tearfully as he presses his hard on against her crotch, and with a wolfish laugh. He flips her over so she is face down on the ground with her ass high in the air.  
“Shush, you’ll be screaming for more soon enough.” He assures her while pushing the tail out of the way as it tried to protect her backside. As he is sinks in the sound of male laughter and footsteps stops him from continuing. Quickly he draws a knife from his coat, and shows it to her. Iri however doesn’t care as she screams loudly. Instantly the man growls at her while grabbing the knife, but before he can stab her a tattooed arm grabs his wrenching it back. He goes with his knife as another shadow rushes in to restrain the man fully. She doesn’t look up rather just choosing to lay on the ground whimpering softly. Hands that she doesn’t recognize slowly begin to pull at her shorts and underwear that had fallen to her knees.  
“Iri are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Gavin’s soft tone asks as the woman slowly lifts herself off the dirty ground with shaking arms.  
“No… no.” Iri stutters as she reaches for her keys only to find that she can’t quite. Gavin notices her reaching and grabs them as the woman nods gratefully. He pulls the shaken woman into his grip trying to keep her from shaking, but she just continues to, the keys jingling slightly in her grip. Gavin puts a hand around hers, and tries to soothe the woman with soft purrs. The pair turn back to find Michael and Geoff beating the shit out of the man who was curled into a ball.  
“You fucking piece of shit! I’m going to kill you!” Michael growls angrily as he kicks the man in the kidneys. It isn’t until Geoff pulls Michael back that the jersey man stops, but not before he spits on the broken man. “Fuck with my friends again dirtbag, and I won’t stop.” After he was done kicking his ass Michael turns to find Gavin holding her tightly and whispering comforting words into her flattened ears.  
“It’s alright Love, it’s okay... You're safe Iri.” Gavin soothes and Geoff kneels down by the pair. He takes her gently from Gavin’s arms and carries her easily into their nearby car. Iri didn’t even fight the gent as he sat in the back seat still holding her as she whimpered quietly into his arms.  
“I.. I tried to… he.. I told him no.” Iri cries brokenly into his chest and Geoff just nods.  
“It’s not your fault… When an alpha gets like that it is nearly impossible for an omega to stop them.” Geoff tells her while he runs a hand soothingly through her tail. She doesn’t even realize where they were until they arrive at the gent’s large house. Michael and Gavin get out of the car and Geoff nudges her gently to try and get her moving. Iri slowly and very hesitantly exits the car suddenly feeling very alone she looks to Michael who takes her side and puts an arm over her shoulder. It was at this action that she finally breaks into sobs, and collapses to her knees in front of them. She didn’t care anymore. She just wanted this day to be over and she just wished that she hadn’t been so hard headed and let the man walk her to her car… This was her fault, if she would have just let him take her none of this would have happened and she would be home right now not crying on Geoff’s front lawn like a little bitch… perhaps she really was an omega at heart.  
“Hey, hey, hey, come on he can’t hurt you anymore I made sure of that.” Michael tells her gently while stooping down to pick her up.  
“Fuck off.” She mutters while pushing his helpful hands away. “I don’t need you, and I don’t need anyone I.. I’m fine.” Iri says while standing herself up, that man hadn’t really hurt her so she needed to brush this off. She was stronger than this. Her fox told her to get away, leave them, and lick her wounds in the sanctity of her den.. Um house is what she meant. “I’m going home.”  
“Perhaps that isn’t the greatest plan.” Gavin suggests softly noticing how fragile the woman truly looked. It was as though her body wanted nothing more than to stay, but through sheer will she was trying to force her instincts down. Her eyes pleaded that they help her, but her tone told them no. Geoff noticing her sudden demeanor change does something he’s not particularly proud of.  
“Oh so what you're saying is that getting raped was part of your grand plan? Tell me did you like feeling powerless underneath that horny Alpha? Did you want us to leave you there so you could find a quick knot to satisfy your greedy hole?” Geoff nearly yells as he closes the distance between them, getting in Iri’s face. She tries to say no and shake her head but it only ends in a broken sob as her resolve shatters completely. “Come on, let’s get you inside then.” He can tell his omega’s are wide-eyed at his sudden harsh speech that left the recipient in tears. Once inside Geoff gestures for her to sits on the couch. She curls into a tight ball with her face hidden in her knees as the tears kept flowing.  
“Do you want to shower?” Gavin asks trying to be helpful, and Iri looks up to nod slowly. Her make-up now creating black trails down her face, making her look even worse.  
“It’s down that hall first door on your right.” Geoff tells her and Iri quickly unfolds herself to make her way down the hall. Once they hear the bathroom door click shut, and then the water start running Geoff turns to his boys with a sad look. “Did we get there in time?”  
“I think so, I could only see the smeared slick… I don’t think he knotted her.” Gavin says with a little bit of confidence. “She didn’t smell like it, you know what I’m saying Michael?”  
“Yeah, but still… Just because there’s no knot doesn’t make this anything less than rape.”  
“I want to know why she was walking alone. Omega’s should know not to walk alone, especially in places like that.” Geoff says while growling deeply, it unsettled him how easily this happened.  
“Geoff she was raised by Alphas, I doubt they ever told her to not…”  
“Still someone should have been there!” Geoff snaps cutting off Michael who just looks down, and Gavin sighs. “I said what I said to get her to stay… She wouldn’t have otherwise, and I didn’t want her to kill herself.” Geoff says after a few silent minutes and his omegas nod in understanding.  
“She wouldn’t have other wise, but I doubt she would have killed herself. Probably a few more scars, but nothing more.” Michael remarks and before Geoff can ask what he means by that Iri shows up in the living room wearing a towel around her hips and her sports bra on.  
“Can I borrow some clothes? Mine smell like him.” She asks with her eyes not meeting any of theirs. “I… I don’t think I…” She had tried to put her underwear on, but all she could think of was how the man shoved them down easily. It was like reliving the experience and Iri wasn’t to keen on that.  
“Of course, I’ll get you something. Follow me.” Geoff tells the hesitant woman who follows him slowly to the master bedroom where he looks around slowly, trying to find clothes that would fit her. Thinking quickly he grabs a pair of clean boxers and a AH tank top, he hands them to her while turning around. Iri doesn’t even bother exiting the room, he’d seen her ass earlier what was the point. Pulling the shirt on which was slightly too big for her, and the boxers that fit fine she turns back around to see the gent smiling.  
“What?”  
“Nothing I was just thinking of how much you look like your mother… Sorry that was uncalled for.” Geoff mutters while looking away and Iri just shakes her head.  
“It’s okay, and thanks.”  
“For what?”  
“You know, saving me.” Iri tells him while he shrugs. “And… and making me stay. I wouldn’t have stayed by choice.”  
“Hey they don’t call me King Geoff the Upstanding for nothing.”  
“Wait who calls you that? Geoff have you been reading the fanfictions again?” Iri jokes while smiling lightly and the other just scoffs.  
“Awfully ungrateful in my opinion.” He jibes back and Iri can’t help but smirk.  
“I really am grateful, if you hadn’t showed up he... he wouldn’t have stopped.”  
“I’m sorry I didn’t get there earlier… We haven’t eaten yet you want to join us?” Geoff asks as he pulls the omega into his warm embrace, and he is pleasantly surprised when she stays. She wants to say no, but her stomach rumbles catching the ears of the man. “I’m taking that as a yes. I’ll go whip something up, Michael and Gavin are watching Netflix in the front room if you want to wait with them… if not you can stay in here, and play games or watch a movie.” He tells her while gesturing to the TV and the Xbox it was hooked up to.  
“I’ll just stay here, I… I just.” Iri trails off as the alpha merely nods in understanding.  
“You need some time to process, it’s fine.. I’ll call you when it’s done.” Geoff answers finishing her thought, he pulls away, and then leaves the room. Iri watches him leave before she starts toward the TV area. Once there she turns it on, and while waiting for it to start up she begins searching for games. The gent having not told her where they were so she just starts opening drawers. However all she finds is assorted items ranging from books to some of Gavin’s clothes, so with a sigh Iri just picks up the controller to find that there is already a disc in the console. Naturally she just hits play, figuring it was just Halo or some other first person shooter. It isn’t until it loads completely, and the sound of horny moans is all she can hear that she realizes the horrible mistake she’s made. Blushing instantly she goes to shut it off, but before she can she hears Michael moan filthily with his ass bared to the camera, ‘Daddy please I’ve been a good boy. Daddy I feel so empty, please come fill me up with your thick knot… please.’ Her ears twitching in interest she watches as Geoff comes over, and that’s when she hears Michael’s embarrassed yelp.  
“Geoff told me…Fuck!” Michael hurriedly runs over and presses the off button on the console.  
“Daddy?” Iri inquires with just as much of a red face as him.  
“I was in heat, and I didn’t.. I..” He stutters and Iri just laughs at his floundering. Michael noticing her hearty laughter can’t help the smile that crosses his lips. “Shut up asshole.”  
“Or what? Are you going to tell your Daddy on me?” Iri jests in between bouts of giggles, and before she can stop him he tackles her to the bed with a playful growl. The pair wrestle on the bed until Michael pins her, both of them panting and faces red from exertion. He sits down on her legs and pins her wrists above her head; looking into her eyes making sure he wasn’t hurting her or this wasn’t unwanted.  
“If you're not careful he might become your Daddy too.” Michael remarks as he leans down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. “Well unless Ryan gets you first.”  
“Ryan doesn’t want me, you dolt…. Nor does your precious Daddy, he probably still holds some resentment for me.” Iri tells the lad who just laughs at this while nuzzling her neck.  
“Keep telling yourself that… Even Ray mentioned it earlier, seems he wants a pack of his own.”  
“But you forget, I’m a fox Michael and foxes aren’t pack animals.”  
“Hmm no, but maybe they can learn.” Michael tells her while kissing her neck causing a moan to be drawn from her throat.  
“Jones, stop… won’t Geoff be mad or.. Gavin?” Iri argues as she squirms under his touch.  
“You really are as oblivious as Ray said you were… Do you think Geoff would have told me to offer you dinner unless we were interested?”  
‘God she’s pretty, but sorta dumb.’  
“I’m not dumb Michael.”  
“I never said you were. I said you were oblivious.” Michael says while pulling back with a smirk, leaving a dark mark on her exposed neck. “Now come on dinner’s ready.”  
“But.. but Michael.”  
“Shush and come on.” Michael hushes the confused woman as he leads her to the kitchen where Geoff stands at the making grilled cheese sandwiches. Gav had already sat down with several, and Geoff couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he saw how the woman hid behind Michael guiltily.  
“What did Michael do now?” Geoff asks with a knowing smile.  
“I didn’t do anything old man, I just went to get our guest.”  
“You two smell like sweat.” Gavin remarks as Iri sits down at the far end of the table. He only cocks his head in curiosity at her behavior. “You look a little feverish, are you okay? Geoff, you should check her temperature she looks sickly.”  
“Gav, I’m fine.” Iri assures the worried man.  
“No I think he’s right, she did seem a little sickly in the bedroom… Maybe you should let Geoff check.” Michael says with a smirk as the red-faced omega just shakes her head forcibly.  
“Really… I’m fine.” Iri tells them and Geoff just sighs while placing a plate of sandwiches on the table, and then he goes over to her. He places the back of his hand on her head, and it does indeed feel warm. It is then he spots the now darkening hickey on her neck, and at this he raises his eyebrows. Though when he looks to Michael he finds the man sitting proudly, and happily munching on a sandwich.  
“She’ll live Gav, it’s probably just remnants from the change.” Geoff says while sitting down on the chair next to Michael, and very discreetly grabbing the Omega’s crotch. “It seems you and Michael had a bit of a tussle earlier, who won?”  
“He did.” Iri stutters as the Alpha just smiles at her. Michael who had stopped chewing looks to Geoff, who continues smiling.  
“Michael has always been a good wrestler. I used to find these two romping around the office floor quite often however, it seems Gav no longer likes to participate in it.” Geoff explains and Iri can tell Michael is getting uncomfortable by the way he squirms in his chair. “Said it was something about bruising a rib one time.”  
“Yeah because he rammed me into the couch.” Gavin quietly mutters while staring at Geoff with a needy look, he knew what the alpha was doing. It didn’t take much for Iri to notice how Michael’s lips were parted slightly and his breathing had changed. Also his thoughts were rather loud in her mind. ‘Daddy please, oh Daddy please fuck me.’ This made her silently wonder if Geoff was telepathic like she was the way he wore such a knowing smirk.  
“The answer is yes by the way.” Geoff responds casually and Iri’s eyes widen. The next thought is what if her heard us earlier. “Oh believe me, I did. I even linked Gavin in so he could hear too… Michael wasn’t lying in what he said.”  
“Well this.. Uh.. I need some air.” Iri stutters while very quickly leaving the table and opening the sliding glass door to the backyard. She shuts it quickly and even then she can still hear Geoff’s voice from outside, or maybe that was just her imagination.  
‘You know if you want to stop hearing us all you need to do is stop concentrating on us.’ Geoff’s voice says ringing through her mind like a helpful hint.  
“Get out of my head.” She grumbles aloud and the gent merely laughs inside.  
‘I was never there, but you think awfully loud sometimes… You wouldn’t feel me if I didn’t want you to.’  
“Seriously Geoff, now you're just being creepy.”  
‘Says the woman who enjoys stalking… what is that? Hmm your mind is such an interesting place.’  
“To be fair he had my easel, and I wanted it back.. The fuck am I telling you this for, I said to leave!” Iri growls while walking off towards the edge of the fence.  
‘But I like it here.’  
“Fine then I’ll leave.” Iri replies with a triumphant look as she opens the fence gate and leaves out the back. Grumbling to herself quietly she can feel his presence growing fainter and fainter until there is absolutely nothing, but her own thoughts… but she also realizes that walking into the dark woods maybe hadn’t been the best direction to head. “Fuck me… I should have listened to Joel when he took me hiking… or maybe I shouldn’t have fucking wandered into a forest.” She curses to herself as she keeps heading in a direction that she hoped was towards Geoff’s house. Though it can’t be more than an hour of her wandering around hopelessly that she hears the howls. Not like friendly little yips, no these were howls that made the blood in her veins turn to ice. She needed to get away, and get away quickly. So picking up the pace to a slow jog wary of all the sharp objects that seemed to be sticking up in odd angles. During her semi-mindless fleeing she never even sees the gleam of metal in the darkness, and before she can stop her foot steps on the trap. Pain lights up her brain like no other and she screams, not caring if the wolves came to eat her. The jaws of the trap were locked around her ankle preventing escape, and upon further inspection she saw blood running down her foot. However luckily the trap wasn’t one made to maim, it seemed to be only intent on holding it’s victim. Hyper awareness taking over she heard them before she saw them. It was a pair of wolves, and followed by an Ethiopian wolf. Iri’s human mind took a step back as the animal counterpart stepped forward growling viciously trying to ward the animals away. Her menacing sounds do naught, but intrigue the animals who stare at her expectantly a single word echoed through their minds. ‘Fox.’ Tugging roughly at the mouths of the trap, Iri attempts to force them apart but only manages to get about an inch or two before it snaps back on her ankle causing a yelp to leave her lips.  
‘Why don’t you just use your gift?’ A small voice asks, and she looks around for it’s owner who stares at her with unblinking hazel eyes.  
“I can’t… I’m a telepath.” Iri responds and the Ethiopian wolf merely cocks his head at this.  
‘I have yet to meet a telepath who wasn’t telekinetic… Now you need to pry it open or lose that foot.’ It warns her with an unsympathetic tone that reminds her of Ryan when he was mad. Looking to it with confusion and then back down to the trap itself she tries again to force it apart. ‘You will lose that foot in roughly twenty minutes if you don’t get out… Even if you shift to a fox it won’t come back.’  
“I don’t know how!” Iri yells at the Ethiopian wolf who just narrows it’s eyes at her, while the other panics tugging at the trap uselessly.  
‘Focus on bending it, and forcing it open. You will need to picture your freedom, will the metal to obey you.’  
“But how I..”  
‘No one here will do it for you! Do it yourself, or it will die!’ The Ethiopian wolf nearly yells angrily at her, and Iri nods meekly at. Taking the other’s advice she pictures the trap opening, and her foot slipping free. She pictures this with all her might, and right when she is about to give up the lips begin to quiver. Iri takes another deep breath and forces it open with all that she has. The metal lips suddenly burst apart, and she yanks her leg back with a relieved sigh. Once free the animals turn away from her swiftly, and most head off into the night. However one remains, the bossy Ethiopian wolf.  
‘Can you walk?’  
“Yeah, but who are you?”  
‘That’s not important, an Apex like you shouldn’t be wandering around alone out here… You’re like a babe in the woods… Turn into your fox and let her guide you home.’ It orders and Iri stares at it in confusion. ‘Let me guess you don’t know how.’  
“No I.. I’m sorry I just don’t.”  
‘Didn’t your parents teach you anything?’  
“They were dead before I ever knew what I was.” Iri tells the Ethiopian wolf with wistful eyes, who sighs and motions for her to sit.  
“You make anonymity impossible when you stare at me with those sad eyes.” A voice that Iri could have sworn she’d heard before says as the wolf shifts into none other than Ryan. His eyes once hazel shift back to their normal blue, and his hard gaze is softened into the smile he always wears.  
“...” It was one of those rare occasions where Iri could say she was truly stunned into silence, and not a single word managed to leave her mouth. So the pair sat staring at each other in silence, and it isn’t until she catches him watching her tail that words form a coherent sentence in her mind. “What about Ray?”  
“Ray? Oh Ray is an ocelot, but his spots are easily hidden due to the amount of clothing he always wears.” Ryan answers helpfully as he watches the fox carefully sit down beside him in the dirt. “You smell like Michael, and Geoff.”  
“Yeah that’s actually why I’m out here.”  
“What did they do?”  
“Michael got a little too friendly, and Geoff… well Geoff was invasive to say the least.”  
“Telepaths can be like that, nothing to fear from me though… I’m a simple man, my gift is a form of camouflage.” As Ryan says that she watches a pair of blonde, pointed ears appear on top of his head then disappear into nothingness. Iri can’t help, but reach up to touch them just to be sure they’re still there, which they are.  
“That’s amazing Ry! Wait if Ray is an ocelot what is his gift?” Iri asks curious as to what her best friend was able to do.  
“You won’t believe me when I tell you.”  
“Come on Ry, just tell me.”  
“I… Maybe he should just show you.”  
“Is he here?”  
‘You know it I wouldn’t miss a moon lit stroll for nothing. I actually found you before Ryan did.’ Ray’s cheerful voice whispers in her mind, as he descends from a tree branch behind them. The leopard lands softly beside Iri and then dips his head in greeting.  
“So what’s your unbelievable talent?” Iri asks and the cat merely smirks or at least what she thinks is a smirk as he drags his tail along the ground producing small flames in it’s wake. Seeing that he had her attention he makes the flames leap into the air swirling up into the air fading along the way. “Woah.”  
‘Pretty cool eh?’  
“Really fucking cool actually.” Iri mumbles as she watches Ray shift back to his normal self and lean his head on Ryan’s shoulder. “I have one question, well actually a lot but this one is kinda presenting itself heavily right now so I’m going to ask you. Ry how come I seem to be the only one with a tail and ears? Like Ray got spots, you got ears that you can hide, and Geoff got… well I don’t know what but he doesn’t show any obvious signs. I’m like a fucking neon sign.”  
“To be honest I have no answer for that, I think it just depends on the purity of the genes from at least what I’ve seen. Ray’s great grandfather was the last known Apex in his family line, and my mother was the second in seven generations to present signs.” Ryan tells her, but she just stares at him in confusion.  
“So since my parents were Apexes, I became one? But I remember Burnie telling me that the chances were slim that my parents thought they’d passed down the trait.”  
“You know I was thinking about that the other day, and I wonder if it has something to do with the rarity of foxes in general given how they tend to seclude themselves away.” Ray interjects and Ryan smiles while rubbing a hand over his mate’s exposed neck, then trailing it down his back to have it rest lightly on his hip.  
“You are probably right; given how rare the gene itself is, it almost always presents if possible.” Ryan confirms while the other just purrs happily at the attention leaving Iri slightly feeling out of place. Noticing the other’s discomfort Ryan wraps an arm around her waist dragging her into his side. Yelping in surprise she tries to struggle out of it, but Ryan silences her with a low rumble in his chest.  
“Ry let go… seriously man if you keep being weird like this I’m going to think Michael was right.” Iri mutters while finally settling into his firm grip with a sigh.  
“Oh, and what did Michael say?”  
“Your going to think it’s dumb, childish, and awfully vain now that I think about it.”  
“You act as though we don’t already describe you like that.” Ray jests with a smirk as he looks lazily to the quiet fox who glares at him.  
“Ray’s got a point, I mean with all that hiding from Joel you do, and honestly the way you storm off at the littlest insult it makes you hard to be taken any other way.” Ryan says and at this Iri just shrugs the man’s arm off. She stood up in anger and started walking off in any direction that wasn’t near them. Iri didn’t need to take this, and besides today had been fucked up as is, she really, really didn’t need his brand of honesty right now.  
“Waita go, Ryan the charming guy.” Ray mumbles while shifting into his leopard form with Ryan not far behind in his wolf one. It takes merely minutes before they catch up to the angry fox who is favoring one foot Ryan notes, and he wonders if the trap sprung her ankle or if it did more damage. Shifting back quickly he grabs for her wrist spinning her back to face him. Ray watches carefully as the fox bares her teeth at the Alpha.  
“Let go! I said let go!” Iri shouts as she tries to yank her wrist free only to find Ryan’s grip much stronger than hers. “I will fucking hurt…”  
“Oh really?” Ryan challenges her as he yanks her forward roughly by the wrist causing her to fall on the ground face smashed into the leaf covered forest floor. “Please continue to tell me how you are going to hurt me… I know I’m not a particularly old school Alpha, but christ can’t you be just a little more like your class.”  
“Shut the fuck up.” Iri growls into the dirt as she bucks up trying to wrench her wrists free only to end in a frustrated huff. “Ray.” She whines angrily only to find her friend shaking his head.  
‘This is all you Skye, you know I’d help you out of anything but I can’t fight him… genetics you know.’ Ray responds while jumping up into a nearby tree and sits quietly, watching the progression of this. He would stop Ryan, but only if it went too far. Iri now abandoned by her friend sighs underneath the Alpha. It was for the second time in one night that not one, not two, but three alphas had belittled her because of her class. So she could take the man’s advice and relax into him, but that wouldn’t really be her. It would be her forcing herself to obey his command. While mentally crossing the easy way out on this one, she regrouped. Iri couldn’t possibly hope to force herself out of his hands, seeing that his grip was too tight. She could try to talk her way out of this, but the way he growled menacingly kinda threw that one out the window. However, there was one last option she could try, and it was sketchy at best but it might work. Taking a deep breath, and focusing her mind she tries to loosen his grip. She pictures the muscles in his hand releasing and his fingers letting go. At first she doesn’t think anything is happening until the gent makes a sound of surprise as his hands suddenly relinquish control. Scrambling up and away quickly she gets to her feet, facing the gent with a carefully schooled expression.  
“Impressive, but that took you quite a long time to escape… What if I was an Alpha who didn’t want to wait? What if I was determined to take you as soon as I laid my eyes on you?” Ryan asks with a predatory smirk that sends shivers of fear down her spine. She had experienced this once tonight and the smile he wore brought back the fresh terror. However, the gent knew nothing of her night as he approached with a wolfish grin. Iri can’t help the terror in her mind as she flees. Thinking of nothing but fear her animal takes control completely and her first plan was to run. She didn’t even feel the shift as her body realigns itself into that of a fox, her tail trailing behind her as her four paws cover more ground than her two feet ever could. Iri didn’t know where she was going exactly all she knew was this it was away. After running furiously for what seems like half an hour she finds herself at the edge of the forest near Geoff’s gate. Her powers lift the latch and she enters quickly nearly pinching her tail in the door in her haste to flee. Once inside the yard she notices how dark the house itself is, and the reason being it’s inhabitants most likely went to bed. So sitting in front of the glass door she tries to draw it open it with her paws because her mind is absolutely aching from her encounter earlier. However the door appears to be locked so much like a dog would do she pushes against the door making sure to mind her claws. After about ten straight minutes of that she almost gives up, but a light flips on sending fluorescent beams of brightness into the darkness. It takes her vision several seconds to adjust before she sees Geoff standing there with a tired smile. He opens the door enough for her to slip in, and since she can’t talk Iri just rubs her head on his legs gratefully. The man laughs weakly while he picks her up effortlessly, and he sets her in the kitchen sink.  
“Your feet are dirty, and I don’t want you traipsing mud through my house.” Geoff tells her and the fox just yawns while allowing him to clean up her feet save one. As he reaches for her hind right leg she pulls back. “Come on Kit, just one more.”  
‘Geoff… hurt.’ She manages to force into his mind, and at this the gent stops. ‘Trap… Ryan.’  
“Ryan was out tonight.” Geoff says in surprise, he knew the gent liked to wander but this was rather far from his place. She nods as the older man carefully maneuvers the fox so her hurt leg is facing him. “Can I see?” He asks and Iri just bobs her head slowly. This time as the man enters her mind it is with less force and she barely even notices his presence until he pulls back. “What an ass… And I can’t believe he hasn’t figured it out yet. I am a telepath as well as a medic of sorts, I can heal your ankle which he allowed to be fractured multiple times.”  
‘Sorry.’ The fox offers as he just shakes his head.  
“I’m sorry as well for earlier. Michael shouldn’t have tried to force us upon you so suddenly. This will hurt like a bitch.” Geoff warns as he places his hands over the affected flesh and bone. Iri feels a splash of cold and then a burning sensation like acid was eating through her skin. She tries to jerk away, but Geoff holds firm not allowing her to be free. It takes merely moments and is done before her mind has truly enough time to process the pain, which is replaced by the soothing cool of his other hand. “The joint will be sore, but it is healed.”  
‘Thanks…I… go?’ Iri manages to choke out as her powers begin to take a heavy toll on her energy.  
“You can barely form sentences, I think you should stay. I’ll take you to the guest room if you want.”  
“Pack.” Iri stutters out as she figured out how to make her human vocal chords work in the fox’s body. If he was forcing her to stay, she may as well cuddle with them.  
“Sure thing Kit, the boys are just about dozing anyways… Can you shift back, or is that as much as you could do?”  
“It’s all I can… tired… Ryan… rough.” Iri mutters into his warm grip as he lifts her back into his arms, and begins walking towards the master bedroom. It doesn’t take him long to get there because before she knows it he is setting her down on an edge of the bed. Geoff slips in and whispers something to the still coherent Michael next to him, who just rolls closer to the snoring Gavin. The Alpha picks up Iri and places her near his chest like you would do with a stuffed animal. At first Iri felt strange, but when Geoff’s heartbeat finally slowed down and his breathing even out she relaxed fully into his tight yet soothing grip… It was as though he held her just tight enough to let her know he was there, not like Ryan’s possessively tight holds. So with that in mind she falls asleep rather swiftly, unbeknownst to her a semi-awake Michael smiled into Gavin’s back. Unbeknownst to all of them sat a very curious ocelot on the window right outside the bedroom, with a Ethiopian wolf waiting for him at the bottom.  
“Geoff one, Ryan none.” Ray says and looks to the wolf who sits with a challenging smirk. “So let the games begin.”


	5. Godric's Game

In the Morning

Iri awoke to the sound of soft murmuring, and the loss of warmth. Blinking slowly she noticed how some man was leaving a bed… Wait where was she? And why was she on a bed that wasn’t hers? This realization wakes her up very rapidly as she looks around to see that her paws… Wait paws? Where were her feet and why did she have paws? While panic sets in she catches the eyes of two men staring at her with enthrallment.  
“That’s bloody top, boi look at her… She’s an actual fox.” Gavin’s amazed tone catches her attention, flicking her ears towards the sound she suddenly feels a hand touch her head.  
“Dude she’s super fucking soft… Like a stuffed animal.” Michael comments as he scratches behind her ear, noticing how she leans into the touch.  
“You two realize that she is still in there right?” Geoff’s tone warns slightly.  
“Eh, she seems pretty complacent right now.” Gavin tells him while he goes to pick up the fox who begins to squirm away from him. “Now come on Love, I just want to hold you.”  
“Gav I wouldn’t.” Michael warns, but the Brit ignores the paranoid man as he scoops her up fully. Iri having come out of the hazy state Michael’s scratching put her in instantly notices how far her feet are off the ground. It isn’t until the man practically bounces that Iri decides enough is enough and bites his arm, but only hard enough to leave a red mark.  
“Ouch, you mingey vixen!” Gav squawks as he tosses her and in a state of unpreparedness she flies straight into the dresser landing with a loud oof. Whimpering she scurries under the bed and that’s when Geoff sighs in mild frustration.  
“Had to pick her up didn’t you?”  
“I didn’t know she would bite me!”  
“Well to be fair we did tell you not to pick her up.” Getting to the floor while Gavin rubs the already fading bite which was really no more than a nip Geoff sees Iri curled up in the very far corner whining fearfully. “Come on out, I won’t let him pick you up again.”  
“No.”  
“She can talk like that?” Michael says incredulously as he gets down to see under the bed as well.  
“Of course I can talk, and I’m not coming out with god damn McGrabby over there.”  
“Iri he didn’t mean to, and besides you know how he gets.. He’s like a toddler, has to touch everything.”  
“Yeah, well… If he makes a move for me I’ll bite him for real this time.” Iri replies hesitantly while slowly inching towards Geoff who smirks casually.  
“If he does I’ll let you bite him.” Geoff responds as the vixen finally worms her way out, and shakes her fur out causing it to fluff up. Gavin makes an aww sound and at this she inches closer to Geoff who just laughs. With a wary eye Iri yawns, and then stretches out her joints causing a few to crack pleasantly though the one from last night pops painfully causing her to whimper.  
“It still hurts.”  
“I told you it would.” Geoff says and she just nods while worming her way in between the Alpha’s legs like a cat would when it wanted attention. “Why am I allowed to pick you up?”  
“Because you don’t fucking bounce like a pogo stick.”  
“Aww come on Love it was only once… I’ll be better this time.” Gavin whines and Iri hesitantly jumps up onto the bed then makes her way to the lad who was sitting on it. With a gleeful look he gently takes her into his arms, and rubs his cheek on hers. She purrs and gives the man a lick on his nose. “Oh well aren’t you an affectionate thing.”  
“This is fucking cute as dicks and all, but can you shift back?” Michael asks breaking his temporary silence.  
“I.. I.. Ry didn’t tell me how and I ran away before he could?”  
“Oh so she knows about Rye-bread now? I’m assuming he told you about Ray.”  
“Yeah is there anyone else I should know about or… is this all of us?” Iri asks hesitantly and Geoff just shrugs.  
“As far as I know it doesn’t leave the AH office… Jack’s one as well, but he’s a lion.”  
“I always wondered why he consistently has a beard.”  
“Oh no Jack just likes facial hair, he actually has a tail but it’s kept wrapped around his waist.”  
“You know I remember you telling me he was a lion and I thought the same exact thing.” Gavin adds quietly and Iri just rubs her face on his neck. “You are much nicer like this, perhaps you should just stay this way.”  
“I think that might piss Burns off a little… Also it would draw attention to us all rather quickly.” Geoff says raining mildly on Gavin’s theoretical parade.  
“So what are you guys?” Iri asks suddenly changing the subject as the men turn to face her. Michael just snorts at her bluntness, Geoff smiles, and Gavin blushes, having never actually shifted before.  
“I’m a Bobcat, and I’m still not sure what my gift is. Gavin has yet to shift, or figure out his gift.” Michael explains as he lifts his hair to reveal pointed ears tipped with pointed red fur.  
“I’m… Well there’s a reason your mother and I dated back in my youth.” Geoff says, and even his omegas smile widely as the man seamlessly shifts into his animal form. It was a rare day when Geoff shifted into animal form, and it was usually only when the lads begged for hours on end. His fur was a mix of dusty brown with flecks of a darker shade, and his tail was tipped white along with his ears. On his paws he wore black stocking markings similar to her own. Iri wasn’t sure what breed the man was per se but he was clearly a fox of sorts, however not just one breed like her as it was evident in his color pattern. Gavin seeing the woman’s sudden interest sets her down onto the floor. “Hopefully age hasn’t ruined my coloring.”  
“No.. no you're good.” Iri mumbles while circling the man before her. It was like seeing something for the first time, and she knew that sounded cheesy but it truly was. This man was like her, not completely but at least enough to be considered in the same gene pool. She no longer felt quite as alone in this world as she had before, and it made her mind reel with possibility. “How can you… I… you don’t show anything.”  
“I do, but it’s rather… My hair lightens during the winter months, but only a shade or two so it is hardly noticeable. Also my tail sorta stopped hanging around in human form after I got real sick my freshman year of high school, so it only lasted about two months after my change. My Grandma told me that it wasn’t uncommon for that to happen with mixed breeds such as me… So really I won the lottery of life with that one.” Geoff explains to her as they continue to slowly circle one another her wearing a curious expression, and him with a gleeful one. Geoff couldn't help the way his tail batted the air happily, and with her scent, her smile, her and the way she looked at him with pure fascination... Geoff couldn't help but be reminded of his dead wife... She had worn such a similar look when they'd first met, and he couldn't help the desire he felt in his heart. At this point however, Michael shifts into his bobcat form to jump between the two of them trying to stop this weird staring contest. His dusty orange fur with brown spots that reminded her of his freckles lands gracefully in front of Iri stopping her in her tracks.  
“You guys are creeping me out, so fucking stop with this stare down.” Michael orders and they turn to growl at the cat who hisses at them. Gavin makes a worried noise in the back of his throat, and this seems to finally draw them back into the real world.  
“Sorry about that, I just figured that I’d most likely never meet another fox.” Iri says bashfully glad that she was covered head to toe in fur.  
“No it’s always like this for our kind… It’s like.”  
“We fall under some sort of obligatory enchantment.” Iri mutters finishing the gent’s sentence.  
“That’s a good way to explain it.”  
“Thanks… So is anyone going to explain how shifting back works?” Iri asks the other two who just sorta shrug.  
“It’s like flipping a switch, and your animal has to want you to go back. Believe me I fought my bobcat for months on this, and that fucker is stubborn.” Michael warns her and she turns to Geoff who nods in agreement.  
“If they don’t want you to go back then you won’t unless you force it, which is nearly impossible.”  
“So I have to basically ask my spirit animal to let me change back?”  
“Uh yeah, that’s about it.”  
“Is it like a mental conversation or… Do you just like will it?”  
“Um it’s different for everybody, like Marcus and I have conversations sometimes just ask Geoff. Nosey telepath can’t ever seem to leave my head be.” Michael answers and Iri nods in understanding.  
“You think really fucking loud! It would be like shutting my ears off, and besides you love it when I know exactly what you want.” Geoff tease and Gavin shakes his head at his lovers.  
“Okay well I guess here goes..” Iri says and from there they leave save Geoff who sits next to her in case something should go wrong. ‘Geoff?’  
‘What?’  
‘How do I contact them? Is it like a phone call or… Should I just sorta send a metaphysical letter?’  
‘Iri it’s your fox, I can’t tell you how to find it. You need to do this on your own.’  
‘Okay… Hello?’ Iri asks deep within her mind and she can feel it echoing around her brain.  
‘Once more with feeling.’ Geoff adds quietly hoping to help the woman.  
‘HEY IF YOU'RE IN HERE FOX CAN WE TALK!’ Iri shouts and even Geoff flinches at how loud it was in her brain.  
‘You realize I’m literally right here… Don’t need to shout.’ A new voice says and Iri’s eyes widen.  
‘Oh yeah.. you know sorry about that…’  
‘You are meek even with me, sheesh.’ The fox says as a picture of animal appears in her mind. It was a small red fox that had pure red fur with four black stockings, a tail tipped white as well as her ears, and a grayish crescent moon in the middle of her bright white chest fur.   
‘Sorry. So I’m assuming you know what’s going on?’  
‘I know that there is a strange Alpha in our space, and he is like us.. only different.’ The fox answers while pushing at the presence with much force causing Geoff to be forcefully knocked out of her mind.  
“Well she’s pleasant.” Geoff mutters out loud causing the fox to growl in warning.  
‘Hey stop he’s not a threat.’  
‘Are you sure? After last night how do we know all of them aren't threats, and besides why are we still here shouldn't we have gone home by now?’ Fox says anxiously while pacing. ‘Can’t we go home to our quiet den with just our art supplies, and our soft blankets that smell like us?’  
‘Do you have a name?’ Iri tries hoping a different approach might help her.  
‘Alexia… but call me Lexi.’  
‘I’m assuming you know my name. Now Lexi, I understand you are probably a little frightened given the last few days. Hell I’m afraid, but being stuck like this won’t help me so I need you to let me.’  
‘No, as a fox we have a much higher rate of surviving. We are smaller and faster, and I can keep us safer like this.’ Lexi argues cutting her off mid sentence with her rambling.  
‘Lexi, I can’t go to work like this… And Geoff will keep us safe like he and Michael did last night. They saved us Lexi, not you.’ Iri says gently and the older fox manages to work his way back into her mind.  
‘Alexia she needs to shift back, and you need to let her.’ A strange voice says mildly freaking both Lexi and Iri out. ‘Excuse me where are my manners, my name is Todd and I am Geoff’s animal spirit… I guess is what you would call us.’  
‘Todd? I have this handled just go back.’  
‘Geoffrey, I hardly consider this handled! This poor pair has been traumatized by that monster, Ryan, and even our sweet little Michael. Why don’t you step back and let me try eh?’ Todd says and Iri has a sudden feeling of dizziness as the voices in her head continue to talk at each other loudly.  
‘Lexi please… I’m not feeling so great.’ Iri mumbles causing a break in the two fox’s arguing.  
“I’m sorry Kit, I didn’t think it would be this hard.” Geoff says as he shifts back and picks her up off the floor gently holding her against his chest. “I always forget how difficult some Apexes can be.”  
“Todd seems very... helpful…. and I’m… I’m sure he’ll wear her down.” Iri mumbles and it isn’t but a second later she feels her entire form shift back suddenly. Geoff who was holding her as a fox is no longer holding anything as she crashes to the ground. Yelping loudly she feels a finger snap, and a few bend in odd ways.  
‘Oh shit I’m sorry.’ Lexi apologizes immediately before fading away completely as if afraid Iri would yell at the skittish fox.  
‘I am quite terribly sorry Iridessa it seems she panicked, Geoff will fix that I’m sure. It was a pleasure to meet you, and if you need anymore help I’m more than happy to assist you.’ Todd explains leaving her with an overall warm feeling, even with a few broken fingers.  
“Thanks Todd, and uh Geoff… I...I think my fingers aren’t supposed to bend that way.”  
“What the hell happened to your hand?” Michael asks as he and Gavin enter the room to find Iri holding her messed up hand to her chest. Gavin is already gagging and even Michael flinches a little at the sight of her hand.  
“Kit let me see, Todd wasn’t lying when he said I’d fix it.” Geoff says and reluctantly she hands Geoff her injured appendage, who works his magic on causing the fingers to realign, and the overall injury to fade away save for some of the swelling. “Gavin go get an ice pack please.”  
The man disappears leaving Iri to stand by the other men awkwardly. She wasn’t sure what this meant, clearly Geoff didn’t hate her but Iri didn’t think a relationship between the four of them would actually work... especially the way her fox seemed to be frightened of them.  
“I.. I think I should go home.” Iri says very suddenly and Michael visibly deflates at this. They had been so close he thought, but if she wanted to leave they wouldn’t force her to stay.  
“Oh… I can drive you.”  
“No I’ve imposed too much on you already, and I last night plus this afternoon has been tremendously helpful. Seriously Lexi and I can’t thank you enough, but I need to leave. I’ll return your clothes Monday.” Iri says while handing him back the ice pack, and gathering her clothes that sat in the corner of the room.  
“So how do you plan on getting back to your apartment?” Geoff asks noticing how the woman had already donned her boots, and was heading towards the front door with her clothes in hand.  
“Well I have these things called feet, and I’m going to use them to get home.” Iri explains with a duh tone, and the others stare incredulously at her.  
“So you want to walk all the way across town wearing that?” Michael says and Iri just stares down at her outfit. “You realize that every Alpha in the vicinity will be all over you.”  
“It’s the middle of the day Michael, and besides I won’t be surprised so easily this time.” Iri tells them while drawing a blade from her left boot. Joel had given this to her when she’d first moved over by Ray, he hoped she’d never have to use it. So she rarely had it on her, and it wasn’t until she slipped the boots on that it fell out of the pocket it was sown in to. It was a simple black tactical knife that could be thrown or concealed by the user.  
“Whoa do you even know how to use that?” Geoff asks as he holds his hand out and Iri just sighs while giving it to the man for inspection. “Light, sharp on both sides, and in overall good condition however, I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”  
“Well not exactly your choice seeing as I’m not your mate… In other words I can do what I want, it is sweet of you to care though.” She tells him while taking her knife back and slipping it into her boot. Walking out the front door she heads in the direction of the apartment.  
“Geoff.” Michael says and the telepath merely sighs heavily.  
“Michael, I can’t stop her.”  
“So you want her to get kidnapped, raped, and probably killed?” Gavin asks him and the Alpha shakes his head in no vigorously.  
“No, but the reason I let her go was because Ray is quietly tailing her… I could feel Ryan this morning. Is it just me or is he being extra creepy?”  
“I sorta get that one in the hole feeling from him.” Gavin adds and the other two just shrug. “So what are we going to do with the rest of the day?”  
“Hmm… We could go mini-golfing?”  
“Oh yeah boi that’s an excellent idea! Geoff can we?” Gavin inquires excitedly his face alight with possibility, and the elderly fox doesn’t have the heart to say no as he shakes his head in affirmation.  
“Sounds good Baby, why don’t you two get dressed and we’ll head out.” Geoff tells them and from there it is a flurry of his boys putting on clothes, then rushing to the car. The man is barely out the door before his two excited omega’s honk the horn playfully. “I’m too old for this.”  
“Come on Go-eff!”  
“Old man let’s go!”

Meanwhile Ray

Ray had been stalking, wait no, that sounds really fucking creepy… Maybe a better word would be following.  
‘Ray, I think either way it seems bad.’ Ray’s ocelot tells him as they watch her cross the street from a nearby oak tree by the sidewalk.  
‘Flynt, you know it’s merely a safety precaution, I can’t have my bestie being stolen.’  
‘Is that all she is?’  
‘Yeah, why what else do you… Oh.. Gross man we’re just friends!’  
‘Sure you are.’ Flynt responds in a unbelieving tone while he ferries them across the street quickly, and they catch a glimpse of Ryan’s blonde fur lurking several streets ahead of them. ‘So I’m assuming Ryan has the same pure intentions as well?’  
‘Of course man, Ry knows she’s my friend and I love her, but I don’t love love her.’  
‘You know ocelots only have one mate for life… and I mean for life not just in breeding season.’ Flynt tells him, trying to really drive home his point. Foxes made him nervous, too cunning for their own good was his motto. However, he had no problem with their friendships just mating with them made his instincts twitch uncomfortably. Ray could sense how nervous the cat was and tried his best to assure him.  
‘Hey he’s with us, no one else… Just you, me, and Godric… Besides Ethiopian wolves mate for life too.’  
‘Not always.’  
‘Well he’s not going anywhere, and be careful someone will call animal control if they see us… I don’t want to get stuck in a zoo again.’ Ray warns as he notices how many more people there are in this area most oblivious to him hiding in a bush, but it only takes one frantic person to call the cops. Sure Ray had managed to set off a fire alarm giving them a distraction so they could escape, but it was in no way easy for them to get out.  
‘Ray, I got this.’ The feline assures him with a smile as he weaves through the legs of passerby's, and then safely making it across the street to hide behind another bush. Looking for their query the pair can’t help, but realize they’ve lost her in the mad dash.  
‘I don’t see her, and that means neither do you… can you see Ryan?’  
‘No all I can see is.. Shit someone’s coming!’ Flynt curses as he goes to flee, but two strong arms grab him and he feels a collar slipped around his neck. Looking up he sees Ryan’s kind smile and Flynt relaxes his pent up muscles. Ray too sighs in relief as their Alpha holds then sets them back on the ground with a leather leash in his hand.  
“Come on Ray, I lost her… Tell me you still have her?” Ryan asks and Flynt’s voice fades back down as Ray takes over control fully. The man now in full control shakes his spotted head quickly.  
“Sorry Ry, we lost her in the rush.” Ray meows loudly and his mate just huffs through his nose.  
“It’s time to go home then I guess, no use wasting time trying to track her there are too many scents.” The pair find themselves walking towards Ryan’s parked car when they spot her, and she was pleasantly conversing with a stranger on a park bench neither of them had ever seen. The man must have been about seventy as he sat telling her something, and the woman nodded heartily.  
“Oh ok, I must have gotten my streets mixed up. Thanks again sir, and thanks for the company.”  
“It was my pleasure to share an afternoon snack with such an interesting young woman. Please do be careful, it would break my heart to see such a sweet girl like you on the news tonight.” He warns as she stands up, throwing away the empty bag of apple slices he had given her.  
“I will and thank you for the directions as well as the company!” Iri calls out leaving the man sitting with a smile, and a wave of her hand. She starts heading in the direction that the old man had pointed her in, and it isn’t until she’s about six blocks away from her building that she feels someone following her. Picking up her pace she begins practically running to the safety that her building promised; hopefully the doorman would be there if the person tried to follow her up. Then again it was beginning to get late, and he might not see her. However, she pushes that thought away even as Lexi begins to get anxious.  
‘Iri, I can’t shift us here there’s too many people… I need you to hurry.’  
‘Lexi, if we just start sprinting they’ll only pick up the pace too… I need you to calm down and see if you can focus on keeping us moving… I’ll try to throw rocks at him.’ Iri says while fading into her mind slightly allowing the hesitant fox to take control of her motor function whilst she forces boxes and garbage cans to fly in front of the man tailing her. However, when she finally focuses enough to actually move one the man is gone. Taking back over control she doesn’t care how much attention she draws, Iri runs as fast as she can without hurting her ankle too bad. She sprints for about three of the six blocks and ducks into an alleyway catching her breath. ‘Lexi… I… I think we… I think we lost him.’ Iri whispers to the fox who agrees quickly and curls up to hide in her mind. Though it isn’t minutes later that Iri feels a hand on her shoulder, thinking quickly she uses her powers to wrench the knife from her boot and into her hand. Spinning on her heel she places the blade against her attacker’s neck with practiced ease, just like Joel had taught her to do.  
“Woah, hey chill out it’s just me!” Ryan’s surprised tone says catching her ears off guard and she slowly pulls the knife back. “Geez you could kill a guy like that.”  
“Sorry someone has been following me, and I thought you were him.” Iri responds while slipping the blade back into her boot casually.  
“Well here’s the thing about that... “ Ray says as he shifts back and unbuckles the collar handing it to Ryan who is rubbing his throat. “That might have been us.”  
“Why were you following me?” Iri says while redrawing the knife and backing up.  
“Okay no need for that we’re all friends here, we just saw you walking along the street barely dressed and wanted to make sure you weren’t attacked or something.” Ray assures her quickly and Iri merely loosens her grip on the handle. Ryan on the other hand can’t help the twitch in his jeans watching her finger the knife’s grip. For an omega especially one to be so… so combative it made his heart pitter patter with excitement. Not that he didn’t love Ray’s submissiveness, but this was a whole new breed of arousal. So he crosses over to her with a dark smile that makes Iri shift uncomfortably in place. Ryan gently takes her hand and works her fingers open with a smile that sends shivers down her spine. The way he looks at her makes Iri feel like a prize waiting to be claimed and she wasn’t a fan of it. Ray can’t help the twinge of jealousy that hits him as he watches Ryan… His Ryan touch this barely dressed omega.  
“Who said I needed you to protect me? Give me back my knife.” Iri snaps her tail flicking angrily as Lexi growls in her mind. “I mean it. Give. Me. My. Knife.”  
“Such a feisty little Vixen, you’ll be fantastic once heat hits you… and the only thing you can imagine is having an Alpha plug up that slick hole of yours.” Ryan whispers seductively into her ear and this is when Iri raises her lips into a snarl, then punches the smug bastard in the mouth. Ray who merely stands there appalled by his mate’s obscene behavior flinches visibly when he hears the crack of her fist across his face. In his surprise he drops the knife, it lands with a clatter on the pavement. Levitating it back into her boot Iri turns to Ray with fuming eyes, and turns to leave but the hand on her shoulder stops her. Ryan who wasn’t done yet pulls Iri back and crushes his lips against hers in a forceful kiss.  
‘I told you.’ Ray hears whispered in his mind, and it is then his anger finally raises enough for his powers to come out. A simple touch was all it took for Ryan to pull back with an angry yelp feeling the burning touch in his side, and Iri is knocked roughly to the ground in Ryan's attempt to flee the pain.  
“You told me that I was the only one you wanted!”  
“God dammit Ray.”  
“You lied to me!” Ray nearly screams as he turns away in his blind rage burning the little pieces of trash laying about the alley. “I can’t believe you!”  
“Ray, you knew he… you knew he wanted me.” Iri’s broken tone says as she looks to the angry man. “He was right, and I… I hate you… I hate you Ray.”  
“What?” Ray says in shock as his flames die instantly.  
“You two are perfect for each other… Don’t ever talk to me again, or I’ll.. I don’t know what, but I’ll do something.” Iri yells with bitter, angry tears falling down her eyes and into the dusty ground as she stands up. It isn’t until Ray goes to reach for her that he feels her powers force him back.  
“Skye please… We can, we can talk about this… Skye, I’m sure Ry..” Ray pleads with his friend using her middle name as a last resort. However, she just turns on her heel and dashing away from them not caring when she fell on the ground scraping her knees. It isn’t until she reaches her apartment door and slamming it shut that the sobs really begin. How could he do that to her? How could Ray just stand there and let him do that? This was almost as bad as Friday night, she thinks. And suddenly she feels filthy, broken, but most of all betrayed.  
“I’m sorry, I should have trusted you…” Iri mumbles to Lexi who only nodded.  
‘Alphas are nothing, but trouble….’ Lexi says as the fox fades back into darkness leaving Iri truly alone for the first time. The fox had muted her presence so much it was as though she wasn’t there.


	6. I fell... and when I fell I stumbled into a place I never desired to go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of self harm, and sexual situations at the end.... Of the R and R connection.

7:45 p.m.

Iri had finished crying a couple of hours ago, and the pain had yet to go away. So turning to her easel she sits down to paint, but nothing comes forth except for sad images. She went to paint them; however, her last canvas catches her eyes. The wolf pair she painted who were so happy, so in love draws a sudden and violent rage. Picking up a painter’s knife she hacks at them. She mutilates the canvas till the pair leave nothing, but a ragged hole in her once beautiful painting. Casting the knife away after she was done she turns to the room with a vengeance, picking up drawings, painting, and the clay fox Ray had made for her with her powers. Iridessa destroys them with a single angry thought, her powers tearing the canvases to shreds and sending them around the room. It isn’t until every last one is ripped, torn, or mutilated in anyway possible that she falls to her knees in the mess. And when her art is destroyed she turns to her body. She takes a chisel that was recently sharpened, and begins trailing long, angry, red lines horizontally on her upper arm. When she hits the crook of her arm, and the blood causes the tool to slip from her grasp it clatters to the ground with the rest of the mess. Her crimson blood begins mixing with the pieces of destroyed art, causing the white drop cloth covered floor to bear murky red splatters of her rage. The blood trails over her skin leaving scarlet tracks that were almost fascinating in the intricate patterns they created as it ran down her arm, and seemed to jump off, landing on the cloth with a dull dripping sound. However the sound of her Iphone buzzes in Michael’s tone interrupts the sound of her sullen melancholy, only to see that it’s a picture message of the threesome smiling brightly with a message of what are you up to?  
‘Nothing.’She replies after wiping her bloody hands on her gray camisole she had changed into after her shower earlier.  
‘Hey you want us to swing by the building and pick you up before we go out to eat?’  
‘No, I’m tired. I’m just going to stay in tonight.’ Iri responds.  
She hopes this will placate the man until a knock comes from the apartment door and then the sound of the door swinging open. Iri pushes the door to her art room shut knowing that if Michael were to see her like this he would probably freak out.  
“Hey it’s just me and Gavin… Iri where are you?”  
“I’m busy.” Iri says while locking the door silently. The men follow the sound of her voice to the art room, and Michael goes to open the door but it’s locked.  
“Iri, open up, the doors locked.”  
“Jones I’m busy can you just go.”  
“Come on Love let’s go get some food, maybe I’ll even slip you a few of my drinks when the barkeeps not looking.” Gavin tries and they only receive silence. Michael sighs and is about to turn away when the scent of blood catches his nose. He turns to Gavin to see if he’s smelled it and the Brit nods in affirmation.  
“Iri are you okay?” Michael asks while reaching up above the door for the extra key while making sure to shield his thoughts from her.  
“Mm fine.” She mumbles while facing the door. It isn’t until she hears the click that signaled the lock unlocking that she turns away. Michael enters the room with Gavin not far behind only to hear his mate’s gasp of surprise at the mess. It looked like a twister came through here, and when his gaze shifted to the fox whose ears were pointed downward and her tail slumped on the floor does the sound of dripping blood catches his sensitive ears. Following the sound he sees her arm drenched in sticky red, and she doesn’t even bother to hide it from him when he turns her around. Gavin made a mournful noise when he sees the damage the fox had done to herself.  
“What happened?” Michael asks gently as he gestures to her arm.  
“I fell.”  
“Really? That’s a piss poor lie, especially for you.” Michael comments as he watches her deflate even more.  
“Yeah I know.”  
“Oh Love what have you done?” Gavin mumbles as he points to her arm, and then to the scraps of canvas lying on the floor in tattered pieces.  
“Nothing... “ She trails off brokenly while still staring at the floor.  
“I’m going to get Geoff.” Michael tells them as he turns on heel to get the Alpha who was most likely already on his way up wondering what had taken them so long. He does indeed find the impatient man climbing the long staircase to get up to the room. “Geoff come quick!”  
“What’s wrong?” Geoff asks as he runs up the last few stairs and then follows Michael into the apartment where Gavin is sitting on the floor with a silent Iri leaning on his shoulder whose arm is so bloody that he wonders what mauled her. “Iri what the hell happened to your arm?”  
“I fell.”  
“Love tell us, what happened will fix it.” Gavin says soothingly as he rubs the woman’s ears curled down in sadness.  
“You can’t fix it, and besides I should have just listened to Geoff… Omega’s aren’t meant to be by themselves.” Iri mutters and Geoff can’t help but wonder what happened to have her so distraught. “You may as well just look Geoff I won’t tell you.” Iri tells the gent who nods and begins shifting through her memories quickly, he comes to the reason for her current state and his rage is unbelievable.  
“How dare he!” Geoff growls viciously and his mate’s whimper quietly in fear at his sudden outburst. “I’ll kill, I’ll tear him to pieces!”  
“Geoff what’s happened?” Gavin’s quiet voice comes, and in an instant he understands his Alpha’s rage as does Michael.  
“That fucking prick!”  
“Love, I’m sorry about Ray.” Gavin murmurs softly as the other two rage angrily, though he isn’t sure if she’s heard him as she doesn’t respond. “I’m sure he meant to tell you.”  
“Fuck off Gav, he should’ve told me as soon as he knew. I was fucking blindsided by that asshole, and who knows what he would of done if I hadn’t punched him.”  
“It’s fair to say that some Alphas are douches.”  
“Yeah, Lexi seems to think they all are… but I don’t think I can forgive him.”  
“Forgiveness is much harder than everyone says it is… I know from experience.” Geoff tells her after his rage had subsided. Michael however looked like he might still decapitate him on Monday.  
“I’ll fucking kill him… Simple as that.”  
“Michael you won’t kill Ryan.”  
“No Geoff I’m pretty positive I will, that fucker has been on thin ice lately and this is the final straw. I’m going to kill him.” Michael says in a dangerous tone that made Geoff suddenly snap on him. He finds himself pinned up against a wall with his Alpha’s teeth pressed flush against his jugular, a deep growl embedded into his tone.  
“You will not because I will take care of this.”  
“How?” Gavin’s curious tone asks as the Alpha gently releases the now calm Omega from the wall.  
“I’m going to be your proxy Alpha.” Geoff states very simply and Iri turns to face him in slight intrigue.  
“I don’t need an Alpha.”  
“Kit, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you need an alpha like Gavin needs his hair gel… or I do my morning coffee.” Geoff tells the woman who stares up at him from Gavin’s shoulder.  
“I... I… We don’t want one.” She tries as Lexi squirms very uncomfortably in her mind.  
“Oh come now it won’t be that bad, a little scenting here and there just to tell the dicks to fuck off.” Geoff tries as he calls Todd up to try and nudge the nervous fox to agree.  
‘Lexi, dear it won’t be anything permanent, and it will truly ward the other alphas off.’ Todd’s smooth voice says while Lexi seems to hesitantly agree. ‘That’s a good girl.’  
“Geoff, what if it doesn’t work?” Iri says still apprehensive, and Gavin pipes up reassuringly.  
“Love if he tries something else while you are under Geoff’s protection we’ll sick, Michael him on him… He won’t stand a chance against our Kitten.”  
“I… I guess…” She agrees reluctantly and at this Geoff kneels down beside her in the mess with gentle smile he moves to her neck. “What.. What are you doing?”  
“It’s a light bite, just to let Alpha’s know you aren’t on the market.” Geoff explains while she tries to squirm away. “Stay still.” He orders and the woman falls still against Gavin’s shoulder while Michael watches with a smile. At first Geoff gives the spot on her neck a few light kisses just to get her used to the feeling of his touch, and then when he pulls back she nods quickly. The Alpha smiles lightly while sinking his teeth into her smoky flesh causing her to cry out in pain, and tries to move but the rumble in his chest stops her. When he pulls back he finds the woman rubbing her head into Gavin’s shoulder with a sleepy look. Gavin smiles as he strokes her ears with his hand causing the girl to purr in contentment. He begins cooing at her, and she deepens her purr in response. Michael having left the room comes back with a wet cloth and a bandage. He hands them to Geoff who nods gratefully while beginning to wipe the copious amounts of blood from her arm. Underneath him the woman moans quietly, and Gavin just continues petting her only this time he moves his hand to her tail stroking it softly.  
“There’s a good little lass…Just let Papa Geoff fix you up.” Gavin whispers in her ear as she mewls into his sweet touches. Once Geoff is finished he places the bandage on the deep cuts huffing with disapproval of her coping mechanism.  
“No more of this, you understand?” Geoff says strictly as he makes sure the woman is looking at him.  
“Yes Papa.” She murmurs too far gone into Gavin’s petting to really understand what she’s saying.  
“Good, now go pack a bag Kit you are coming to our house so I don’t have to worry about anymore wounds showing up on you.” Geoff tells the woman who nods obediently while standing up on numb legs, stumbling slightly she exits the room to pack. Michael can’t help the smile he wears as the woman finally seems to be calm.  
“I love you Daddy.” Michael says very suddenly and Geoff just shrugs.  
“She needs an alpha who won’t take advantage of her like he would, and besides I miss having a smoky scent like hers around the house.”  
“I think she’ll make a lovely addition to our home.” Gavin agrees as he gives them both quick kisses before leaving the room to see how Iri was doing. When he finds her, she is staring at her dresser intensely.  
“Gav?”  
“What can I do for you Love?”  
“Can omegas live without alphas?”  
“It is very hard, and I don’t elect that you try to… Geoff won’t force you into anything you don’t want so don’t worry about that… Besides he can barely get it up as is.” Gavin adds with an infectious smile that even the somber woman can’t help but mirror. “Like the way he pops Viagra we worry it won’t ever come down.”  
“Shut up, Gav.” Iri mumbles with a laugh as she picks out a few days worth of clothes, and then heads to the bathroom to gather a few necessary toiletries. Heading back with a backpack worth of items, and meeting them in her art room which she now cringes at.  
“You ready to go?” Geoff asks and the woman nods her head, and then slowly shakes her head in no. Dashing back into her room she grabs a stuffed housecat sized vulpix her real father had given her for her eighth birthday. She had argued at the time that she was too old for stuffed animals, but he scoffed and told her you're never too old for stuffed animals especially pokemon ones. Her father was a splendid man, and after the accident this was the only piece she had left of him. When she makes her way back into the foyer Geoff, and the others look over casually to see what she had almost forgotten. He smirks and gestures to the toy. “Was that something Ray got you?”  
“No it was my real father, a birthday present.” Iri remarks while they exit the apartment and Michael locks it while slipping his arm around her casually.  
“I think it’s cool.” Michael pipes up as they exit the building and Iri slides into the back seat beside Gavin with her bag in hand.  
“So are we still going out to eat?” Gavin asks and they all nod save for Iri who picks at the bandage under her short sleeve v-neck while staring out the window. She can hear them talking about dinner arrangements, but instead chooses to sit quietly next to Gavin who smiles brightly at her every time he catches her eyes. “We should go dancing.” The Brit says very suddenly catching them all off guard.  
“What?”  
“Well I think it might be good for all of us to get a few drinks, and loosen up a bit maybe dance a little.” Gavin argues as the other two sigh and agree reluctantly. “What about you Love?”  
“Gav, I don’t know how to dance… Also I’m only twenty I can’t drink.”  
“Oye a fit little thing like you must know how to dance?” He says in mild surprise.  
“Uh not really, I’m a social recluse so not really much time to practice.” At this Michael and Geoff snort with laughter and Gavin just smiles with determination.  
“Then tonight I’m going to teach you, and besides you can just influence the bartender to give you a drink… You are a telepath.” Gavin tells her and that’s when Geoff glares at the man.  
“Gavvers just because we’re telepathic doesn’t mean we can just take over people’s minds.”  
“Have you ever tried?” The Brit asks as Iri turns to face him finally. “Here try to make me do something.”  
“Gavin I’m driving I…”  
“I was talking to her, so come on.” Gavin goads and Iri takes a deep breath, while focusing on his mind. Entering Gavin’s mind was much easier than she thought it would be, it was like slipping into a pair of old shoes, relaxed and comfortable. Personally she wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole mind control aspect so she chose a harmless action.  
‘Kiss me.’ She gives the simple command, and at first she doesn’t think it worked but his lips are soon on hers in a needy kiss. And he doesn’t stop kissing her till their breathless causing them to sit facing each other panting. ‘Again.’ Iri orders knowing that if he did it the second time then it worked for sure, and it wasn’t just some fluke. He surges forward, and pins her wrists to the window while he kissed her roughly. She lets forth tiny noises of pleasure as he bites her lip, and his tongue slips into her mouth exploring until the man was satisfied. When Gavin pulls back this time she goes with him, pushing him down onto the seat while grinding her hips on his.  
“Oh don’t you dare stop you mingey little vixen.” He pants while reaching up to stroke her tail sensually when her hips slow.  
“Geoff… Geoff help me.” Iri begs as the Omega continues his touches.  
“Tch you got yourself into that mess, get yourself out, and I suggest you do it quickly we’re almost to the parking lot.” Geoff teases as he stops at the stoplight, turning back to see the her hips moving slowly, and Gavin’s hand getting rougher with her delicate tail. “You kids are going to be the death of me.”  
“Oh you love it you pervy old man.” Michael teases as he scoots closer to Geoff and palms the Alpha through his jeans. “Smell those two its almost as bad as heat back there… Roll down the windows.” He says with a mischievous smirk and the Alpha just mirrors his playful mood while pressing the button for the windows. Iri feels a rush of air on her hot face, thinking they had arrived she looks up to find that a pair of Alphas… perhaps college juniors were smiling suggestively at her.  
“Aw does Sweetheart need something to ride, well we got something for you.” The driver shouts through the open window, only causing Iri to blush darker.  
“Darlin we got knots that beg to be milked by a pretty mouth like yours.” The other says mirroring his tone, and at this Geoff rolls down his window with a smile.  
“She needs an Alpha, not a pair of puppies with wimpy little knots.”  
“Oh shit, sorry man! We didn’t know, wait they can’t all be yours that’s just unfair.”  
“Nope they’re mine, just can’t seem to keep them off me.” Geoff says ending the conversation while rolling up his tinted windows. “Now will you two stop before I have to stop you.” He tells them and at this Iri’s control slips away and Gavin immediately freezes.  
“What? What are you.. Oh my… Love, remind me to never piss you off.” Gavin murmurs while gently releasing the panting vixen’s tail, and slipping her off his lap for a few seconds. Once he sits up he pulls her closer to him. “If you really wanted a kiss all you had to do was ask.”  
“Gav… It’s so hot in here… So very hot.” Iri fake pants hoping that maybe if she feigned sickness they would just go back to the house. She had never really agreed to this whole dancing thing, and as they got closer her nerve began to crack.  
“Geoff roll down the windows please because we are going dancing whether you want to or not.” Gavin tells her and shift just pouts against the man’s chest, who just laughs. “You are going to make an Alpha very happy someday.”  
“Yeah?”  
“Most definitely, now come on we’re here.” Gavin tells her as Geoff slips into a nearby parking lot they all get out save for Iri who stares at the open door hesitantly.  
“I can’t go in there I’m not even dressed for it, and my arm still hurts and…”  
“If you don’t get your ass out here now, I’m going to drag you out.” Geoff says in a strict tone that the Omega slowly obeys managing to get out. “And besides you look fine… Now go have some fun.”  
“Geoff, I really don’t think.”  
“Here. You wanted to go dancing so you drag her.” Geoff tells the Brit who just grabs the unwilling woman and pulls her along. The sound of the bar hit them before the smell of alcohol did, and it was music with a thumping bass that made Iri a little more willing. Gavin notices this with a smile and drags her faster towards the people flowing in.  
“Hey you two! Not you, the one with the tail. Stop. How old are you kid?”  
“My mate just turned twenty one today.” Gavin lies with a flirty smile as the bouncer nods.  
“Oh really, well let me see your I.D. Miss.”  
“Is that really necessary I mean come on it’s my birthday, and you only turn twenty-one once.” Iri says as she uses a little of her powers to ease his suspicion. Geoff watches carefully, ready to influence the man fully if need be. Sure he could do it, didn’t mean he liked to. “Sir I’m just here to have a good time, and maybe dance a little.” She tells the burly alpha who just sighs, and visibly relaxes.  
“Fine, go ahead.” He relents and the group surges forth into the loud bar. She can smell the alcohol and the people and she can feel Lexi who has begun pacing.  
‘I don’t like this place, stupid alpha, stupid distracting omega.’ the fox curses and before she can say anything Todd’s calming tone pipes up.  
‘Relax little one, I will not allow someone to hurt you… Let her go dance.’ Todd mutters while nudging the other’s anxiety down a notch or two.  
“Todd is really good with her.” She says loudly over the thumping music to Geoff who nods.  
“He’s a cool dude in general, Griffon always thought it was funny how different we were but also how similar at the same time… Now go dance while Michael gets drinks.” Geoff orders while pushing the girl in the direction Gavin was beckoning to.  
“Oh I love this song! Come on let’s go!” Gavin says dragging her into the packed floor. Iri tugged along by Gavin into the middle of the dance floor where he begins to move in time with the music. She watches Gavin sway with the music, and gesture for her to move. Biting her lip she turns from the man only to come face to face with Miles who gives her a confused look which turns into a smile.  
“Boss Lady!”  
“I’m not your boss Miles, I just happen to be bossy.” Iri mutters trying to get past the crowd, but Miles stands in her way. “Move please.”  
“Ah bup bup, not before you dance with me.”  
“Miles you know I don’t know how to dance.”  
“Okay then just watch Gavin and do what he does… He seems to have a knack for it.” Miles gestures as the omega was moving fluidly with the music, and grinding on a smiling Michael.  
“Miles.”  
“Iri, come on just a little?” Miles whispers as he grabs her hips gently bringing them flush with his and moving them in a slow swaying manner. “See, not so bad, now you try on your own.”  
“I hate you.”  
“I am quite aware.”  
“Fine.. but don’t laugh when I look stupid.”  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Miles says with a smirk as she begins to sway her hips in time to the thumping music. It takes a few minutes before Iri let’s herself really feel the rhythm allowing it to course through her mind, and make her forget about the events of today. Miles watches with amazement as the woman who is normally wound so tight that she can’t breathe without puncturing a lung come undone rather quickly. It was sort of like seeing a mild mannered desk clerk to an almighty superhero who feared nothing. The way her whole body was moving made the man a little envious that she had such natural talent, and the way her tail seemed to beckon to anyone near made his groin twitch… even though he was in love with Kerry, who was lingering back at the office most likely finishing up some RWBY stuff. The beta had watched him deflate before he sent him home, and then his roommate sent him out here to release some pent up energy. Turning away from her, he goes to find the man who he knew was lurking about somewhere with a watchful eye on his two omegas. He finds Geoff striking up a conversation with a beta who sounded like she was having the worst day of her life and really just needed a friend… Good guy Geoff to the rescue.  
“Hey it’s been great talking to you Mr. Ramsey, but my friend is ready to go… good luck with your friends.” She bids him farewell as she slips off the stool and into the crowd.  
“Miles, what are you doing here?” Geoff asks as he watches the sweaty omega sit down at his table.  
“I was teaching Iri to dance… that woman could seduce a watermelon with the way her hips move, and that tail.. Geoff I bet she’ll have tons of alphas willing to take her home by the end of the night.” Miles boasts and at this Geoff turns his head to find her currently seducing a man with her eyes most likely unknowingly.  
“Well she’s not too bad to look at so I’m sure someone will offer.” Geoff replies as he watches her grind on the very same man whom she’d seduced. It is at that moment Gavin approaches with Michael in tow, both rather out of breath. “Having fun boys?”  
“Oh we’re having a great time! It’s absolutely top! Where’s Iri at?” Gavin asks having lost her in the fray a long time, figuring she had just come back to the table to mope with Geoff.  
“Gavin she’s right over there? Seriously how can you lose her, she’s the only person with a tail?” Michael asks and the Brit just shrugs. “You’d lose me if I wasn’t standing right next to you.”  
“Probably… Hey Gav are you sure she didn’t know how to dance?” Geoff asks as he gestures to the way her arms seem to know just what to do as do her hips. The man smiles at the fluidity of the movement and Gavin just whistles.  
“She’s a natural, it took me years to develop good skills… Seems she was just a diamond in the rough.” Gavin mumbles with a shrug while turning back to Michael who was drinking a beer. It isn’t until they hear a yelp that Geoff realizes Iri was no longer in the same spot. Geoff scanning the area quickly spots someone being dragged out a side door, and he tells them to wait here. 

Outside

Iri felt the man pulling on her arm and for the life of her she could not get him to let go. She’d even bitten him, but he had held her strong.  
“Now that we’re away from all that noise, tell me what is a pretty Apex predator like you doing out here?” He asks in a tone that was more familiar than she wanted it to be.  
“What… What are you talking about?” Iri says stumbling back as the man let’s go of her arm roughly.  
“You heard me, now answer my question before I need to get violent.” The man warns and Iri balks at this shifting quickly she bolts down the alley hoping to outrun him. However the man shifts too and cuts off her path by jumping in front of her. He bore the form on a large black panther that scared Lexi terribly, and before she can do anything the panther pins her to the ground.  
‘Iri, influence him, or throw something… I can’t move us!” Lexi shouts frantically while trying to wiggle out of the large cat’s grasp. ‘Iri do something!’  
‘Lexi, it’s like he is blocked off, and I can’t concentrate with you screaming in my ear!’ Iri growls in frustration while attempting to penetrate the man’s mind, however she feels Lexi heabutt the man in a hope to distract him enough so the other could slip in. No luck though and the cat headbutt’s back, knocking Lexi unconscious. Iri takes over complete control, but the man is even stronger now without her fox’s help.  
“Are you finished? Or perhaps you would like me to knock you out as well?” He asks and Iri just shakes her head in no. She had knew that she’d been bested. “Good now, you are coming with me.”  
“Uh no I’m pretty sure she’s not.” Geoff says as he catches up to the pair. “In fact that’s my omega you are so carelessly hurting.”  
“Psh do you really think I’d believe that? That bite is nothing more than a decoy. Besides she’ an evolutionary miracle, and worth much more than you can imagine.” He says with a dark grin that makes Iri begin to struggle again. “You may not want me now, but we’ll see how you feel after your heat kicks in.”  
“I would never want someone like you… even like that.” Iri spits at the man as she manages to wrench her back legs free enough to kick the panther in the groin causing him to whimper in pain, and allow her enough space to finally wriggle out. She just stares at Geoff who watches her carefully limp away from the both of them to sit in the middle of the alley. Iri doesn’t even blink as she picks up several full, metal trash cans and hurls them down onto the hurt panther. It isn’t until the cat’s eyes close that she stops throwing them. Her breathing is ragged and a migraine has set in, but the cat is longer a threat. Geoff walks over, and goes to pick her up but she shies away. “I...I am not a damsel in distress for… for you to save!’ She huffs out angrily, and man nods at this.  
“I never said you were, but I can’t take you back into the club like this and the longer we stay here the more dangerous this situation gets… This man could have friends, and I don’t intend to find out.” Geoff warns her and at this she stands up while still breathing hard. “Does your head hurt?”  
“Yeah, will it always?”  
“No, it only hurts because you used it too much. It is like any other muscle and influencing takes much more strength than just reading… Telekinesis takes more than the other two combined, if I were to do what you just did I wouldn’t be standing upright anymore. It’s a miracle you aren’t unconscious like Lexi, Todd felt her distress and then silence.” Geoff explains to the fox who waivers on her feet, but manages to make it to the car. “You cannot shift back until she wakes up.”  
“I know… Geoff tell me what that man meant back there.”  
“Iridessa I honestly have no clue, and his mind was so closed off I doubt either one of us could have gotten into there.” He lies and even Todd doesn’t press him to tell her. This was something she wouldn’t ever need to know as long as he was around.  
“I’m going to crawl into the car, you should go back to the club and hang with your boys.” Iri tells the man as she limps off down the street to where the car is parked.  
“I think I should stay with you…”  
“Geoff, I know I may look hurt but I’m fine.”  
“Iri.”  
“Geoffrey.”  
“Just let me help you.”  
“I don’t need you right now okay! I.. I… I don’t know what I need, but I don’t need you right now. I’m glad that you always seem to be here when I need you, but I have to do some things on my own… stand down Alpha.” Iri barks at the man who seems unfazed by her outburst, and she watches him warily remembering how Ryan had tried to force her submission.  
“Fine, but stay in the car. Todd will literally come find you, and then overly politely yell at you for like an hour… He does it to Michael sometimes, and usually Michael just laughs at him.” Geoff relents and Iri nods her head while making a note of that. He opens the car door, rolls down the window a bit, and then locks it again before heading back to the club. Once he has safely disappeared into the club she pries open the lock with her teeth, making sure to lock it on the way out, and then starts down the street. Making her way to a spot she knew well, it was the park that Joel ran through before work, and if he was particularly stressed in the evenings as well. The park itself was about a fifteen minute walk from her Dad’s house, and about a forty minute one from the club so it wasn’t terribly horrendous of a trek if she felt the need to get somewhere fast. Tonight however it just so happened that either Joel was stressed from work or perhaps he was enjoying the moonlight by himself as he strolled casually on the cement walkway.  
“Papa!” Iri calls out as she sprints over to the man who looks all around in confusion.  
“Oh no she’s dead! God no!” Joel cries out in shock and Iri just sits in front of him, nudging the dramatic man’s leg with her head. “Not now overly friendly fox! Can’t you see I’m mourning the loss of my step-daughter?”  
“Papa, I’m right here. Just look down.” Iri tells the man who looks at her with confusion.  
“You're not my daughter! My daughter is a person not a fox! I would know.” Joel says with a you can’t fool me tone, and Iri loves her stepfather to death but christ he sounded dumb right now.  
“Papa, where’s Dad at?”  
“He’s at the house Ghost Iri… You know you could have come back as anything why a fox?”  
“I’m not a god damn ghost you bumbling moron!” Iri growls as she starts running towards the house, with a mildly hurt Joel sprinting behind her. Upon making it to the front porch she unlocks the door with her increasingly worse migraine that hinders her a little more each time she opens her eyes. Joel only steps behind her closes the door, and she continues to stay on her feet. She had a question, and hell be damned if it wasn’t getting answered before someone stopped her or she passed out.  
“Burns?”  
“Yeah whats up Joel?”  
“I found a fox that claims to be Iri.”  
“Joel have you been eating some of Michael’s brownies again… I have told you time after time that.” Burnie cuts off mid sentence when he sees the fox barely holding her head up staring at him with a wavering intensity that he knew was Iri. “Princess?”  
“I.. I want… answers.” Iri stutters as the pain sharpens to almost unbearable. “Research.. Kody… Journals.” Her father had been a geneticist and her mother was a school teacher, she remembers watching her father pour over tomes while he bounced her on his knee.  
“Princess, I don’t understand what you mean. Are you feeling alright?”  
“I… Apex… panther… Call Geoff.” Iri mumbles before blacking out completely, the pain was far too intense to ignore anymore. Burnie watches with surprise, well not really that much surprise as the animal sinks to the floor completely landing with a solid thump.  
“Joel is she alright?”  
“Burns she’s a fox, I have no idea how alright she is or isn’t… How do tell if a fox is breathing?”  
“I’m sure it’s the same for a person, just make sure her chest rises and falls. I’ll call Geoff.” Burnie says and Joel nods while picking up the fox and laying her on the sofa. Joel stares at her for a few seconds before he sees her chest rising and falling weakly. He can hear Burns asking the gent why she was here, what happened, and what did she want with his brother’s work.  
“Fine, explain it to me when you get here, but why did you become her proxy alpha.. That’s our job…. Don’t you tell me how to raise her…. Ramsey if you touch her I will rip your fucking throat out… He did what!.... Yes hello Gavin, now give Geoff back the phone grown ups need to talk…. No Geoff… Geoff I said no… God dammit you already did it… See you in twenty.” Burnie says with an angry huff as he turns to Joel who has a concerned look on his face.  
“Ray and her had a fight, Ryan tried to sexually assault her, a dude at the club tried to kidnap her, she destroyed her entire room worth of paintings, and Geoff became her proxy alpha… The nerve of him sometimes.” Burnie explains to Joel who puffs up his chest a bit, and picks her up gently, cradling her in his arms.  
“Mine.. well ours, but you know what I mean.”  
“Yes Darling I do… I can’t believe he did that, fucking opportunist fox.” He curses while stroking the sleeping form in Joel’s arms. “Can I hold her?”  
“Sure Burns, just careful… don’t move her too much.”  
“Joel she isn’t a newborn.”  
“I know, but… She just feels delicate alright and I got giant man hands that could crush her if I wasn’t careful… So just be careful okay?” Joel nearly growls as he hands her to Burnie, and it’s times like these that he wished Alphas could have children because Joel would have been such a great father… Not that she wasn’t their child, but it is different when they are your flesh and blood.  
“Her pulse feels weak.”  
“I know… Did Kody ever get like this after he used his gift?” Joel asks and Burns shrugs. His brother had grown apart before he’d had Iri, and he remembers how the man had just showed up on his front porch with a baby in hand, a sheepish smile, a case of beer, and a hell of a story. If it weren’t for the baby in his arms he would have slammed the door on him, but the way child smiled up at him made Burnie open the door wide. Kody told him about how he’d landed a job in a nearby lab, and had met a wonderful woman that he was planning to marry. When Burnie had asked about the baby girl he shrugged, and said Iri had been Margaret’s orphaned niece. Kody explained how she was the only surviving relative so he figured that instead of sending her away they’d just raise her… Kody had always been one of those kinds of people. Kody hadn’t known that they’d shared a key gene, the Apex one. So once that was discovered his brother was even more intent on keeping the child away from the orphanage. In college the man had heard of the gene structure, and for once he didn’t feel so lost when the professor explained how it presented itself with animalistic characteristics. The tail he had so carefully tied to his waist and always carefully schooled his emotions to keep it in place. It was there in college that he’d met Margaret, ironically at a Halloween party. When they’d got to talking and drunk enough it was one of those show and tell kinda moments. She revealed her tail wasn’t fake, and he showed her his. From there it was nothing less than a love story, they finished college out, moved in together, and it was about their seventh year together still unmarried, that Kody discovered Iri crying in a run down house on his morning run. Appalled he took the baby with him, and when Margaret saw her she instantly fell in love with the bright eyed baby girl. Turns out forging certificates wasn’t as hard as it looked, and with a little help from a government worker who owed Margaret big time. Iri became their child legally. Now Burnie just stares at the fox in his arms, chittering quietly in her slumber.  
“I… I never knew, and I didn’t bother reading through Kody’s work. I’d just assumed it wasn’t important, and Joel… Joel I don’t want her reading through his work, I want her to just forget about it.” Burnie tells the Alpha who nods in understanding, she was hurt enough and he was positive this last realization would kill her. “We’ll tell her, just not now… After his mark fades, and she’s grown into her powers fully, and she’s married with pups of her own.” Burnie rambles slightly and Joel puts a comforting hand to his shoulder.  
“We need to tell her sooner than that... But not too soon.” Joel tries and Burnie hesitantly agrees to that. It is at that moment he hears a light knock on the door. Joel opens it to find an irritated Geoff, a drunk Gavin, and Michael doing his damnedest to keep the omega on his feet.  
“Oye Geoff, what are we doing here?” Gavin nearly shouts and Michael shushes him, “Don’t shush me!”  
“Gavin if you don’t shut up I’m going to spank that ass of yours cherry red right now.” Geoff snaps and the omega mumbles grouchily while quieting down. “Burns can you just pass her over so we can get loudmouth into bed?”  
“If I so much as smell any of you on her, I’ll kill you.” Burnie warns and Gavin just laughs heartily at this.  
“Too late Burns, she and I almost shagged in the car earlier… She’s such a pretty little Vixen.” Gavin coos as he pulls her from the shocked man’s arms. Joel who acts quickly wraps his arms around Burnie’s waist stopping him when he went to tackle the omega who smiled stupidly at him while cuddling the fox to his chest. “Such a top kisser.”  
“Gav let’s go to the car.” Michael tells him while hurrying the man away from the fuming alpha who was being restrained by his mate.  
“Oh but Michael it’s such a lovely night, and besides we were having such a lovely chat.”  
“Come on Romeo, Geoff we’ll be in the car.” Michael tells their alpha who nods thankfully.  
“I’ll kill you Geoff.”  
“I know you will, but I won’t do anything she doesn’t want.” Geoff promises and the others nod at this.  
“What does she want with Kody’s journals?”  
“No clue… Burns I gotta go before the idiot hurts himself.” Geoff tells his friend who sighs in defeat and waves him off.  
“Micool stop it! Micool I’m not going to drop her! Dammit!” Gavin growls as the fox slips from his grip, and Michael outstretches his hand. Seconds before she hits the ground a gust of wind lifts her into the sky, and then back into Michael’s arms. “Woah…”  
“What the fuck was that?” Michael asks Geoff, and the man shrugs.  
‘That’s your gift dumbass.’ Marcus tells him and Michael nods. ‘Manipulation of storms from what I can feel. You're lucky you didn’t strike her with lightning.’  
‘Lightning?’  
‘Yeah that’s part of fucking storms isn’t it? God damn I know you aren’t this stupid.’  
‘Fuck off Marcus.’ Michael growls at him and the cat just sinks back down into his mind.  
“Boy that was pretty top.”  
“Thanks drunkard now get your ass in the car.” Michael orders and the other just stumbles into the car. “No you don’t get to fucking hold her! You literally just dropped her a second ago!”  
“Alright settle down you two, and sit back Gavin before you bash that nose of yours on something.” Geoff orders as he starts the car and takes off into what was left of the night. 

Ray and Ryan

He hadn’t spoken to the man for hours, rather choosing to slip into the world of C.O.D. and playing for hours. It isn’t until Ryan goes to touch him that the cat flames up, burning the man for the second time tonight.  
“Touch me again fucker, and I will hurt you.” Ray growls and the alpha snarls in challenge. Leaving his game he turns to face the man who is standing up to his full height attempting to frighten him. “Wow you're super tall, that’s terrifying.” He says sarcastically while holding his hands up in mock fear.  
“Omega.”  
“Fuck off.” Ray shoots back at the man who surges forward pinning him to the ground. Holding his wrists above his head and the man places his teeth around the omega’s throat. The cat just laughs while bucking up and kneeing Ryan in the groin causing the alpha to gasp in pain. “I told you to fuck off.”  
“Ray… Ray come on don’t be like that.” Ryan tries as he feels his instincts beginning to fade, and what he sees is his omega who looks hurt with puffy eyes. “Ray… I’ll apologize on Monday, and I won’t ever touch her again.”  
“Oh yeah you will, but I doubt she’ll ever be my friend again thanks to you.”  
“No she’ll come back… God damn I can’t believe I let Godric take over like that. I’m such an imbecile!” Ryan curses as the wolf merely raises his hackles.  
‘She wanted it, just as all omegas do.’ Godric mutters as Ryan continues apologizing to Ray.  
“Ray you know what happens when I let him go.” Ryan says ignoring the wolf who wanted him to take Ray right now, but he was strong enough to ignore him.  
“Yeah, but you should have stopped him… Ryan you were fucking terrifying, I had to burn your side to get ahold of you Ryan, the real you.” Ray argues, he knows that Godric was by far the scariest creature he’d ever met and most often the reason Ryan went feral… Godric was the reason Ryan was nicknamed the mad king, and it was truly unsettling how he gave into the wolf’s will quite easily.  
“I won’t let it happen again Ray, I won’t.” Ryan assures the man who sat on his hips. He could feel the way Ray shook slightly in fear. “Don’t cry Ray, please don’t cry.”  
“I’m not going to cry… I’m…” Ray trails off into quiet sobs. “How can she just leave like that? We were friends, the best of friends… Team stray.” Ray mumbles bitterly into Ryan’s eyes as he kneads the man’s shirt sadly.  
“Ray we’ll fix this… I won’t let Godric take over anymore.” Ryan swears to his shaking mate as he lifts up the Puerto Rican and takes him to the bedroom. Setting the shaking Omega down on the sheets softly he begins to kiss at the mating scar on his lover’s dark collar bone. “I love you Kitten.”  
“And I love you too, but he scares me.”  
“He scares me too Ray… He scares me too.” Ryan whispers while nipping along the boy’s jaw line leaving light marks on his way to the cat’s lips. Kissing softly at first until Ray deepens it with a needy whine. Obliging his hurt omega Ryan works his lover out of his shirt, and then his pants leaving him naked on the bed. Taking Ray’s glasses off he places them on the nightstand, and shucks off his own clothes before he sinking himself deep in his already wet omega.  
“Ry… Ry faster.”  
“Hush Kitten, I got you.” Ryan answers as he kisses his lover tenderly and then speeds up thrusting roughly into the man. He loved the way Ray’s back arched off the bed, and his dark spots began to glow like tiny embers. Ryan let’s his usually camouflaged ears show and Ray just smiles. The man had an almost unnatural fascination with them when they appeared. Picking up his pace he grabs Ray’s member and starts stroking it in time with his thrusting hips until he bottoms out in his lover’s hole, knot tying them together as he came deep inside of him. Ray who wasn’t far behind him comes all over Ryan’s hand, lifting his messy fist to his lips Ryan licks at the mess causing the other to moan loudly.  
“You could kill a man with a look like that.”  
“Hmm I don’t think so otherwise you’d be dead and gone by now.” Ryan says with a smirk while leaning down to kiss the sweaty man whose spots still glowed brightly. “You're beautiful you know that.”  
“I know… and I hope Godric knows that too.”  
‘Oh believe me Kitten I do, but there is nothing wrong with having a pack of beautiful predators.’ Godric whispers through Ryan’s mouth with hazel eyes and into Ray’s ear.  
“No Ric, you will leave her alone or I will not hesitate to burn you.” Ray mutters with a glare and the expression of defeat it puts on Ryan’s face makes him smile.  
‘Fine… I will relent on my pursuits of her.’ Godric answers while Ryan’s normal crystal clear blue eyes come back.  
“I’m glad he’s finally got the point, but I’m still mad at you.”  
“Damn I figured giving you an orgasm would cure you of your anger.” Ryan jests while nipping the man playfully on the ear.  
“Eh I’ve had better.”  
“Ouch, not only does that insult me, but my manhood as well… Sheesh Ray your hurtful.”  
“Yeah well you destroyed a friendship, it’s only right I destroy something you care about.” Ray argues as he feels Ryan’s knot starting to subside. Ryan pulls himself out as Ray stands up to go clean himself up, however the elder just pulls him back down and forces him onto his stomach. “Ry don’t.”  
“Don’t what? Don’t do this… or this…. or maybe even this?” Ryan says in between lapping at the slick and semen leaking from Ray’s wet hole. “But it tastes so good, and you make such pretty noises.” Ryan tells him with a smirk as he continues eating out the man who is panting on the other’s tongue, and stroking his already hard dick. It doesn’t take an awful lot more for Ray to cum again, and this time Ryan clucks his tongue pointing to the mess on the sheets. “Bad Kitty, clean it up.” Ryan orders and Ray begins lapping at his mess until it’s all cleaned up. “Hmm good boy.” He whispers in the others hair as he pulls him into his arms to snuggle, and he feels the younger’s breathing slow into even breathes signalling sleep. It isn’t much longer before Ryan finds himself falling asleep too, lulled by the rhythm of his lover’s breathing.


	7. Foxes aren't pack animals

Monday Morning  
Iri

Iri awoke to the harsh beeping of an alarm clock and then the groaning of an man shifting to turn it off. Sitting up slowly she finds that her body was that of a human and Lexi tells her that she shifted back a long time ago. Also that she had been brought here by the men after she’d passed out.  
“Mm Geoff what time is it?” She grumpily mumbles and the gent smiles at the sleepy girl who is rubbing her eyes while her tail flicked slowly.  
“Iri it’s about seven a.m.”  
“Why are you getting up so early? It’s Sunday Geoff a day of rest.” Iri mutters into a pillow that smelled like Gavin, looking around carefully she notices the loss of several people. “Where is everybody?”  
“Gavin and Michael went to shower, and it’s Monday Kit not Sunday. You slept all day yesterday, tuckered yourself out with all that dancing.” Geoff tells her and she blinks in disbelief.  
“I slept that long?”  
“Mmhmm… Freaked Gavin out real good when he tried to shake you awake for brunch and you just laid there comatose.” Geoff says as he pulls her back down to scent a little. “Do you have clothes for today?”  
“Yeah, and Geoff, I feel like I’ve missed something… Something important.”  
“You didn’t, well Michael discovered his gift if that’s what you mean.”  
“Oh really?”  
“Turns out he can manipulate storms, from what Marcus said he can make it rain, snow, hurricane, or really anything that has to do with storms.”  
“Can he create lightning?”  
“Yeah it’s fitting if you think about it.”  
“Speaking of fitting, did you know Ray can conjure fire?” Iri tells the alpha who smirks into her neck while nosing at the glands there.  
“It’s all that fiery latino blood.”  
“Mr. Ramsey… stop.” Iri whines as she feels slick begin to form at the man’s nosing.  
“Wet already? Geez it don’t take much for you Kit, but try and contain yourself for this to work we need to scent.”  
“Can’t I just wear your socks or something?” Iri asks as the man just pulls back while laughing quietly. “A child somewhere was just cured of cancer.”  
“Hey it’s what I do, now come back here so we can do this right.”  
“Geoff stop it, aw come on man.” Iri says while struggling in the man’s unrelenting grip as he continues to nuzzle her neck.  
“Well look who isn’t dead… Nice to see you in the land of the living Iri.” Michael’s voice says as he enters the room with a towel around his hips, giving Iri a fantastic view of his toned chest. Geoff made note of the way her ears pricked up, and her tail flicked in Michael's direction as he continued his nosing.  
“Aww look at the two little love birds.” Gavin coos as he walks in behind Michael however no towel around his hips causing Iri to duck her head into Geoff’s shoulder.  
“Gavin seriously?” Michael asks as the man just flaunts himself proudly.  
“What it’s my bloody house? If I want to roam the house naked then I’ll be damned if I’m not going to do it, besides I’m fit.” The omega argues as Geoff feels Iri’s cheeks heat up even more against his shoulder. Right as the man is about to nudge her head up, he feels her body shift, and then watches as she flees the bedroom with her eyes closed. “Well isn’t she a bashful thing.”  
“Gav you are adorably stupid you know that?”  
“I’m not stupid!”  
“Put some clothes on dumbass, and Michael is there any hot water left?” Geoff asks while the younger nods as he slips into his outfit for the day, the elder just leaves the room to shower. Once the boys were clothed they go about the task of finding breakfast, only to see Iri huddled by the sink as a person washing her neck. Sneaking up behind her, Michael places his hands on her tail, and with a shout yells, “Whatcha doing Skye?” Though he is ill prepared for the punch in the throat as the woman whirls on him.  
“Oh shit, sorry Jones… it’s just reflexive!” Iri apologizes and the omega coughs a few times while hearing Gavin snicker quietly as he pours a bowl of cereal.  
“It’s cool… So what are you doing?”  
“Nothing.” Iri says guiltily as she dries her hands on the shirt she was wearing, not making eye-contact with captain commando eating cornflakes at the counter.  
“Hmm someone is trying to get rid of Geoff.” Gavin says knowingly as he takes a few bites. “He will just do it again you know that right?”  
“Not if I tell him not to.”  
“Psh like that’ll stop him, besides scenting is like wearing a big fuck off sign to other Alphas.” Michael explains and at this Iri just sighs.  
“Didn’t either of you ever think that maybe I want to meet an alpha, or maybe a beta… Or that maybe I just took the bite because I was confused and hurting.” Iri asks the men who seem to cock their heads at this.  
“But he bit you?”  
“Not really it’s already starting to fade, and I doubt Ryan will try anything again but if he does I’m ready.” Iri tells them with a shaky smile. “Besides he already has you two, and I doubt adding another is on his list of life goals.”  
“But…”  
“No butts I’m going home, I’ll see you at the office in a few hours.” Iri says cutting off any sounds with a glare as she dons her shoes with a smile. “Also Gavin nice junk, very... European… I called a cab so no worries about being kidnapped.”  
“So does Geoff know?”  
“Does he need to? The man’s not my father, nor my protector, or more importantly my Alpha… He’s your guy’s alpha not mine. I gotta go, see you later.” Iri answers and then exits the house feeling much like her old self. She felt rather independent after the cab dropped her off at her apartment. When she enters her first step is to shower, making sure to scrub everywhere, and especially at her neck with the bar of scent-neutralizing soap Michael kept handy. Satisfied that the man’s thick bourbon scent was gone she dresses in a bright, crimson ruffled skirt with a white camisole covered by a black cardigan. She wore a pair of black flats that had red bows on top of the toes. Curling her hair in big ringlets, and finishing her make-up she checks the time on her phone to see a missed call from Geoff. Sighing, she texts him knowing that his voice would send shivers down her spine that forced her to come back… though it would most likely be his logic because honestly the man did not ever not make sense.  
‘Did I forget something there?’- To Geoff From Iri  
‘No, I don’t think so, but you know what’s funny?’  
‘Uh global warming because that’s got to be a joke.’  
‘Haha no.. What’s funny is that I leave you for only minutes and you disappear you're lucky we have to work otherwise I’d beat that ass of yours.’  
‘You aren’t my Alpha Mr. Ramsey, and I would like to thank you for what you did for me. It was very kind and I don’t think I can ever say thank you enough, but I will be fine on my own from here on out.’  
Iri texts him that message as she sighs feeling her heart twitch in pain a little at saying that.  
“Lexi?”  
‘Yeah?’  
“We don’t need him right? We can do just fine on our own, just like we always did.”  
‘Foxes aren’t pack animals.’  
“Foxes are definitely not pack animals.” Iri repeats back as she fights back the urge to text him sorry… Grabbing her keys, and bag she pads down her stairs to the parking lot where her car awaits.


	8. If you are me, and I am you. Who is he?

Lunch Time

Iri must have been working since she’d gotten in. At first it was a question about shading from an animator whose name had slipped her mind, and then it was a crisis with Miles who spilled coffee on a few character sketches which then had to be redrawn. Next it was Lindsay asking if she could help them with filming a short RT Life, which just consisted of her holding a camera. The tasks never seem to end, and finally at one pm she tells everyone to fuck off while she ate lunch. Sure it wasn’t much, but it was nice to be able to eat her lunch in mild peace under a tree outside beside the building. And in the middle of sketching a tree that seemed to be nothing more than a dying shadow covers her paper as a familiar Alpha's scent floods her nostrils.  
“There you are, you are a hard lady to keep track off.” Ryan’s pleasant tone says as he stares down at her. Iri isn’t at all threatened by the man who sits down next to her rather choosing to ignore him completely...even as he talks at her, which is really starting to bug her after about ten minutes.  
“Mr. Haywood please just go away.” Iri states very politely, but strictly... She really didn't want him here, and figured it would be easier to get rid of him if she was polite about it.  
“Wait, why, I haven’t even done anything.”  
“Mr. Haywood fucking leave before I bite you, and take that annoyingly delicate scent with you.” Iri growls as she stares the man down.  
“But I came to.”  
“I don’t care what you came to do, and besides you don’t need to do anything for me to hate you… You fucking tried to rape me.”  
“I really do apologize for Godric, it seems the wolf had gotten it in his mind that you were ours. I made sure to clear that up with him, and I came to tell you that while I am to blame Ray is not… He did nothing wrong other than be associated with me.” Ryan says apologetically and Iri just stares at him in anger.  
“What part of leave me alone is so hard for you to understand? Or maybe it is the concept that an omega could possibly not need some stupid, hulking, knot-head to be at their side 24 hours a fucking day. For the love of God just fucking leave me alone!” Iri yells while standing and clenching her fists. Without realizing it she had picked up all the fallen sticks surrounding the tree, and had the sharp ends pointing at the man threateningly.  
“Iri please put down the sticks.” Ryan says in a soothing tone, but she wants no part of it.  
“Don’t tell me what to do Mr. Haywood.”  
“Well it was less telling, and more of heavily suggesting…. maybe even trying to persuade.”  
“Go. Away.”  
“Just.” Ryan starts but does not get a single word out when a flies right past his head, and that is when he backs away slowly.  
“I won’t miss next time.” Iri warns and the alpha nods briskly while turning on his heels to flee back to the safety of the building away from the enraged omega. Once he was gone she lets the branches fall back onto the ground with soft thuds. And with a quick look to her watch she can see that her lunch hour has ended about two minutes ago, so with a heavy sigh she gathers herself and head backs into the building. 

Seven p.m.

The rest of the day had been rather uneventful in the fact that she had spent most of it hiding with Ashley near by the know set.  
“So had any Alphas interested yet?” Ash asks after a few minutes of silence followed by Iri just laughing while flicking her tail slowly.  
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, hell I don’t even believe it.”  
“Oh? Do tell.” Ash answers with an interested smile as she looks up from her laptop. Iri sighs and begins the long tale, and making sure to leave out the parts about being attacked. It takes her a little bit to tell the beta who listens intently as the omega redraws scenery and characters that Miles coffee had spilled.  
“So that brings us to today.” Iri tells the woman as she switches to a sharper pencil so her lines become clearer. “And to be honest I keep telling myself that I don’t need an alpha, but…” She trails off and turns back to the paper drawing a few sketches of a marshy area.  
“You know I’m not a psychologist, but what it sounds like you have a minor bit of cognitive dissonance mixed with a need to be loved as well as independent.”  
“And what is that Dr. Ash?”  
“Cognitive dissonance is basically fighting yourself on what you believe, feel, or act. So like when you and Gav were nearly fucking in the back of Geoff’s car your brain was clearly more than happy to have fun with the man because you were the one who initiated it; but when Geoff forced you to scent this morning your mind told you to run. You are so convinced that living as an orphan would be easier than loving someone and having them taken away.” Ash explains with a fair amount of confidence. “I read a lot of stuff on the internet.”  
“I can tell.” Iri mutters with raised eyebrows at her friends sudden diagnosis. “However I’d say you're right though… It’s easier to never fall in love than to have the one you love ripped away from you.”  
“That’s deep Skye.” Ray’s quiet tone interjects as the man appears in the doorway. “Can we talk?”  
“Nope.” Iri mumbles and without looking up she continues focusing on her nearly full page.  
“Really? Are you seriously not going to even look at me?”  
“Ray what do you want from me?”  
“I want you to look up at me and listen to what I have to say.”  
“... Just go away Ray, just leave me alone.” Iri mutters after a few minutes of silence and Ash watches them quizzically. The man clearly disheartened relents and leaves the doorway.  
“That could have went better.”  
“Shut up Ash… I gotta go.”  
“You want a walk out to your car?”  
“No I’m not going home just yet I’m going to try and finish these up for tomorrow, otherwise Miles might have an aneurysm.” Iri tells her as she grabs her art supplies and exits the room leaving Ash who was packing up to go home. “Have a nice night.”  
“You too.”

Midnight 

She had been drawing so long that her hand cramps had long become a dull ache in the back of her brain leaving both her, and the fox who was providing interesting conversations a little sleepy.  
‘So if I’m here and you are there, where’s he?’  
“Lexi who is he?”  
‘That’s part of the fun, here I’ll show you.’ Lexi tells her, and at first Iri feels an uncomfortable tugging at her head.  
“Lexi stop it that hurts.”  
‘I almost… Got it!’ Lexi nearly shouts inside her mind as a wispy fox appears in a pocket-sized version on her shoulder. “Look I’m flying!” Lexi says with a gigantic smile as she jumps off Iri’s shoulder, and into the air where she floats along gently.  
“Wow… Where’d you learn that from?” Iri asks and the fox shrugs while turning to look around the large room. She lands on her mortal body’s desk, and sits beside the pile of drawings. “Fine don’t tell me, but you look awfully adorable like that.”  
“If I tell you, you’ll just get mad.”  
“Na, unless a serial killer taught you then I’m sure it’s fine.”  
“It was Lance.”  
“Who’s Lance?”  
“Lance is Gavin’s wolf, a quiet creature. He says he plans to present himself once he’s sure Gavin isn’t going to freak out… Turns out he’s a dream walker with the ability to sense and also influence emotions, and he says you are one of the most interesting to walk with. Lance and I have walked into some of your landscapes, truly beautiful and terrifyingly dark at the same time.” Lexi compliments as Iri’s face lights up with recognition.  
“He’s the one in my paintings!”  
“Yeah, he often enjoys watching you paint him… a vain puppy he is.”  
“Well anyone with the name Lance ought to be.” Iri comments with a smirk as the fox curls up on top of a pile of sketches. She lets out a yawn as does her counterpart. “We should go home.”  
“Hmm let’s just stay here for the night, I don’t fancy going out into that parking lot.” Lexi says and Iri agrees, offering her hand to the fox who crawls into it they make their way to the dark achievement hunter office. Ryan’s couch was still in there, and it really was a nice couch. Seeing as no one was in there it was highly unlikely that they would mind if she borrowed it for a few hours. She slips off her shoes and cardigan, grabbing a pillow and a blanket that bore their logo Iri lies down on the couch. Taking a deep breath she smiles at how it smells of Ray’s roses, and Gavin’s grassy scent. “I’ll wake you before they get here.”  
“Mmk.” 

Next Morning

Jack arrives early just about every morning and this morning was no different. With coffee in hand he opens the door only to be met with the sound of soft snoring and even a tiny little yips. Curiosity getting the best of him he leaves off the lights, and looks around the room to find a sleeping form on the couch. It was slimmer than Gavin, yet smaller than Jeremy, and it smelled faintly of burning evergreens in winter. Upon getting closer he also gets the smell of omega and that’s when it finally hit him that this was Iri the one who kept refusing Geoff and Ryan’s offers. The beta just frowns at this, remembering how frustrated the others had been when Ray brought up the topic with a mere how is she. Though something in him couldn't bring him to wake the woman who seemed to be having a pleasant dream from the way her tail wagged playfully. So with a sigh he just turns on his computer and begins editing something. 

About an Hour later

Jack takes off his headphones as his nose is met with the stench of fear, turning the light smoky scent into a thick cloud of smoke that was damn near suffocating. Shifting in his chair he can also hear the fearful whimpers, and it’s at that point he stands up. Walking over to the couch he begins shaking the nearly crying woman awake who when she does hit consciousness growls at him with her teeth bared in defense.  
“Sorry to wake you, but you were having a nightmare.” Jack tells the woman who blinks several times trying to understand where she was. When the realization finally dawns on her she nods bashfully as her tail un-puffs and lies flatly on the couch. “Are you alright?”  
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Iri lies as she stands up, folds the blanket, and grabs her shoes.  
“Hey, you don’t have to leave if you don’t want to… I’m just waiting for a video to render, but the Xbox over there is on if you want to play a game or two with me.” Jack offers the hesitant fox who nods slowly as he grabs Geoff’s chair, pulling it over to his desk where the pair take turns playing mortal kombat X. It is about forty-five minutes in when the rest of the group arrive to find Iri’s hips shifting as she switched feet and furiously tapping buttons.  
“Take that you fucking Popsicle!”  
“Damn, you're cold for a guy using fire.”  
“FATALITY!” Iri shouts while jumping in excitement as her character brutally burns the man’s heart out and then she does a victory dance. Geoff can’t help but smirk as he watches the fox try to moon walk.... emphasis on try. “Consider yourself freezer burned Jack.”  
“He’s gonna need some ice for that burn.” Ray says and at this Iri freezes with a look of embarrassment.  
“Uhhhh, yeah. Jack it’s been great, and thanks for the wake up call. Gotta go.” Iri mutters while handing Geoff his controller and nearly dashing out of the room.  
“She’s a bit skittish this morning.” Gavin comments as he sits on the couch putting his feet up.  
“Eh, she wasn’t too bad after I woke her up this morning… Kid was having a hell of a nightmare earlier, said something about watching her parents die.” Jack tells the gent who just nods.  
“You know I had a dream about her last night.” Gavin adds quietly as he rubs his chin in thinking.  
“Oh yeah Boi?” Michael says with raised eyebrows.  
“Ew.. No not one of those kind of dreams, rather it was… well now that I think of it, I was watching her cry in the backseat of a car…”  
“Morbid, Boi.” Michael replies as he watches Gavin sort of space off on the couch.  
“Yeah it really was Michael, it really was.”  
“Anyways, on a brighter note got some awesome footage of us playing mortal kombat… even got the dance at the end.” Jack tells them and they just smile.  
“Put it up Jack.” Geoff says with a devilish smirk and the man hits upload not bothering to really edit the fifteen minute clip of their game play. ‘Artist vs. Achievement Hunter.’

Noon

“Hey Miles!” Iri says in relatively high regards as she trots over to the laughing man who just smiles even wider when he sees her. “What?”  
‘Consider yourself freezer burned Jack.’ Iri hears come from the man’s laughing loudly at his desk, her face turning red she looks over his shoulder to see her horrific dance, and then the screen fades to a if you liked this video.  
“Oh god that was great… Iri that dance though, that was fantastic.” He says to the mortified woman who is slowly going from happy to angry. “Hey no need to.”  
“Shut up Miles.” Iri said she had the perfect way to get back at the man.  
“...”  
“Do you have anything that needs to be done?”  
“Uh, not really… As long as I don’t spill anymore liquids then you are good.” Miles tells her and she nods briskly and takes off in the direction of the AH office.  
“LLLLEEETT’S PAUSE!” Geoff says as the crew takes a break for lunch, and it isn’t until he feels Todd wake up that he realizes that Iri is at the door. The woman’s eyes narrowed in anger as she stares down the man.  
‘She’s mad.’  
‘Thanks Todd wouldn’t have guessed that at all.’ Geoff replies sarcastically as the fox just goes back down to hide from the impending rage. The rest of the room is silent as the woman marches over to Geoff and pulls him down in for a forceful kiss. Gasps of surprise, and Geoff just accepts it, until he feels her pull back.  
“What was that…” Geoff starts, but is cut off by a hard slap to the face. “Ow!”  
“Do that again and I’ll beat you to a pulp asshole.” Iri warns as she turns on her heel and exits the room with her tail held high in victory.  
“Boss man just got told!” Ray shouts and the room bursts into a fit of laughter. Geoff however only narrows his eyes and leaves the room in search of the fox.  
‘Geoffrey don’t do it.’ Todd warns him, and attempts to take over.  
‘That bitch is mine.’ Geoff thinks back, pushing Todd down completely. He finds the woman leaning over her desk looking for something. She doesn't even hear him as he stands behind her and grabs her tail roughly.  
“Hey!” Iri growls as her attacker drags her into his arms and she smells the familiar rush of alcoholic scent only signaling one man, Geoff. “Let go you dick.”  
“No.” Geoff says simply as he drags her into one of the unused offices, and shuts the door behind him. He pushes her up against the desk, and with no remorse whatsoever Geoff spanks the woman’s ass.  
“What the hell? Geoff stop!” Iri shouts horrified by the man’s painful slaps. He however doesn't listen to her as he continues laying sharp hits on her butt. It isn't until she starts panting with tears in her eyes that he stops.  
“Are you sorry?”  
“No.” Iri huffs out as she gains her composure to find that Michael and Gavin have slipped into the room most likely drawn by her noises.  
“Fine.” Geoff says with a shrug as he continues laying slaps down on her backside, and his omegas jump at the harshness of the sounds.  
“Geoff stop.” Michael says after watching him lay dozens of hits down and the woman refused to break. “Geoff you are going to hurt her.”  
“Michael that’s the point… Maybe next time if she has a problem she’ll tell me, not slap me.”  
“Fuck… Fuck you.” Iri mumbles as fat tears slip down her eyes, and she can feel slick beginning to form even as she wills it to stop. Geoff smiles at the smell of arousal and works his hand down to her thighs.  
“Well if you insist.” Geoff whispers into her ear while spreading her legs further, and pushing her underwear to the side. “I’m glad you wore a skirt today.” The man says with a quiet laugh as he rubs a finger the length of her dripping pussy. She makes a long keeling sound as he slips to fingers in and starts to pump in and out at a snail’s pace. The other two just lick their lips as Geoff pulls his fingers out, and seeing this he offers the wet digits to Gavin who takes them and sucks the slick from them. “Did you know Gavin has a very talented tongue?” He asks the woman who lies open and panting on the desk with her eyes wide in lust. Geoff smiles darkly as she watches Gav swirl his tongue over the gent’s flesh. “Yeah he gives real good oral, would you like to see?”  
“No… No I’m good.” Iri mutters while trying to wrench herself only to feel Geoff hold her down, and lift her up onto the desk. He forces her legs open wide, and gestures for Gavin to come here.  
“Be a good boy for me Gav and finish her off… She isn’t too far away.” Geoff tells the man who kneels at the desk side and doesn’t hesitate to start lapping at her.  
“Shit! Gav… Gav oh god!” Iri pants as he licks at her clit while pushing in a couple of his fingers with a smile. “Gav please… Oh please.”  
“Gav stop for a minute. Are you sorry?” Geoff asks as his omega reluctantly stops his ministrations completely causing the woman to groan in frustration.  
“Not in the least bit.” Iri growls as she tries to move her hips, but Geoff keeps them still.  
“Well that’s too bad because I guess you don’t want Gavin’s pretty little mouth here to finish you off… Oh well come on boys let’s go get lunch.” Geoff says as Gavin stands up, but Iri uses her mind to lock the door. As she stands up on shaky legs with a determined smile.  
“Gavin finish.” Iri orders forcefully in his mind and the omega nods while going back to what he was doing. “Good boy Gavin, such a good boy.” Iri praises as the man brings her to a fast climax causing her legs to give out and she falls to the ground in pleasure.  
“I didn’t think you would do that.” Geoff tells the woman who is panting heavily, riding out the pleasure of her orgasm.  
“I’m a real… firecracker.” She huffs as she notices the bulge in Gavin’s jeans. “Come here Champ.” Iri murmurs as she leans down and unzips the man’s jeans who was still hazy from lust. Geoff watches with raised eyebrows as she leans over the man and quickly brings him to a climax with her mouth. The sound of Gavin whimpering nearly drives Geoff to taking the woman who swallows the mess with a smile and then gives the dazed omega a deep kiss. “Good boy Gav.”  
“Not… to bad yourself Love.” The Brit pants out as she pulls his jeans back up while nuzzling the other’s chest. “You should slap Geoff more often.”  
“Mmhmm… as long as I get to kiss you, handsome.” Iri mumbles with a sleepy tone as she continues nuzzling Gavin’s chest gently. She loved kissing him, and even when she was younger she’d always had a crush on the young Brit… perhaps it was the way he always seemed to be smiling or maybe it was the way the light caught his eyes causing them to sparkle in a warm radiant light. And it was at this moment that Iri thought maybe, just maybe being in a pack wouldn’t be so terrible… maybe she could make it work…  
‘Or maybe we shouldn’t, maybe we should just leave here, and go on to Burnie’s to find Kody’s journals… Maybe it wouldn’t be best if we didn’t become attached.’ Lexi says hesitantly as Iri takes a deep breath of Gavin's soothing scent before getting up. She pulls away from the man who had wrapped his arms around her tightly.  
“What’s wrong? Does your bottom hurt from Geoff’s heavy hand?” Gavin inquires as the woman kisses him chastely on the cheek.  
“Hey that’s what happens to naughty boys and girls.” Geoff quips leaving little room for argument.  
“No not really, Joel hits harder than that cream puff… I just have to go, it was interesting Gavin as always.” Iri teases while unlocking the switch and winking. “Try not to make this something that it’s not boys.”  
“Wait what? Was that a riddle?” Michael asks after the woman, but the other doesn’t stop as she just walks away.  
“What a strange woman.” Gavin mumbles as he stands up and brushes himself off. “Well I think it’s time we get lunch, don’t you think?”  
“Sure Gav… Michael can choose.”

Burnie’s/ Joel’s house

It took Iri a short time to get to her father’s house and even less time to unlock the house, having telekinesis really saves time. So after slipping in she heads upstairs to the attic where Burnie kept all of her father’s old files, and research journals. She wasn’t really sure why they were important rather she just knew that they would tell her something. Upon reaching the attic she notices how only a film of dust is on several boxes of files, books, and photos. Checking her watch she catches the time at about 2:30 pm, not wanting to chance it she starts hauling box after box outside to her car. Hauling the large boxes out takes no time at all with the help of Lexi who employs their powers to assist with the lifting of the heavier boxes. When Iri is done she makes sure to clean up any dust trails she may have left, and then locks the door on her way out. Getting in her car she tries to think of the best place to sift through this information given that she has no real knowledge of genetics perhaps going to the library might be the best option. With destination in mind and her materials gathered she heads over to the nearest library, hoping to finally gain some sort of answers about what it means to be an Apex Predator.

Library  
7 pm

It had been about five straight hours of digging through journals, and trying to make sense of her father’s haphazardly written writings that has made even Lexi’s tail flick with frustration. The pair was tucked far away in the very back of the library where no one would bother them, and Lexi was free to come out to help with the massive amounts of reading.  
“Skye, what is the difference between chromosomal therapy, and genetic alteration?”  
“I have no fucking idea… Do you want to call it a night, and go home?” Iri asks the wispy fox who nods her head quickly.  
“I’m sorry we didn’t find anything truly helpful. Hopefully soon we will though.” Lexi says optimistically as Iri gathers up the multiple journals she had brought in with her hoping to at least figure out a few of their meanings. So far all she gathered was that the Apex gene was developed in the first trimester along with the set of bones the predator will have. Thinner sleeker bones are for those of smaller felines and canine predators like: wolves, small leopards, foxes. While thicker heavier bones were for bears and large cats such as: lions, panthers, larger leopards, and cougars. Another thing they had come across was a detailed outline of an experiment the lab was running on how resilient the gene itself was. She had read through the files and it sounded as though these people were being experimented on. Like it was some really strange things such as how long could one go without some form of contact before they went crazy. Or another was if they forced one to stay in animal stage for long periods of time would their human half eventually forget how to be human. The results of the last one had been inconclusive as wolf had escaped from the facility, and they never found him again. It was unsettling to know that her father had been apart of this testing as an Apex himself, but from what his journals said it was that he opposed the lab at nearly every turn. And it hinted at how he left the wolf’s cell door unlocked one evening. After reading this she couldn’t help but be proud of her father, and it restored a little faith of hers back into humanity. The drive home flies by as she parks her car, and grabs one of the lighter boxes filled with a few case files as well as some pictures. Ascending the stairs she places the box at the base of the door to find her key, only to have the door swing open wide with Ramsey smiling in the doorway. Michael, Ray, and Gavin were all playing on the large TV, Ryan was watching them with a smile. Picking up her box she turns right around and starts back down the stairs only to hear Geoff sigh heavily.  
“Well hello to you too.”  
“Mr. Ramsey I don’t have nearly enough time for this today. I have something I need to do.” Iri tells the man with a serious tone as she walks down a flight of stairs with the man hot on her heels.  
“Now just wait a second, aren’t you going to at least come inside? Maybe even have some tacos I made, or…”  
“Are you deaf? Did you not just hear me say that I have stuff to do?”  
“Yeah I heard you loud and clear, but you look absolutely drained. At least come in and take a shower.” Geoff offers as he takes the box gently from the hesitant woman.  
“Fine, but just put that down in my room please. I have a few more to carry in.” Iri says as she heads back down the stairs to grab the rest of the boxes. Geoff nods and then heads back up the stairs with the box a curious thought in his mind.  
‘Geoffrey if you open that box she may very well kill you.’  
‘Todd we’ve been shot at in Kuwait, I’m pretty sure we’ll be okay… Plus we heal fast so no need to worry.’  
‘Geoff I’m putting my foot down on this one, it is wrong to snoop through her personal belongings.’ Todd says very strictly and Geoff relents but only mildly.  
‘Fine, but I am at least going to open the flaps and see what it contains.’  
‘Why couldn’t I’ve been stuck with Gavin? At least he’s polite.’ Todd curses as they enter the threshold with said box.  
“Michael where’s her bedroom?” Geoff asks and the lad just points toward the far end of the hall.  
“Her’s is the one with the shut door, and purple walls.” Michael answers briskly as he focuses on beating the level. Geoff nods while walking toward the aforementioned room, once there he immediately notices only one room with a closed door. Pulling it open he sees the lilac walls, and a darker bedspread. Her room itself was simple a bed, her laptop sitting on a nightstand table, and a closet full of clothes. On the bed sat her pokemon stuffed animal as well as large AH hoodie that reeked of Michael next to the pillow. Smirking he sets the box down gently and lifts a flap. What he sees shocks him in the least. This box contained dozen of leather bound journals all marked with Kody Burns messy writing style, and it also contained photographs. The first one that catches his eye is of a man well most of a man. The man however appeared to be only half shifted leaving his top half human while his bottom was that of a lion. He only knew this because of the way his tail was shown. The eyes of the man had been torn out, and his mouth was slack, blood and his entrails covered the table. It isn’t until Todd’s horrified voice interjects into his mind that he finds himself pulled from the heinous imagery.  
‘Geoff what is that?’  
‘Research done by a deranged man… Todd how did she get these?’  
‘She’s been at the library all night with Lexi…. wait…. they stopped at Burnie’s house first.’ Todd tells him as he places the photo back into the box.  
“I told Burnie to get rid of these… I knew she would find them.”  
‘What should we do?’  
“It’s too late to stop her she has seen some of the truth, let her know what becomes of our kind when they remain alone… The truth may be the only thing that she will listen to.” Geoff says with despair as he turns from the box of gruesome photos to find her just now coming in the apartment balancing two large boxes precariously on each other. Taking one from her with a warm smile he follows her back into the bedroom. After placing them down on her bed with the other he looks to the woman who was grabbing the hoodie by her pillow, and a pair of shorts that were wrapped in it. “So are we not going to talk about what happened today?”  
“Nope…. I told you not to make that something into it wasn’t, call it a lapse in judgement or have wet dreams about it later I really don’t care… just don’t try to make anything of it.” She tells him very quickly as she disappears into the bathroom adjoining her and Michael’s rooms. Iri remembered how awkward it had been at first accidentally walking in on the peeing omega or when he accidentally saw her naked after a shower. Very quickly they got used to each other, and learned how to knock. She could hear Geoff’s footsteps linger just outside the door before he left, leaving Iri alone with her thoughts which consisted mostly of genetic mumbo-jumbo. Part of her hoped that maybe she was looking for something that wasn’t there, and maybe her father hadn’t really found anything else about their kind…. But part of her knew that was a pipe dream, so washing her body slowly, careful of her tender ass, and she could still feel the way Gavin’s tongue slid up and down her lips and then ever so slowly caressed her clit. Reaching a hand down she plays with herself, and she cums much quicker than her pride would like her to admit. Hearing the pipes start to groan she hurries through the rest of her shower scrubbing her tail vigorously to get out the dried slick. Once clean and smelling faintly of coconut she dresses, puts her hair up into a ponytail, and dries off her tail till it’s fluffy. Her stress seemingly dissolved she makes her way to the living room where Gavin’s squawk is coming from, also Ray’s quiet one liners followed by Michael’s raucous laughter. Peeking her head around the corner she finds Geoff’s character sticking a grenade to Gavin’s, and causing the man to explode into bits.  
“Bloody hell Geoff!” Gavin squawks with indignation as he passes the controller to Ray, who takes revenge on the gent by stabbing him quickly in the face.  
“Dude you should have known a Puerto Rican is most dangerous with a knife.” Ray teases as he continues killing the gent for several more minutes, racking up points that the other lost.  
“Damn Ray at least give him a chance.”  
“No pity for the weak, that’s how Team Stray plays.” Iri interjects breaking up the sausage fest with her light tone. Eyes turn to the omega who lingers by the corner of the room.  
“Damn right Iri, that’s how we play!” Ray says with a smile glad to have his friend back as she comes over and leans over the back of the couch. “You hanging with us?”  
“I could chill for a little bit, but I’m going to eat first.” Iri tells them as she heads to the kitchen where Ryan was opening another beer, he offers her one but she declines. “As much as I love to get gang-raped I think I’ll pass.”  
“Wow I’m not sure if I should be offended or glad that you would even consider the possibility.”  
“Don’t flatter yourself Balto, I’m just here for the tacos Geoff promised.” Iri mumbles as she makes herself a plate, and grabs a ginger-ale. Heading back into the room and sitting down on the floor by the recliner Geoff was sitting in. Taking a few bites of the food she watches how her tail flicks happily drawing the gent’s attention. However the real surprise comes when Geoff begins scratching behind her ears gently causing the woman to chitter happily and push up into the touch. Allowing herself to be petted she continues to eat her dinner, and leans her head against the side of the chair as Geoff works his fingers down to her neckline. Once she finishes and sets her plate aside she stays in the spot, watching the others play lazily. It isn’t until the older man stops suddenly that she catches herself looking up to the man with hazy eyes, and the other gestures for her to come up to his lap. At this Iri blinks herself back into awareness and stands up, taking her plate to the sink, and then going to her bedroom locking the door behind her. Locking the door was more of stopping herself from the temptation of going back out there.  
“I am not a pack animal. I am an individual, a lone fox, and a predator who requires nothing from a pack… I am alone.” Iri tells herself as she heads over to the box. “I don’t need them and they don’t need me.” Opening the first one her eyes fall on the loose photographs just carelessly tossed into their cardboard container, and the sheer number of them surprises her. Lifting one out of the box she is drawn in by the amount of fear in the small cat’s eyes. Putting that aside she picks up another and another until she discovers one of a man half transformed and his eyes are missing. Dropping the photo with a gasp she puts a hand over her mouth in horror. It was one thing to read about these horrendous acts, but it was a whole other to see the results of the experiments. Taking out one of the leather journals she hoped that it contained something more than gruesome imagery. The cover was engraved in her father’s messy writing, and the journal simply read, ‘Who am I? Volume one.’  
“Who is who?” Lexi asks as she manifests herself into the physical world.  
“I have no clue.” Iri tells the fox as she undoes the latch holding the book shut. A letter slips out from underneath the yellowing title page, falling swiftly to the floor. Picking it up she opens it fully to find it addressed to her.  
Iridessa Skye Burns,  
In this book and the others you will find the truth as well as memories that haunt me to this day. If you are reading this by yourself than for that I am truly sorry, and if I have for some reason showed this to you than it means Erik has found me. Or there is a third option, your mother and I have been taken away by Erik. In any case you will find that these books detail the experiments I was forced to conduct, and even now as I write this letter with you playing just feet away I cannot tell you the remorse I feel for having to tell you this. I, Kody Martin Burns am not your biological father, and your mother Margaret Rose Fellington is also not your biological mother. However all this means is that I am not directly related to you by blood, but Sweetheart we love you more than life itself. I found you abandoned in a house a few blocks away from our apartment and even then I felt that you were meant to be ours. We tried to find your parents, but nothing ever came of it so after a year we legally adopted you. Sweetheart the love we feel for you is real even if the bloodline isn’t, and there is one gene that brings us together much closer than blood ever truly could. We are Apex predators, evolutionary deviants, and superior to regular humans in some ways. I am a gray wolf, your mother is an arctic fox, and you are a pure-blood red fox; I imagine that one day you will present fully with a tail and ears while we only have tails. As for the gifts that accompany it, I can only wonder at. I am graced with being able to withstand the elements, Margaret herself is capable of illusions of the mind. So with this in mind please try not to hate us for withholding the truth, it would only hurt you more than any physical pain would. Always remember we love you.  
With the greatest amount of Affection,  
Kody Martin Burns and Margaret Rose Burns

She isn’t quite sure what to say after reading the letter… Her mind draws a blank at the sudden information. Iri was truly as alone as her father had, well adoptive father said. Lexi who stands on her shoulder just nuzzles her neck in comfort.  
“I am not going anywhere Iridessa.” Lexi assures her and soon a knock is heard on her door.  
“Iri? Iri are you okay? Todd says he felt something shift.” Geoff’s voice asks worriedly from outside the room.  
“I’m fine Geoff, just go… just go away.” Iri says stumbling over the words slightly. She wasn’t okay, god that was the biggest lie she’d ever told herself, she wasn’t even sure what okay was anymore. Setting the letter down, she turns to the book only to come face to face with a graphic image of a man being eviscerated by a panther. The panther’s eyes were what scared her the most, the lack of remorse and the pleasure in them was utterly terrifying. It was like he enjoyed having his muzzle coated in blood. Suddenly she felt a wave of nausea hit her, and racing to the bathroom she didn’t care that Ryan was pissing. Pushing the door open she was met with an angry growl, but it doesn’t even register as she grabs the bathroom trash can and pukes. Making a horrible wrenching sound she feels all the food from earlier come up, and the taste is awful. The flush of the toilet causes her to look up to see Ryan where a look of concern.  
“Sorry… I didn’t want to puke all over the floor.” Iri mutters in between retching.  
“No it’s alright, are you okay?” Ryan says with concern as he rubs the woman’s back soothingly.  
“Not really…. Ry, what do you do when you find out your entire life is a lie?”  
“Loaded question much… But I suppose you try and make it true.”  
“How? How do I make this true?” Iri stutters while putting the trashcan down, and drawing her knees up to her chest.  
“Well… well you could stop lying to yourself?” Ryan suggests not really sure what the frazzled woman means. “Or you could… I’m sorry, but I don’t really know what to tell you.”  
“Just go.. Get out!” Iri snaps suddenly glaring at the floundering Alpha.  
“Wait.” Ryan starts, but Iri just forces the man out with a glare sending him flying out of the room slamming the door behind him and then throwing him onto Michael’s bed with a loud oomph. Once he’s gone she bites her lip angrily and standing up she walks back into her room.  
“Hmm what a powerful young predator.” A sickly sweet voice says as she looks up to find the panther from the photos cold eyes staring back at her. “It seems we meet again.”  
“Who are you?” Iri asks as her anger turns to apprehension.  
“I’m Erik Ristau, colleague of your father.” Erik answers with a smile that could curl milk.  
“Get out.”  
“Now where would be the fun in that? Tell me Omega what’s your name?” He asks as he walks around her in a predatory circle.  
“If you are Erik than you already know, and what makes you think I would tell you anyways?”  
“Oh that’s quite the fire you have, just like your dearest dad… To bad it wasn’t enough to save him from his fate.”  
“What do you want?” Iri asks as the man places his hands on her shoulders and starts tracing the outline of her neck.  
“I want to know your name, and that’s all.”  
“You are lying.” Lexi pipes up as she bites the man’s wandering fingers.  
“What is this?” He inquires while grabbing at her, but Lexi manages to dodge the man. “Aren’t you curious, now tell me what’s your name Fox?”  
‘Get Todd, Lexi get him now!’ Iri silently commands the fox who disappears in a puff of smoke, and thinking quickly she dashes for the door. However the man takes this as a challenge and beats her to it, he grabs her waist roughly dragging her away from it.  
“Let go! Geoff! Ryan! Someone help!” She shouts as the man keeps hauling her towards an open window. “Please!” She screams and it isn’t seconds later the door flies open with a wolf growling viciously. “Lance help!” Iri pleads knowingly as the wolf tackles the man with his teeth bared. Shifting into a panther the man body slams the wolf into a wall. Picking up the nearest object she hurls it at the panther drawing it’s attention away from the dazed canine. The panther wastes no time in tackling Iri to the ground before she can shift, and right as it was about to bite her a crack of lightning strikes the cat.  
“Fuck off Asshole!” Michael growls as he huffs in the doorway. Seeing this as her opportunity she forces the panther off her with a shout. Focusing as much as she can Iri tries to pin the man down, but before she can he shifts back and jumps out the open window. “Agile Fucker. Gav you alright?”  
“I’m top my boi, a little wobbly but on my feet nonetheless.” Gavin replies as he shakes his brown fur out. “Iri what about you?”  
“I.. I’m bleeding a little where he sunk his claws in. Good timing Jones.”  
“Well you know what they say about Jersey men, always on time.”  
“Uh I’m pretty sure no one says that about you.”  
“Yeah keep berating the guy who saved you.” Michael says and Iri just nods.  
“Thanks, where is Geoff?” Iri asks while Gavin trots over with his tongue lolling out. She begins to pet the large wolf who sighs in pleasure as Iri continues petting the man.  
“I don’t understand how you guys don’t just stay like this all the time… Pats are fantastic.” Gavin murmurs through a haze of pleasure.  
“Eh Marcus is a fickle dude.”  
“Lexi doesn’t like touching most of the time.”  
“Lance bloody loves this.” Gavin tells them as Iri starts scratching his belly causing his hind leg to kick.  
“That’s fucking adorable.” Michael mutters as Geoff finally enters the room with a concerned look.  
“What happened, and who’s the wolf?”  
“It’s me you twit, I heard her screaming and then Lance freaked out… Geoff there was a panther.”  
“A panther?”  
“Geoff it was Erik Ristau, and I don’t understand how he found me, or how he knows my ‘fake’ dad or really anything… Other than I am really just an orphan who Burnie’s brother and young wife took in. Geoff who am I?” Iri tells the gent who only sets his jaw and gestures to the boxes.  
“How much do you know?” Geoff asks and walks over to the group who is now petting Gavin. Gavin was in heaven with all the touching, and perhaps he was just a bit too excited.  
“Gav put your lipstick away.” Michael teases and the hound just rolls his eyes.  
“Sorry.”  
“Guys you want to give us a minute?”  
“No, I think they should hear this too.” Iri says and the Gent just sighs.  
“We already know, we’ve known for a long time.” Michael’s tone says turning darker, hinting at some sort of tragedy.  
“You were the only one who didn’t… Do you think we just decided that one day we would befriend the next person to walk through our office door? Were you that ignorant to believe that it was fate that led you to becoming friends with us?” Marcus voices as he appears on Michael’s shoulder with a scowl. “Don’t be stupid, why would we befriend some reclusive, bitchy artist?”  
“That’s enough Marcus.” Todd’s strict tone interjects before the bobcat disappears with a huff.  
“Christ Boi is he always like that?”  
“No, he’s just mad that we didn’t get here sooner… Iri he really is a nice guy, a little over protective but not really mean.” Michael explains as he and Gavin leave the room leaving Geoff to tell her the truth.  
“Erik is the reason you five won’t leave me alone, isn’t it?” Iri asks and the man just nods.  
“I promised your father that I would take care of you, and I did a shitty job of it for the last nine years… I never realized how bad it really messed you up.” Geoff says as the woman just rolls her eyes with a humph.  
“Silly me it was just my parents, but then again they weren’t really my parents so what does it matter right? I have been orphaned not once, not twice, but really three times… God no wonder Marcus called me ignorant, he’s right.” Iri growls quietly as her sadness turns to rage fueled by distrust. In reality being a fox suited her perfectly, an animal known for it’s distrust of others.  
“Iri you are looking at this all wrong.”  
“Oh really Geoff? Tell me what is the possible upside of this? My real parents didn’t want me, my fake parents died, and I have secluded myself so thoroughly that the only time I allow someone to get close to me is through unintentional, and purely Omegan instincts! I’m just a person capable of destruction, with no true ability to care!” She yells at the man with shaking hands, and Geoff goes to reach out for her but his hand is forced back by an unseen force. “Don’t touch me! I don’t need you! I don’t need them! I don’t need him! I don’t need anyone!” Iri screams and it is at this moment her vision blacks out, dropping to the ground like a rock. Geoff picks her up gently as the boys come back into the room.  
“Geoff why is she so mad?” Gavin asks having shifted back, but still rubbing his head against Michael’s shoulder sleepily.  
“Because her life has been unnecessarily cruel, and this was the final straw.” Lance answers while appearing beside Gavin in a wispy form of himself. “I will bring her peaceful dreams, but her anger burns much too deep for me to extinguish.”  
“Can they all do that?” Gavin inquires with a curious smile as the wolf nods swiftly. “Geoff my body hurts, and my eyes are acting funny.”  
“Gav that’s what part of me you got, right now your body is changing your optical nerve so that you will have the night vision of a wolf.” Lance tells him and then fades into the night.  
“He’s very knowledgeable.”  
“Yeah, come on guy’s we have to get out of here before Erik decides to come back for round two.” Geoff tells them and the others nod quickly. “Text Ryan and tell him she’s coming to stay with him. I want to get the guest room ready before she stays with us, her heat is coming up soon.”  
“How can you tell?”  
“Lexi keeps nipping at Todd’s tail and he smells it on her. It’s a lot more potent in the mind than in person.” Geoff tells them as he lays her on the couch, and then goes to her bedroom to pack a bag full of clothes. Part of him felt wrong for looking through her underwear drawer, but it excited him just a little to know that she had so many different styles and colors. However, he grabs the most comfiest looking ones and then some bras, next several shirts and christ how many skirts did one girl have?  
‘Geoff her toothbrush, and hairbrush.’ Todd suggests helpfully as the gent nods moving to the bathroom to grab them. Placing them in the main pocket he goes back to the living room to find the girl still passed out on the couch with her head resting on Gavin’s lap. He was running his fingers through her hair while humming quietly.  
“Gav what is that?” Michael asks as he perches on the armrest as a feline.  
“Just a melody my mother would hum when I was sick… I figured at the very least it might soothe her, Lance says her dreams are painful.” Gavin says with a sad smile. “Lancelot can’t hold the nightmares at bay forever.”  
“Dude you make it sound like the end of the world, they’re just bad dreams.”  
“Lance says these are part of the reason Erik can find her so easily, or at least someone can… He suspects another dream walker, someone who needs to find her.”  
“That wouldn’t surprise me, Erik knows many people with unique talents.” Geoff says with a tone that draws the conversation to an end. It was the tone that killed every question the other two had. “Come on it’s time to get out of here.” Geoff tells them as he hauls the woman up, and Gavin grabs the bag with Michael on their heels. It takes less than a half an hour to get to Ryan’s house, and upon reaching the drive way they see Ray’s flames lighting the short walkway up to the house. He stands on the porch with a sheepish smile.  
“Ry, told me about the fight… Congrats about the powers man, I knew you had it in you.”  
“Thanks Ray.. And we just came to drop her off till Geoff can get the guest room ready. She’s going into heat.” Gavin says with an excited smile. “She’s going to smell enticing.”  
“I bet this’ll be the time she accepts our invitation… Or maybe she’ll wake up and change her mind.” Michael adds with a hopeful smile as he rubs at the Brit's legs until he leans over and picks up the cat.  
“I doubt she’ll be as compliant as you think she will be.” Geoff tells the pair who just glare at him.  
“Geoff an unmated Omega will not be able to resist you in heat… Even we know that.” Michael responds and the Alpha just sighs.  
“We need to go home and get some sleep, here’s her bag, and just make sure she’s safe. Goodnight Ryan and Ray, come on you two.” Geoff says with a tired tone after handing the sleeping girl over to Ryan.  
“So… He sounds different.” Ray says breaking the easy silence that fell between them, and Ryan nods in agreement.  
“Stress probably, been a long night Kitten… I’m going to take her to the bed, seeing as she’s already asleep. You coming?” Ryan asks and the man just shakes his head in no. He had something he wanted to do before tomorrow morning. The other nods and makes his way to the master bedroom, while the other headed towards the back door. Sliding it open silently he sits down on the edge of the oak taking a moment to catch his breath given the last few days.  
“At least she doesn’t hate you anymore.” Flynt whispers as he appears standing up and his tail flicking casually. “Sure she hates herself, but who doesn’t these days.”  
“How can you tell?”  
“It doesn’t take a genius to watch the way her body language changes so severally, she’s still fighting against her instincts… This heat will destroy her.”  
“You know I was just thinking the same thing, I doubt she’ll be here in a few hours.”  
“Ray do you think it’s hard being what she is? I know your parents were murdered, but I don’t know why… it just feels different. Like…”  
“I gained retribution that night thanks to you… I also lost my house, but a minor detail.” Ray adds nonchalantly as the night comes back into his mind. He found both his mother and father lying in puddle of blood with a mad man standing over them. This was when Flynt took over and burned everything in a righteous anger, he burned the man to a crisp, he burned Ray’s parents, lastly he torched the house. Ray still remembers waking up in the yard with scorch marks all over his arms, and a voice urging him to leave. From there it was history, he buried the past, and moved on with his life.  
“Do you think she’ll ever forgive herself for living?” Flynt asks and Ray just looks up to the moon for a few long minutes in thinking. It isn’t until the man sighs that Flynt knows his answer.  
“No… I really don’t think she will. Flynt, I’m glad you killed him.”  
“I am too Ray, I am too.” Flynt agrees as he curls up on Ray’s lap as the pair stairs up into the starry sky. “Let’s go to bed Ray, go cuddle with them, and perhaps convince her to stay.”  
“Psh, you know she won’t.”  
“A cat can dream can’t he?”  
“I suppose he could, but he can also be skinned alive for taking something that doesn’t belong to him.” A familiar voice says coldly drawing their attention to the sleek panther who stalks into the yard. “Little Ray it’s been much too long since you’ve been to the facility.”  
“And I intend to keep it that way. What do you want Erik?” Ray spits as he raises a wall of flames in front of the big cat stopping it in it’s tracks. Pacing the barrier of fire with a devil may care smirk he begins to chuckle darkly.  
“I always forget how feisty you are… Give me the girl, she’s mine.”  
“No she’s not, at least not in this century… I know you are a hard teach but this is the twenty-first one where Omegas belong to themselves.” Ray quips back as he raises the wall higher.  
“Hmm I suppose that is true, however her parents belonged to me so technically she’s mine.. I brought the paperwork if you would like to see.” Erik says as he shifts back and bears a deed in his hand.  
“And now you don’t, so get lost.” Ray growls as his flames burn the man’s paper with a snap of his fingers. The other curses fiercely as he tries to lurch over the flames that only grow higher burning the man’s hands.  
“This isn’t over Ray… This is far from over.” Erik mutters cryptically as he turns on heel and flees back into the forest. “She’s mine.”  
“Ray?” Flynt asks as he watches the man slip into his own mind. “Ray we escaped, we found Ryan, we found a pack, and we are wanted.” Flynt tells him, trying to drag the man from the horrors of Erik’s facility. “Ry won’t let him hurt us anymore.”  
“And I won’t let him hurt her, I won’t.” Ray swears as he storms back into the house with a purpose. He doesn’t waste time, he heads to his bedroom not the one he shared with Ryan. Pulling out a box locked in the top of the closet he picks up a small black leather choker, with a single sapphire in the middle of it. He syncs the tracker to his phone and sends the code to Geoff with a simple phrase. Just in case.  
‘Ray, she won’t wear that.’ Flynt whispers in his mind and the other just scoffs.  
“She will because I got it for her birthday next weekend.”  
“You got her a tracker?” Ryan asks with raised eyebrows as he watches his mate tap on his phone.  
“No, I got her a pretty necklace that so happens to double as a tracking device.”  
“Christ I’m starting to wear off on you.” Ryan mutters as he finds Ray smiling sheepishly. “You know it’s for the best.”  
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it… When did it become this? We used to be able to roam free without having to worry, but now with him prowling around we have to constantly remain vigilant.”  
“Ray you worry too much, and the man is outnumbered as long as she’s with us.” Ryan assures his frustrated mate who just nods as the other takes him into his arms. “Godric says Lexi is still skittish around him.”  
“Can you blame her? Ry you did try to claim them.”  
“He thought he was being romantic.”  
“Seriously? He has some bad ideas about romance, I’m glad you were the one who courted me not him… I’d probably be chained to a wall in a sex dungeon by now.”  
“Mmm he’d have you on a leash constantly with that pretty little ass of yours kept open 24/7 with a thick plug, a wanting little hole dripping with slick.” Ryan murmurs into his ear seductively and the smaller male just shudders.  
“I love you… All of you.”  
“Even the crazy parts?”  
“Especially the crazy parts, now where is our guest?”  
“Sleeping peacefully on the bed… You ready yet?” Ryan asks and the other just nods while rubbing his eyes sleepily under his glasses. “Come on Kitten.” He coos with a gently smile tugging the other into his arms, and making their way to the bedroom. Slipping down into the bed they notice how empty it is.  
“You said she was in here?” Ray asks and before the other can say anything a scream echoes through the house. Ryan racing towards the sound he finds Iri cornered by the panther from earlier.  
“Come with me sweet fox, come to me.” Erik’s tone soothes as he starts toward the terrified woman, who shakes her head vigorously. “Very well then, I will take you.”  
“Hey asshole get out of my house!” Ryan shouts drawing the attention of the man. “Godric tear him to shreds.” He says giving the wolf permission to take over. It was like flipping a switch as the canine entered the room with hackles raised and claws extended viciously. Iri watches as the dog tackles the cat with more force than she thought he had, and the cat itself buckles under the sudden attack. His teeth which once gleamed white were now stained red as blood coated them and chunks of flesh were spit onto the floor.  
“Leave before I get mad.” Godric’s fierce tone growls as the cat limps back out the window he came through. “Are you hurt?” The wolf asks turning to the shaken up omega, that was twice these people had to save her. “Good it would be a shame for such a pure creature like yourself to be spoiled.”  
“Alright Godric, waita be creepy.” Ray scolds and the wolf just smiles at this.  
“You love it.”  
“Ry come back he’s being weird.”  
“Fine, I’m going.” Godric huffs out as Ryan shifts back quickly with a shrug.  
“He’s scary as dicks.” Iri mutters and the others shrug.  
“Yeah but he’s a great fighter, and I doubt Erik will try anything again soon.” Ryan tells them as he disappears into the bathroom to brush his teeth. “Stick with us kid and you’ll be safe.”  
“Thanks.”  
“No need for thanks, I am X-Ray after all.”  
“..” Iri doesn’t say anything to this rather just shifting down into a fox and padding back to the bedroom. They watch in confusion as she slides underneath the bed with nothing but the tip of her tail sticking out. “Night.”  
“You know the bed is plenty big, no need to sleep under there.” Ryan says and the fox just pokes her head out quickly to say a few short words.  
“No thanks I feel safer under here.” This phrase tweaks the Alpha’s heart just a little bit, but Ray pulls him down into the bed.  
“See you in the morning Skye.”  
“Night you two.” Ryan whispers as he feels Ray snuggle into his chest with a content smile after a few moments of shifting. They all fall back down into sleep as the rest of the night slowly slips away and the sun inevitably rises. Getting ready quickly the group heads out to work, and stopping only to let Iri grab her car.


	9. Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heat.... need I say more?

End of the day

The day passes without any major catastrophes save for the normal Miles bullshit that involved some spastic spillage of coffee or some sort of liquid onto something designated as important. She really needed to start making the man put lids on his cups. However now was the time that Iri dreaded most, sure she knew that staying at her apartment was out of the question, but how necessary was Geoff practically babying her in front of the office? Which led to this current argument, the one in which Iri knew she was just being stupid yet still felt the subconscious need to yell at the Alpha... Her heat was coming and her emotions were so over whelming she found it easier to just sink into the only one she understood.... Anger  
“I can do that myself Geoff, I don’t need taking care of!” Iri growls in a sharp tone as the man grabs her purse and arm while hauling her out to the parking lot with Gavin, and Michael bringing up the rear quietly talking about dinner. “ Please let go.”  
“Iri please you are being.”  
“I told you to let go.”  
“No.” Geoff says causing the woman to dig her heels into the ground and push the man away.  
“I am not your pet, and I don’t care which one of my ‘fathers’ told you to take care of me. I don’t need it alright!” Iri yells and the Alpha just taps his foot expectantly, there were only so many temper tantrums he could take before his patience wore out completely.  
“Okay, fine, come on.”  
“Geoff maybe I should just go home tonight… I’m not going to bend to your will like you want me to, and I’m not sure how much more I can take.” Iri replies after a few moments of awkward silence of staring at the ground trying to calm down like Lexi kept telling her to. However this may be the very last straw as Geoff’s eyes narrow and he grabs her arm again, dragging her to the waiting car. Shoving her in and slamming the door shut behind her he has Todd force her to be still.  
“Michael drive her car home.” Geoff orders and the omega doesn’t even blink rather just taking the keys and starting up the vehicle. Getting in the car himself, he finds Gavin nuzzling her shoulder in an attempt to calm her, or at the very least distract her so the anger could dissipate. However Iri didn’t want his affection and pushes the Omega back forcefully causing him to cry out catching Geoff’s eyes in the mirror, and he can see the challenge in her proud gaze.  
‘Iri stop, you know he will win.’ Lexi warns her as Todd releases her completely. Geoff can hear the fox warn her human counterpart, but the one thought he hears makes his grip tighten around the wheel in anger... and this is where he snapped.  
‘Bring it on fucker.’ Iri thinks so loudly in rebellion at the man he that believes her to be shouting it.  
“Fine, you little bitch… You want to push and push and push… Fine I’ll fucking push back!” Geoff shouts as they pull up to the house, wrenching her out of the back seat, and dragging her into the house despite her resistance. From there it is a short walk up a flight of stairs to the bedroom where she finds herself tossed onto the bed. “I was going to be so nice about this… make some Alfredo, watch some Netflix, and then ease you into heat. But no, you want to be a complete ass about it, well fine I’ll be an ass too. On my lap.” Geoff orders as he sits on the bed beside her, the woman just stares at him defiantly so he grabs her wrist and forces her down. Pulling up her skirt, he rubs his hand over the sensitive flesh probably still tender from when he did this the other day. “I will stop when you answer this question. Why are you so afraid of a pack?”  
“I hate you.”  
“Well that sucks for you because I love you, and I am your Alpha unless you’d prefer Ryan.”  
“Go to hell.” Iri growls from over the man’s knees, so with a shrug he begins peppering her ass with sharp slaps. She rears up trying to dislodge the man’s tight grip only to find several fast swipes hit her much harder than the other ones.  
“Don’t move, or this will last longer.” Geoff warns with a strict tone and Iri falls silent on his lap as the next succession of hits falls on the irritated flesh. She groans as the hits begin to blur into just a mass of pain, and her mind is clouded by nothing else.  
‘Iri just answer him.’  
“No.” She mumbles bitterly into the comforter, it isn’t until tears begin to flow that Geoff stops and pulls her up to sit on his lap. The jean material dragging roughly against the inflamed flesh causing her to yelp.  
“Are you going to tell me why packs frighten you so much?”  
“I.. fuck off Geoff.” Iri snaps as her resolve remains intact causing the man to sigh, and drop her onto the bed. She nearly screams as the small drop puts force on her backside. Geoff however walks over to the closet and picks up a paddle.  
“On your knees.”  
“NO! Geoff no!” She cries openly as the Alpha approaches her with an expressionless mask, once he reaches the bed he flips her over so she was presenting perfectly. The first hit nearly makes her pass out, and it isn’t until the fifteenth that she feels her mind begin to fuzz over. It was like a fever dream, and she didn’t realize her mouth was moving until Lexi tried to force her to answer the question. Pushing the fox away the Alpha just sighs in frustration.  
“I will continue this until you answer me, do not test me on this.” Geoff says as he runs his hands over the abused flesh, now bruised, and speckled with drops of blood. “Come on Kit just tell me, and I’ll make the pain go away… I’ll be so good to you, and the boys will too.”  
“I can’t… I can’t Papa.” Iri says as a fresh wave of tears flow and Geoff sighs while running a hand gently down her spine, soothing the claw marks he saw there. “You won’t understand.”  
“No, not unless you tell me… can you tell Todd?” Geoff tries as he feels the fox itching to comfort the youngling lying in a pool of sweat and tears. Iri just shakes her head in no, and the man takes his place behind her with the paddle in hand. The first strike hurts her more than the earlier ones, and she can feel Lexi hiding deep down in her mind, trying to escape the pain.  
‘Please Iridessa, I am begging you.’ Lexi’s desperate tone begs as she starts to howl in pain with her human half. ‘Iri make this stop… it’s been three hours.’  
“We don't need…” Iri starts but is stopped by the sharp slap to her thighs, and as he lays more hits down she feels her resolve begin to crack slightly. Though it really dissolves when he buckles a tight dark blue, leather collar around her neck. It was at that moment she felt it, she felt her body give in, and her mind give out. Geoff feels the woman’s body go lax after he straps the collar on and a few minutes later she makes a needy whimper as he sits down on the bed.  
“Kit tell me.” Geoff orders as he grabs the steel ring on the collar dragging her up to meet his eyes. He watches her try to pull away, but one pinch to her abused ass has her mewling in pain.  
“I… I… I can’t be left alone again… I can’t handle anymore abandonment.” Iri admits in defeat and at the sound of her rough voice, Geoff pulls her into his chest.  
“Kit that’s all?” Geoff whispers into her hair as she whimpers pathetically on his lap. “We won’t ever leave you.”  
“That’s what they said too.” Iri replies bitterly as she looks down in defeat.  
“We’re different… I will stay with you forever.” Geoff promises her and that is when Iri knows it was time to stop fighting him, baring her neck to him she pleads with her eyes.  
“I… I want you to claim me Mr. Ramsey… I want to belong… I don’t want to be alone anymore.” Iri says with hopeful eyes and Geoff just smiles softly at the fragile looking woman. Lowering his teeth to her neck, he bites down hard, and the yelps that follow make his heart hurt. Once he is positive the mark will scar he pulls back and licks at the wound, inhaling her smoky scent. She mewls quietly and nuzzle at her mate’s chest.  
“You will always belong with me.” Geoff soothes as the woman falls into a dozing state. He first lays her down on the sheets gently before going to grab a cold washcloth to help calm the swollen flesh, and to also wipe the smeared blood from it. Once mildly clean he places a hand over it to heal it just slightly enough to take the major sting away. It isn't until a faint knock comes at the door that he remembers he still had two other Omegas to take care of.  
“She smells different… is that fear, no… it’s… Geoffrey you sly fox, you.” Michael mumbles with a smirk as he watches the woman doze ass up, and that’s when he sees the dark bruising color of her cheeks. “Geoff you really tore her up.”  
“Boi they were going at it for three and a half hours, I’m surprised his hand isn't broken or her butt isn't.” Gavin grimaces as he rubs his bottom in sympathy pain. None of them had been able to last more than an hour under Geoff’s heavy hand. “She’s okay right?”  
“Mmhmm very tired, and probably hungry when she wakes ups but not permanently injured.”  
“How’d you finally break her?” Michael asks as he sees the paddle and the color around her neck.  
“I paddled her with the collar on. She forced Lexi to be silent when the fox attempted to tell me.”  
“Did you ever get a reason out?”  
“Well clearly Michael, even I can see that mark from over here.”  
“Abandonment… She didn’t want to be left alone anymore… Poor thing just wanted to belong.”  
“And now she does, and that fucker isn’t going to touch her.” Michael promises as he sits on the edge of the bed, and rubs at her soft ears. “I’m not afraid of him.”  
“... Mm… Jones... “ Iri mumbles hazily as she sits up and leans onto the man heavily with a yawn. “You smell nice… Papa, my butt hurts.”  
“I suppose it would, but you’ll live now come on let’s get you guys some food… and you some tea for that throat of yours, you sound awful.” Geoff says but Iri just yawns and nuzzles Michael’s cinnamon-y smelling neck sleepily.  
“Carry me?” Iri asks with pleading eyes and the jersey man just rolls his eyes.  
“Only this once.”  
“Thanks Red.” Iri murmurs with a smile as he lifts her easily into his arms and the group starts toward the kitchen where Geoff makes the Alfredo that he mentioned earlier. Eating was by far the hardest task for Iri, due to the pain that came from sitting, and her throat was raw.  
“Kit?” Geoff asks after watching her pick at her plate for several minutes, he was hoping she wasn’t going through sub-drop. However the woman just meets his worried eyes with a gentle smile.  
“I’m okay Papa, just tired.” Iri assures the man who nods and goes back to eating. The boys clear the table once everyone is done and they all settled in the living room to watch a movie. Geoff sat in the middle with Michael and Gavin flanking his sides, Iri sat on a recliner separated from them slightly. Gavin looks over to find the woman sneaking glances at them, and when he looks to Michael he mirrors the knowing smile.  
“Come here Mate, it’s time to snuggle.” Gavin tells her as he lifts the blanket to the side, and the woman nearly jumps over the couch to fit herself in beside him. Taking her tail in his fingers he starts to absentmindedly pet it until he hears a quiet snoring after about fifteen minutes of laying on his hip. “Sleepy little Kit, such a sleepy little pet.” Gavin murmurs as he feels sleep tugging at his mind as well. Closing his eyes briefly he feels his breathing even out, and Lance stands ready to take over for the night.  
‘She’s dreaming about us…. well mostly you, and how felt your cock felt in her mouth.’ Lance whispers in his mind and Gavin just shrugs. ‘But also how much she loves you.’  
‘That’s nice, but what about the other two?’ Gavin asks as he drifts lazily through the images of her mind. ‘Oh god that must have hurt.’  
‘Geoff really gave her a thrashing, but she needed it to finally break… Did you know her birthday is coming up?’ Lance says and the other just shakes his head. ‘Do you think she’ll want a party?’  
‘That’s a very nice thought Lance, but her heat is coming up soon so I doubt she’ll want more than a knot.’ Todd answers appearing in the mind of Gavin as well. ‘But perhaps after it passes.’  
‘Todd how’d you get in here?’ Lance asks as he stares at the fox warily with bristling fur.  
‘Oh relax Lancelot, I just came here to see what Gavin was murmuring about… Go back to sleep boys.’ Todd says as he fades back out of the other’s mind. Pulling himself back into Geoff’s consciousness, that was half asleep already, he makes the man wake up a little more.  
“Todd stop it.”  
‘Geoffrey wake up, and go to bed. We’re too old to sleep on a couch, you’ll just be grumpy tomorrow.’ Todd warns him as the man just nods while kissing Michael’s neck.  
“Come on Michael time for bed, Gav get up, and you too Iri. Let’s go.” Geoff orders drawing the sleepy Omegas to coherence, the pack slowly makes it’s way up the stairs save for Iri who is burning up.  
“Papa.” Iri whines as she feels a wave of pain hit her stomach. Turning to face the woman her scent has changed, and it is still smoky but with a hint of fertility… well more like smack you in the face with fertility. “Papa please.”  
“It’s alright Kit, come here.” Geoff says and the woman surges forth to meet his open arm, she doesn’t even wait for the man’s approval to start grinding on his leg. “Not yet Baby, let’s get you to the room.” The others continue on with a smile as the man tugs her away from the main bedroom to what Geoff referred to as the heat room. It was filled up with soft blankets and pillows for nesting, sprayed down with scent neutralizer, and it contained a box full of toys to fill up his needy omegas. Connected to it was a bathroom with a large bathtub made for at least two grown alphas or about three omegas. He deposits the young woman on a pile of pillows that littered the floor while he went to the closet to get a toy to fill her up. Iri however didn’t want to wait and began slipping fingers inside her achingly wet pussy in an attempt ease the burn. Slick soaking her underwear, and she moans as the fingers start to fill her up. When the other turns back he finds her on her knees presenting her leaking sex to him with slim fingers doing an ill job of filling it. It took a fair amount of willpower to not just drop the toy and fuck her till she screamed.  
“Mr. Ramsey… please… Oh please Papa.” Iri begs as her lust filled eyes catch the other’s. “I need you to knot me, I need it.”  
“I know Kit, but not yet. We need to stretch out that hole of yours a little first so it doesn't hurt when I do.” Geoff tells her as he pulls back her hand, and laps at the slick on her fingers causing the woman to moan filthily.  
“Hey Geoff… Oh sorry I didn’t.” Michael starts as he sneaks into the room to find Geoff lowering his mouth to her dripping hole. He can’t help but stare as the elder laps playfully at her sex. “....”  
“Michael please fill me up, please he won’t, and I need something in me… I’ll be so good for you. I’ll.” Iri starts to ramble as the other makes his way over. He pulls her up for a kiss by the collar around her neck. He thinks Geoff must have forgotten to take it off.  
“No, I left it on so she knows who she belongs to.” Geoff tells the other as he sits back on his haunches and eases the large toy into her hole. The woman starts to buck up against Michael as the older begins to push it deeper and deeper, once the toy bottoms out the man pulls it out slightly causing the other to whimper. “Hush Iri, we’ll give you what you need.. Michael you want to fuck her open with that smooth cock of yours?” Geoff offers and the man nods while pulling back from her insistent kissing to pull his pajama pants down revealing he wore no underwear.  
“Red… oh god that’s going to be a tight fit.” Iri mumbles as she stares at his impressive girth.  
“Mmmm, if you think that’s impressive wait till you see his knot… Oh Baby girl that’s going to wreck your tight little pussy.” Michael murmurs seductively as Geoff continues working her on his fingers. It takes but the feeling on Michael’s head on her clit to cause the woman to cum.  
“Someone’s sensitive, you still want our boy to fill you up?”  
“Yes.” Iri begs as she looks back at the man with needy eyes. “Michael.”  
“Alright baby girl….” Michael trails off as he slips his head into her wet hole, and slowly at a gut wrenching pace he forces himself to stay still until she begs for more. Once he bottoms out Iri sighs in contentment and closes her eyes trying hard not to fall asleep before the main event. However the omega snaps his hips sending a whole new wave of pleasure through her heat-addled mind. “Harder… Michael harder.”  
“Anything for you baby girl.” Michael tells the woman as he picks up the pace, and with a smile he grabs at the base of her tail. She whines loudly as the man starts working it with a knowing smile.  
“God yes… Michael… Michael.” She chants like it’s the only phrase she know as her hips start working herself on his cock as he thrusts as well. Geoff can’t help but smirk as he watches his omegas sate each other. He just listens to her moaning and Michael’s heavy panting, it isn’t until he watches him start to falter in his pace that he realizes the boy must be close.  
“You want him to cum inside you?” Geoff asks the blushing woman with a knowing smile.  
“Please Michael, please I need you to cum inside me… Papa said you can… Daddy said yes.” Iri nearly shouts in pleasure as she uses Michael’s pet name for Geoff to take him over the edge. The first few spurts make Iri’s mouth water and wish she had something to suck on, as Michael slips out.  
“Daddy you going to knot her now?”  
“Not yet baby boy, maybe in a few hours… Iri show Papa.” Geoff orders and the woman presents her messy hole to him. “Gav come here.” Geoff says as the man standing in front of the door freezes. “Gav, don’t act like you aren’t there… I know you are.”  
“I was only.”  
“She’s our mate Gavvers, it would be wrong if you didn’t.” Michael assures him as he goes around to the front of Iri. “Clean me up?”  
“Fuck I thought you’d never ask.” Iri mutters as she dives onto him, taking all of him in fell swoop with raised eyebrows from the men. Pulling back with lust blown eyes and a smirk she says, “I may have never been fucked, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t given Ray a blow job or two… or… he makes such happy noises in heat.”  
“Such a naughty girl, you're lucky I don’t feel like teasing right now.” Geoff says as the woman goes back to sucking on Michael’s dick with a fervor. “Gav I can see you staring, why don’t you clean her out.”  
“No… no I like it like that.” Iri grumbles as she pulls off Michael’s now spit slicked dick. “I…”  
“Baby girl he’s got to clean you up otherwise you’ll get sick, let Gav..”  
“I said no!” Iri growls as she lowers her hips to the ground in rebellion, Geoff however let’s out a roar that causes her to hesitantly raise her hips back up.  
“If you don’t present yourself properly I’ll chain you up like a real bitch outside before we go to work.” Geoff threatens and the woman relents, completely canting her hips up like a good girl to present her messy hole to Gavin who licked his lips. “Good girl, now let him clean you up.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri murmurs in disappointment as she feels Gavin lap at the mess. Groaning in defeat she starts to move her hips slowly trying to get the man to tongue fuck her used hole. Gav just sighs as he pulls back satisfied that the mess was clean, and grabbing the dildo Geoff had brought over he shoves it in. Playing with a few of the settings till it vibrates, and the knot at the base swells up. “Thank you… I love you… all of you.” Iri pants on the fake knot that vibrates constantly, bringing her to several more orgasms.  
“Love you too, do you want me to take that out?” Michael asks and the woman just shakes her head in no.  
“I love this feeling… Michael don’t you dare touch it.” She nearly snarls as the man steps back, and Geoff just chuckles.  
“Just wait till you get the real thing.” Geoff teases and Iri just lowers her hips to the ground tiredly.  
“Do you vibrate too?” She asks with a smirk and a yawn. “Cause if you do… Geoff I may never get off your lap.” This sends the men into a quiet chuckle as the toy finally starts to deflate after about half an hour. Geoff slips it out of the nearly sleeping woman who is mewling contently in Gavin’s lap as he runs his hand through her hair. Michael lies behind her, pressing his face into her back nuzzling lightly. With a sigh he stands up and goes to clean the toy before slipping it back into it’s designated place in the closet. Checking the watch it reads three thirty, and rubbing his face in exhaustion. Whistling lowly he gestures for the boys to get up, and reluctantly they leave the sleeping woman. The three of them head to the main bedroom for some much needed rest.  
“Geoff why did we leave her alone in there?” Gavin asks as he is tugged down by the wrist to the bed. Geoff says nothing as he tiredly pulls his omegas into the bed, and pulls the covers up.  
“Because knowing her in a few hours the heat will come back with a vengeance and we need to get some sleep.” Geoff says and the others nod in understanding as they cuddle into him for some much needed sleep.  
“We aren’t going in to work are we?” Michael asks and the elder just shakes his head with closed eyes.  
“Probably not.”  
Meanwhile 

“Donaldson I want you to tell me anything that happens, and when the time is right to grab her.” Erik says over the phone to an illusionist. “I don’t care what you have to do, she’s mine, and that’s all that matters.” He would have her, and she would bear him kits. The metal manipulator thinks with a smile as he floats a coin through the air. He could wait, in fact he’d been waiting for over two decades now. What was another few years?


	10. LEEETTT'SSS COOOOSSSPPLLAAY

Five Months later

Life had fallen into relative normalcy after her heat, and she’d become part of Geoff’s pack... And to be honest Iri had never been so happy in her life, it was as though those three men mended her broken heart. They glued each shattered section with their unconditional affection, and Iri was happy she truly was... But how long could this last? Their lives were hectic, unstable, and Iri herself felt like a ticking time bomb... So as the company prepared for RTX, and it was beginning to become stressful Iri felt herself slipping away. Late nights, and early mornings had started to take a toll on all of them causing a thick cloud of tension to settle. It didn't actually come to a head until Geoff said something about wanting kits. The group had been waiting for Iri to finish up for the night, when the conversation had taken this twisting turn that left the twenty-one year old with a bitter taste in her mouth and her tail twitching anxiously.  
“That would be top! Could you imagine having little ones?”  
“I’ve always wanted to be a dad.” Michael murmurs in agreement from Geoff's arms.  
“I think we could arrange for that to happen.”  
“What?” Iri says in surprise, she hadn’t taken this group for the fatherly bunch save for Geoff. Also another thing that bugged her was that no one had even asked her, did they just assume she wanted kids? She was twenty-one! Hell she still wanted to travel the world, not settle down and become heavy with kits. If Geoff had been paying attention he would have caught the panic in her thoughts, but he was more focused on imagining Iri bearing him children.  
“What’s wrong Iri?” Gavin asks in confusion, he’d seen the woman’s dreams of having little ones. “Do you not want pups?”  
“No.. well.. I don’t know… maybe… I just I have to go, I need to get this to animation.” Iri lies as she grabs a random document off her desk and heading in the direction of animation. Running into Miles who notices her obvious stress with worry on his lips.  
“Are you alright?”  
“NO! Miles I am clearly not alright!” Iri nearly shrieks as she pushes past the man, and her vision begins to blacken. Turning quickly she finds a dark corner of the room and scurries into it, pulling her knees up to her chest. “I can’t breathe… Lexi I can’t breathe.” Iri tells the fox in a panic and she feels her reaching out for Todd.  
‘Gavin’s coming… Iridessa just relax it is okay… Just deep breathes, we’re almost here.’ Todd assures the panicking woman as the man approaches with Gavin. Gavin had become particularly helpful when the woman succumbed to her panic attacks, or when her emotions became so suffocating that she hid away in her mind. He helped to ease her out of the turmoil and bring her to a relaxed state so she could take back control.  
“Love?” Gavin calls out as he finds her sitting with her head between her hands gasping for breath. “Hey it’s okay… Just take easy breathes.” He says soothingly as Geoff wraps an arm around her protectively. She could feel Gavin’s powers overtaking her emotions in the hopes to help her focus on breathing. It takes a few minutes but the fox slowly stops wheezing and breathes normally.  
“I.. I’m sorry, I just… Thanks Gavin.” She mumbles apologetically with wide eyes.  
“That’s what I’m here for, now tell me what happened. What triggered it this time Love?” Gavin asks and Geoff let’s the other take the lead on this one as he kisses the top of her head softly.  
“Nothing, I’m just over-worked… I’m fine.” Iri lies without ever meeting the other’s eyes as he trails a soft hand around her tail while standing up, Geoff who had stood up at this point just pursed his lips in thinking. This was it… This was the inevitable drop, and they were going to leave just like everyone always did… Geoff was wrong… He didn’t want her no one wanted her, not them, not her parents, not anyone.  
“Christ chill out, I was just going to offer you a hand up… We’re still here Kit.” Geoff assures her as he extends his arm, and she takes the hand gladly. “Gavs not going anywhere are you?”  
“Well… I did see this Alpha at the bar the other night.” He answers sarcastically causing Geoff to growl at him. “I’m joking you morons… Now let’s go get lunch, Michael says the others waited.”  
RTX

Time had seemed to just fly by and now RTX was here it was early July and the Austin sun was like a pleasant beam of warmth upon everyone’s shoulders. Iri watched from behind the scenes as the AH crew did yet another panel… currently they were talking about plans for the year… or maybe it was how often they got drinks, she wasn’t really listening as Miles kept texting her. He seemed to be in a panic mode so Iri started off towards the RWBY booth to find the man talking calmly to a group of fans. As she strolled over one of the girl’s eyes went so wide Iri was afraid she’d hurt herself.  
“Oh my god! Oh my god it’s really you!” The young teenager squeals in delight as Iri smiles warmly at the approaching fan. “And you cosplay too? God you have got to be the coolest woman ever!”  
“You know I try, now what can I do for you?”  
“Can I please get a picture? My friends back home will just flip if I show them!” The girl gushes and Iri poses for a pic with the girl, first they do serious, silly, and one with Miles who lifts the girl up bridal style. “Thank you sooooooooo much!” She says as she dashes off to enjoy the rest of the convention.  
“Was that the emergency?”  
“I figured she’d get a kick out of it.” Miles adds with a smirk as he pulls her behind the booth.  
“You know I’m surprised she actually recognized me… Though to be fair Meg said my Machiko costume was spot on.” Iri says as she fiddles with her long lacy black stockings that cut off about half-way up her thighs. Since the game never actually showed her footwear Iri put on a pair of pitch colored heels that wrapped her feet in delicate lace and tied off in bows at her knees, the royal blue contrasting the black boldly. She had safety pinned them to her stockings so they wouldn’t come undone. The rest of her outfit was the same as her character, save for her hair color. Meg had offered to dye her hair and her tail, but the fox refused profusely saying that this was close enough; she thanked the beta profoundly for the help with her costume. Also for telling her about the invention of invisible garters which helped to keep the stockings up. “I meant as the artist.” She adds with a chuckle, looking in a nearby mirror trying to fix the fly-a-ways in her hair. Frizz would be the death of her, and it isn’t until Michael shows up for his shift to take over for Miles that he sees the outfit Iri was wearing. And it would be a damn lie if he told himself he didn’t want to jump her ass then and there, in front of everyone. Being that he was one of the heavy hitters for RTX Michael and the other AH crew was expected to be there early as well as at almost every event leaving very little time to see the other. Though to be honest this was perhaps the best, the waiting part at least, as the fox’s top was barely held up leaving very little for the imagination. Sneaking up behind her, he grabs her ass causing the other to growl, and spin to face the handsy man.  
“Sir I know I’m beautiful, but please do not… oh hey it’s you!” Iri says as her tone changes quickly, leaning in to give the other a deep kiss.  
“Yeah panel got done early so I figured I’d relieve Miles, poor guys worn out… Whatcha wearing?” Michael asks with mild intrigue as his hands flutter the short skirt causing the other to blush profusely.  
“Red that might not be a good idea seeing as this skirt is very, very, very short… Meg told me that if we were going to do it than it should be proper length.” Iri squeaks as she feels his hands caress her nearly bare thighs.  
“Hmm someone wants to put on a show, doesn’t she.” Michael purrs as he raises her clothed wrist to his mouth. Pushing back the layered material, he kisses the bite mark he placed there a few days after Geoff’s claiming one. Gavin had a similar one on her hip. Iri tries to bat his wandering hand away with her tail, but he just zapped her causing the other to squeak in surprise.  
“And the fanfictions practically write themselves over there!” Miles shouts as several fans were gawking at the sensual pair, a few of the male fans whistled, and a few females were sighing in envy.  
“Hey, where do you think I get all my in bedroom inspiration from.” Michael teases and the nearby people fall into laughter as he wraps his arms lovingly around the woman. “You want to join in on the AH panel later? Ryan accidentally over booked himself.”  
“Do I have to?”  
“Hmm no, but I’ll buy you ice cream afterwards for being such a good Kit.”  
“That’s hardly fair.”  
“Kit if you're really good I’ll let you lap up my milk later.”  
“Alright you two enough, the sexual tension is suffocating.” Miles growls as a fan who was close enough to hear blushes darkly at the man’s promising words.  
“Who wants a fucking picture?” Michael sighs at the kill joy, and the growing crowd cheers lining up for pictures with the man. Watching with a smile she can see the man playing up the camera like he was born to model, and suddenly she feels a small hand tug on her dress. Looking down she sees a small toddler with big tearful eyes staring up at her.  
“Where’s my Mommy?” She asks crying loudly and Iri doesn’t even hesitate to pick up the crying toddler wondering silently who would leave a child this young unattended. Scanning the crowd quickly she looks for any parents searching frantically, or siblings who could possibly be looking for the child.  
“I don’t know, what your name Sweetheart?” Iri inquires as the child raises her chubby fist to her eyes and starts rubbing at them. “Shh… It’s okay… Can you tell me your name?”  
“Alex… I want my mommy!” Alex cries in panic and feeling for Lexi she sends her to see if she can sense any thoughts of a missing child. Right as she is about to give up and take the child to the security booth Lexi tells her to head toward the Microsoft booth, about five away from theirs.  
“It’s okay Sweetheart we’re going to find your mother, come on let’s see if she’s over there.” Iri murmurs with a soothing tone, and makes eye contact with Michael who cocks his head walking over.  
“Who’s the kid?”  
“Alex… she’s lost, but I think I found her mom. Tell Miles to cover for me for a few minutes while I sort this out.” Iri tells the man with a swift kiss to the mouth. “Love you, text me about the panel I’ll be there.” So starting off towards the booth she watches the people carefully and it is then she sees a woman frantically searching.  
“Alexandra? Alex, baby where are you?” The mother calls out and Iri takes this moment to flag the woman down. “Alex! Oh thank god! Thank you so much, she just walked away from us, Rich, I found her.”  
“Mommy!” Alex calls out gleefully as Iri hands the toddler over with a soft smile.  
“It was no problem.” Iri tells the woman who, just hugs her tightly.  
“I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t found her… This is my husband Rich, this is the woman… Iridessa Burns, an artist.”  
“How did you know?”  
“I guess you could say I’m an art critic of sorts, and subsequently I was hired to look for an artist for an upcoming game from Sony… I don’t suppose you’d be interested?”  
“Uh.. I… Sure!” Iri stutters as the business woman smiles at her husband who hands her a card.  
“Give us a call after RTX, and thank you again!” The woman says as she and her husband walk back into the crowd, the toddler safely in her arms. She stares after them until her phone buzzes with a text from Michael telling her that the panel got moved up so she had to be there in fifteen minutes. Working her way through the crowd takes longer than she thought and by the time she arrives the panel has already started.  
“So as I… Oh hey look it’s our special guest!” Geoff starts, but changing topic when Iri entered through the doors. “I would like everyone to welcome Iridessa to the panel.” The amount of cheers that she receives even surprises her as Iri makes her way to the stage. However about five feet from the stage a piece of carpet snags her heel, and she goes flying. Though right as she is about to meet the ground a pair of hands wrap themselves around her waist, putting her safely back on her feet.  
“Thank… you.” Iri spits as she recognizes the man's sadistic eyes instantly, but before she can say anything he slips off into the darkness. The man was Erik and she was sure of it. ‘Lexi take him down.’  
‘Iri I can’t there's too much interference and he knew that.’ Lexi growls in her mind as she attempts to lash out at the man mentally. ‘I would just hurt someone else.’  
“You alright down there?” Ray’s warm voice asks drawing her from her thoughts.  
“Sorry, first day on new feet.” Iri says and the people close enough chuckle at her stupid joke. Making her way up the stairs without further incident, she sits down next to Jack who raises an eyebrow given that there was another chair next to Michael. The beta just shrugs and the panel surges forward, it isn’t till about two hours in that Iri feels Geoff tugging at her mind.  
‘You okay?’  
‘Yeah just tired you know, it’s hard being this sexy all the time.’ Iri lies and the gent just scoffs as he returns to the panel. After another twenty minutes the panel begins drawing to a close and it’s time for questions.  
“This one is for Geoff. What’s it like going home to three incredibly attractive and talented Omegas?”  
“Well uh it’s got good days and bad days, also it’s hard knowing that one day these three will most likely surpass me in the talent category (Audience laughter). But no, really, it’s pretty fucking awesome.” Geoff answers with a grin as he pulls Gavin in for a quick kiss causing the audience to coo. Iri coos along with the crowd, but stops suddenly as the glint of metal catches her eyes. She doesn’t hesitate to push Michael down causing the projectile to whiz past them landing with a thud onto the stage floor. Picking it up slowly she realizes that is was just a simple quarter.  
‘Lexi track him… I’m sick of this game.’ She tells the fox who attaches a lifeline to the man’s consciousness in an attempt to keep tabs on him. Iri however wastes no time ripping off her shoes and stockings with a quick kiss to Michael’s forehead she grabs the coin and jumps of the stage. Leaving the crowds and her mates in confusion. ‘Lexi I need directions.’  
‘Left up here, and out to the right… He’s stopped. Iri he’s waiting for us.’ Lexi tells the fox who now bristles in preparation for the fight. Geoff had taught her tricks, and Michael had given her a few lessons in fighting. He told her to stay low, and remain alert, so catching up to the man she finds him standing on a street corner in the setting sun.  
“So we meet again… Tell me Darling have you considered my offer?”  
“If I remember correctly I told you to fuck off.”  
“And if I remember I told you that you were mine, so be a good girl and come home.” Erik says while stepping toward the woman who balks at this, but stands her ground. Taking a deep breath she fires the coin at him aiming for his throat. The coin streaks through the fading sunlight, but stops seconds before it can sink into his jugular. Growling in frustration Iri picks up the nearest object that she can, and flings it at his head. The rock doesn’t miss it’s target, causing the man to fall back a few steps. “Hmm someone’s been training… Has Geoff been working with you?”  
“What do you know about Geoff?” Iri snarls as she hurls herself at the man in blind rage. Erik laughs as he blocks her attacks easily, and in no time at all he pins the woman to the nearby brick wall of the building. Wrenching her neck to the side he kisses at Geoff’s claiming mark in challenge and Iri knees his groin. However the man merely pulls back with a chuckle, and his grip finds it’s way to her neck.  
“Much more than you think.” Erik mutters as he begins squeezing tightly, until Iri can do no more than draw restricted breathes. As her vision fades, she can feel lips on hers. Erik pulls back with a satisfied smirk as the woman crumples to the ground in a heap.  
‘It would be so easy Erik… We could take her, and they wouldn’t even know.’ Liam says as he paces around his master’s head with a smile.  
“I know Liam, but not yet… I only wanted to scare her this time, perhaps next time Liam.” Erik mutters as he turns on heel and leaves the passed out woman behind the building. He wonders how long it will take before someone finds her. 

In The Convention Center

Michael and Gavin stood waiting by the booth before their next commitment hoping to find Iri somewhere, but their hopes are dashed when they get pulled away by their guardians. 

End of the Night

By now the other’s had started to worry, Iri hadn’t shown up to go out for dinner, and they still hadn’t seen her by the time things started to shut down. Geoff was out of his mind searching frantically with Gavin for the woman, and Michael was busying scouring the remaining booths asking if they’d seen her. However it all comes back empty, and right as Geoff is about to call the police they see her stagger in, with a bruised cheek and dark purple marks around her neck.  
“What happened? Who did this to you?” Geoff demands as he pulls the woman into a closed off room, the others not far behind.  
“No one Papa, I just fell.”  
“Did you fall with a god damn weight around your neck?” Geoff asks as he runs his hands over the dark marks causing her to flinch away in pain. “Iri what happened, we were worried sick?”  
“Erik was here… And I… I tried to square off with him, I wanted answers, but all I got was bruises.” Iri admits finally and the elder just growls angrily.  
“You did what?” Geoff shouts at the fox who stares down in submission. She knew it was stupid, but part of her had hoped that she could do it. “He is an ex-assassin and a lunatic! What made you possibly think you could handle that?”  
“I.. Geoff…. I thought I was stronger, but I’m not okay. I’m sorry I worried you, but can we just go home.”  
“I.. Iri, promise me you won’t do that again.. I don’t know what we’d do without you, please don’t do that ever again. That man is dangerous, and not just Ryan kind of dangerous; I mean Godric level dangerous. He will not hesitate to kill you if he feels like it.” Geoff warns her as he pulls her close to his arms, and kisses her forehead. “Kit please don’t ever do that again, please.”  
“Seriously that man is bloody deranged Love, and he won’t even bat an eye at killing you.” Gavin affirms and at this Iri can’t help but wonder how they all seemed to know about him… They all seemed to have experienced this man’s delusions save for her. Ray had warned her thoroughly on the day after he attacked them in Ryan’s house.  
“Come on let’s go home.” Michael suggests as he jingles the car keys, and tosses Iri her stockings and shoes.  
“You know it will take me much longer to actually put these on then it will for us to get to the car.” Iri tells the man who shrugs, and they wait for her to put on the shoes. Once they’re all laced up she can’t help, but laugh at the hungry looks she receives. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you guys like this outfit.”  
‘I’d much rather see it on the floor actually.’ Marcus mutters loud enough for Iri to hear and with a giggle she starts toward the exit. However when she get’s about six feet away she notices how all of them are still standing back a few paces to stare at her ass. “You guys are ridiculous.”  
“No, what’s ridiculous is how great you look in that costume, maybe we should make you wear it everyday.” Michael says with a smirk that sends a heat through her lower half, and suddenly she’s glad she’s not wearing so many clothes otherwise the heat might be unbearable.  
“You wouldn’t dare.” Iri challenges and that’s when Geoff just raises his eyebrows at her.  
“Are you challenging your Alpha.” He asks and Iri just looks away in submission. “Mmm I think we should make you and Michael wear the maid outfits, the house is looking rather filthy.”  
“Wait why me? I wanted..” Michael groans as he feels Geoff pin him against a wall and forcefully kiss him, leaving the other two whining in need. Pulling back roughly Geoff exposes the man’s neck and mouths at the dark scar that laid there.  
“And you two get the vibrating plugs.” Geoff pants as he releases his whiny omega.  
“But Geoff!” The two complain and the Alpha glares at them.  
“Michael would you like to add a cock ring to the mix? Iri would you like to be paddled?” Geoff asks and the other two shut up at this, it would be bad enough to wear the costume and the toy. Gavin who was just smirking felt his smirk diminish as Geoff’s heavy gaze fell to him. “And then there’s you who.. Oh don’t think I forgot about you Gav. Puppy you get a nice thick toy to fill you up and a bone to play with.”  
“He always spoils Gavin.” Iri humphs as she sits in the back seat with Michael who just nods in agreement.  
“You two are quite mouthy today… Hmm that’s fine though, I’ll just tie you to the bed and you can pout while sleeping on the floor.” Geoff says as the two fall silent again realizing that their Alpha would only worsen the punishment. It takes about fifty minutes to get home where he orders everyone to the bedroom. Eyes down in submission they follow the Alpha as he gets out their punishments. Michael and Iri dressed in maid outfits with harsh vibrators pushed into their holes, tied to the bed posts with their asses up to present. Gavin sat naked on the floor between Geoff’s legs with a plug shoved up his ass, and was happily sucking on Geoff’s cock. Running his hands through Gavin’s hair and scratching his scalp lightly until he receives quiet purrs around his cock. “Good boy Gavin, such a good Puppy… So obedient and friendly.” Geoff praises as he spills into the man’s mouth with a moan causing the man to cum all over the floor with a content sound. “Bad boy Gavin! Bad boy!” Geoff says drawing the man from his pleasant state of mind. “You made a mess on the floor, you're lucky the maids are still here to clean it up. Well get to it you two.” Geoff orders as Gavin moves away from the sticky substance on the floor. The other two go to wipe it up with a nearby pair of boxers but he stops them. “Lick it up.”  
“Geoff you can’t be serious.” Michael says incredulously breaking character, however the only response he receives is a growl and the vibrator’s setting dialed up till he’s panting. Joining Iri at the spot they begin to lap at the cum. Gavin who was still playing puppy just goes around to the back of Iri and jumps up on her back to mount her.  
“Mr. Ramsey could you control your dog? He’s rather unruly.” Iri mumbles as they finish cleaning up the spot only to have Geoff walk around to the back of them, with a smile. Pulling out the toys, he smirks at Gavin who shifts into a big brown wolf where he mounts Iri like a real dog would.  
“Oh but he just likes you so much, and I do believe you like him too. Look at how wet you are, I bet you’ll love the feeling of his cock inside you.” Geoff says and if Iri really didn’t want Gavin to mount her she could safe word out, but Lexi just smiled and urged her to let him something about animal instinct whispered in her mind. Geoff and Gavin slip into their respective holes at the same time, both bottoms groaning at the sudden intrusion. Pulling out, Geoff angles Michael so that he is facing Iri’s blushed face as the wolf on top of her shamelessly plows her. Iri doesn’t even hesitate as she grabs Michael’s face and pulls him in for a needy kiss while Gavin slows his hips as to not hurt them. When they part breathless, they’re back to just pounding them ruthlessly till they all cum. Geoff wouldn’t lie it was incredibly hot to watch Michael cum untouched, while Iri came from being mounted like a bitch, and Gavin who came from mounting her. There was some serious kinks in this group, but it always kept things interesting. His knot tying him to Michael, while Gavin hopped off and began cleaning up the mess he’d made of Iri. After about five minutes he watches Iri’s eyes shoot open and she jerks away from the wolf’s rough tongue.  
“Gav… Gav… too much.” Iri pants as the wolf nods and pushes her back down, happily licking around the over-sensitized flesh. Geoff just smiles as he kisses Michael’s back and whispers sweet nothings to him.  
“Geoff please stop talking… I love you to death man, but if you say one more thing about how great I look right now I’m going to punch you.” Michael mutters with as little venom as he could muster, but that isn’t much.  
“Gavin!” Iri squeals as the man starts licking her face, and then nips at her ears. She tries to get away, but being chained to the bedpost she can’t go very far. Geoff and Michael just let out breathy chuckles as she pushes at the wolf’s body, but he just persists causing Iri to buck up and cum again. “Gav….no… more.” Iri murmurs tiredly, but the wolf just smirks as he goes back down to clean her up. “Bastard.”  
“I love you.” Gavin says after finishing up and lying his head on her bare chest with a lazy smile.  
“I’m still not sure about that.” She teases as the man just glares at her and nips at her ear roughly. “Okay, okay I love you too asshole!”  
“You better… I just spent a long time cleaning up your mess.”  
“And Geoff made us lick up yours.” Michael states accusatorily to the wolf who just nuzzles Iri’s neck and inhaling her smoky, wintery scent. “Which reminds me, not that, that wasn’t hot, but christ man that was kinda gross. Gav mixed with dirty floor is not a good taste.”  
“Next time I’ll just have him cum down your throat, hows that sound?” Geoff asks as he unclips Michael’s collar from around his neck, but just unclips the lead from Iri dragging her up for a kiss by the ring on it. “And next time you’ll get my knot if you want… Doesn’t seem fair letting the boys have it all to themselves.”  
“Ehh it’s cool Papa, I don’t mind being fucked by their smooth cocks.” She mutters into the kiss as he pulls back and swats her ass suddenly.  
“I’m trying to be nice, and you seem very ungrateful.”  
“Ow Papa, alright next time that knot of yours is mine… Just call me Iridessa Burns, knot hunter.” Iri jests with a determined smirk that causes the two younger to fall breathless with laughter onto the bed, and Geoff just rolls his eyes.  
“Fantastic now come to bed.”  
“Actually I was going to go for a walk with Ray, he’s on his way.” Iri lies as she tells Lexi to impersonate Ray’s consciousness. Geoff reaches out to indeed find the man on his way over so with a sigh he let’s her go.  
“Be back before five, we still have one more day left of RTX and I don’t think fans will appreciate a grumpy Iri.” Geoff warns as the woman dons a pair of leggings and an AH hoodie that zipped up with a green camisole. Giving all three of them quick kisses and a sleep well she slips her tennis shoes on dashes out the sliding glass door. Wasting no time she shifts into a fox and sprints across town to her apartment where she still kept all her stuff. Michael and her would often disappear for a weekend to clean up the place and make sure nothing was stolen. Shifting back she greets the door man with a smile and heads up. Unlocking the door she can’t help but smell how lonely it smells compared to where she lived most of the time now. Locking the door she heads to the bedroom where the boxes filled with her first adoptive father’s work sat. Picking up a few of the gruesome photos and grimacing at them she sets them down, moving onto the journals themselves. From there she elicits Lexi’s help to scan the material faster in hopes of discovering something. 

Four Hours Later

Iri was discovering all sorts of things about herself… well really Apexes in general. First off male omegas could not produce viable offspring, meaning a baby would be conceived, but it would become a miscarriage or if it made it the entire pregnancy it would die rather quickly upon birth. Which hurt her heart a little bit, however this was why when Geoff talked about kids he never mentioned knocking up the other two. Next she discovered that a female could have the children of multiple Apexes if they were in the form of their predators, and this presented her with an interesting option for kids. She could potentially carry all three men’s babies at once if they fucked as animals. The instances of this was rare given that most Apexes only lived in pairs of two, she wondered how they gathered this study and then thoughts of Erik wandered in. Geoff had explained that this man was dangerous, a lunatic, and he ran a facility that was only filled with Apexes. It was for their protection, but Geoff told her that was a lie. In reality it was only for Erik to run tests and experiments on them. Lastly she learned something that intrigued her immensely, and it pertained to Geoff. In the last pages it mentioned how her mother and Geoff had met in the army and then again when she was in college to become a teacher. Now according to what she had read, the government was very aware of the Apexes existence and that is how Erik became what he was. The military was more than happy to supply this man resources as long as he produces soldiers, but Kody wrote nothing more about it other than that.  
“Lexi, I think Geoff knew Erik Ristau… I think they were in Kuwait together, and I also think that Geoff, Kody, and Margaret helped to build that facility.” Iri conjectures as she stares at the fox who nods in agreement.  
“I believe you are right, but I don’t think Kody meant for it to turn out this way… I think he wanted to help our kind.” Lexi says and Iri just agrees. “I think somewhere along the line Erik lost his mind as well as his humanity, and that is when they left.”  
“I’m not disagreeing, but I want proof before we ask him… I want something concrete that links him to them.”  
“You remember what Erik said about Geoff. He wasn’t lying Iri, I would have known.”  
“So what do we do?”  
“Wait.”  
“Wait?”  
“For the right moment, for the moment when no one is stressed, and we’re not busy… Don’t forget he is your mate, and we love him.” Lexi tells the woman who stares at her with a hard look.  
“We do… don’t we.” Iri admits as she tried to argue, but even her heart couldn’t debate the love she felt for them. “You know what I don’t understand?”  
“What?”  
“Where did I come from? How the hell did I end up in that building by myself? What parent just leaves their newborn alone? Hell you saw that woman today, she was frantic when her child was gone.” Iri ponders as she looks to the fox for answers.  
“Do you remember how Apexes gain their animal counterpart?”  
“It’s genetic wasn’t it.”  
“Yes, but just DNA alone isn’t enough to make a person… Apexes are drawn together by fate as cheesy as that sounds. Why do you think we always appear as wispy figures? Like Todd was drawn to Geoff because they both lost their fathers at a young age. I was orphaned by my parents as a kit, left in a cave alone for no apparent reason. When I passed on, I was instantly drawn to you, that is how the gene is truly activated. I was with you from the moment your parents stopped breathing, but blocked by your own mind before the presenting.” Lexi explains as she stares down at her human.  
“So you're an orphan too.”  
“Yes and it sucks.”  
“Amen to that.”  
“What time is it?” Lexi asks with a yawn as she stands up and shakes her fur out.  
“Oh shit we gotta go! We are soo late.” Iri curses as she shuts her bedroom door and sprints down the flights of stairs waving to the doorman who smiles pleasantly wishing her a good morning. Once out of sight she shifts back and let’s Lexi take over as they sprint back to the house, stopping only a few times to catch their breath. Arriving at the door, only a few beams of light peak their faces above the horizon. Unlatching the door quietly she slips inside the back door and then up the stairs, only to find Geoff rubbing his face sleepily.  
“Kit you are very late… It’s almost six thirty.”  
“Sorry Papa you know how Team Stray gets… When the Ray train takes off you can’t get off till it runs out of steam.” Iri mutters in between yawns as the man opens the blanket enough to let the woman crawl in after shucking her leggings and hoodie. Geoff pulls her close and just smirks when she nuzzles his chest sleepily. “Woo woo.”  
“Go to sleep Kit, the train is stopped.” Geoff suggests and the other falls asleep quickly with a soft snoring. Setting his alarm for later, he figured they could make it or at least be just a little late… besides the panel didn’t start till eleven thirty and that was plenty of time.

Ten thirty two

Geoff awoke to the sound of running water, and Gavin’s playful laugh. Feeling around the bed he notices it devoid of two of it’s occupants, Gavin and Iri.  
“Morning Daddy… How’d you sleep?” Michael asks pleasantly as he looks up from the DS in his hand. Hair just a little damp and smelling like Irish spring body wash.  
“Good morning Baby… mmm someone is chipper this morning.”  
“Yeah Iri was giving oral in the shower when I finally got out. She’s insatiable sometimes, her and Gavin are quite a pair to watch. That little twit can go at it for hours, makes my dick hurt thinking about it.” Michael explains as he goes back to his game only to have Geoff’s mouth on his neck. “That’s what I like about you Daddy, we don’t have to go all night for it to be good.”  
“I’m glad, someone is still impressed with my sexual prowess.” Geoff adds with a smile as he gets up to stretch, and go drink some coffee while he waited for the shower. He can hear Iri’s squeaks of get out as she attempts to get ready. So after Gavin and Michael were shooed out they join Geoff for some coffee, where they are pleasantly discussing today’s topics over until Iri shows up. In her cosplay of the day. She was dressed as Asuna from the original SAO in her knight outfit, but however on her shoulder where Lexi sometimes sat was a white feathered dragon that Michael knew was supposed to be Pina.  
“You know that is definitely not canon.” Michael points out with a joking smile as the woman just rolls her eyes.  
“It gives Lexi a reason to get out of my head, and I couldn’t resist… it takes a little bit more concentration, but she is completely solid.” Iri explains as the fox-turned-dragon leaps off her mistress’ shoulder and then onto Michael’s head. Reaching up he takes the animal into his arms and smiles at how soft she is; the dragon let’s out an adorably tiny squeak that makes him a little jealous that Marcus couldn’t do that.  
“Who said I couldn’t?” Marcus says with mild jealousy as he appears on the ground by Iri and he shifts into a tiny red dragon with speckled fur.  
“Oh that’s fucking awesome! Dude you should stay like this all day!” Michael tells the man in excitement as Lexi takes flight and so does Marcus. The pair flew around the kitchen in a dance that could only be described as elegant, both bowing at the end and landing on their human’s shoulder.  
“Thanks Michael.” Marcus says as he seems to radiate happiness at his friend’s praise causing the air to crackle around him with electricity until the bobcat-turned-dragon schools himself.  
“Just be careful, don’t draw attention to yourselves… Everyone ready?” Geoff asks as he grabs his car keys and motions for the door. They arrive at the event with very little time to spare and her mates are whisked off by guardians to their respective events. Leaving Iri to wander the convention with Lexi still on her shoulder. People all around her were amazed at the life-like animal and commended her for making such a realistic prop. She just smiled and posed for photos while wandering around the center. Eventually Lexi begins to tire of sitting still so Iri takes a few more photos before briefly exiting the large room to go outside and let her friend move freely. Making her way across the street to the open meadow, Iri heads into the tall grass with Lexi flying above her. And for a moment she felt just like an actual anime character, dressed in fighting gear with her familiar flying above scouting out the way ahead. Drawing her rapier to help complete the vision she finds herself slashing and battling the reeds as though they were fake opponents. Twisting and turning in complex patterns parrying imaginary blows and lunging to stab fake enemies. It isn’t until a dark chuckle echoes around her that she realizes she is no longer alone. Lexi who was floating gently on the warm breeze scans the area for the intruder.  
“Your six Iri, one male… panther.” She spits as the dragon swoops down to sit on her shoulder protectively.  
“Again? Will you just leave me alone already.. I won’t go with you and I don’t intend to bear your children.” Iri growls as she reads the man’s loud thoughts.  
“You know I could get you a real sword, a rapier that was as deadly as your eyes, and lighter than air.” Erik says trying to persuade the woman to come with him willingly.  
“Seriously are you trying to tempt me? Dude I’m not a child to be won over by toys!” Iri argues as the sound of rustling grass stops, leaving her in complete silence.  
“Very well then you leave me no choice.” The panther roars as he jumps from her left, and it was at this moment she was glad Monty had helped her make a real sword. Brandishing it in front of her fiercely, she takes her stance... or at least the stance her fencing teacher had taught her in high school. The first few strikes were easily dodged, but Iri manages to connect one with his side leaving a long open gash in it's wake. Smiling in triumph she stands up, however her triumph is short lived as a piece of metal hits her over the back of the head, causing her to stagger forward. However before she goes completely dark she separates Lexi from her mind, their connection was like a clasp it could be unhooked without consequence but it always desired to be closed. Lexi watching her companion fall wastes no time in flying high up into the cloudy sky to escape the man, and then flies to the center. She didn’t care about keeping up appearances, she needed to find Geoff, or Michael, or Gavin, or really any fucking one. Her small body zipped through the front doors and then headed to the RoosterTeeth booth hoping to find one of her friend’s mates there. And in a stroke of good luck she spots Marcus on Michael’s shoulder as he signs posters. Swooping down she tackles the red dragon from his shoulder and it lands with a thump.  
“The panther Marcus, the panther!” Lexi pants in terror as she stares into the other’s eyes.  
“What are you talking about? What panther?” Marcus asks quietly as Michael turns around to find the white dragon flapping her wings in panic.  
“Erik’s got her… Michael I couldn’t stop him, and Iri’s unconscious… he’s taken her.” Lexi reports as she calms enough to explain the gist of the situation.  
“What? No! No fucking way! Marcus on me, Lexi lead the way.” He orders and the pair take the back way out of the center with confused looks following them. Lexi leads him to where Iri was after she was knocked out. “We’re too late! God damn it!” Michael curses as he watches the white dragon whimper quietly at the loss of her mistress.  
“We’ll find her… Geoff, we need to tell Geoff.” Marcus says suddenly drawing them from their thoughts. “Todd’s a good tracker, or maybe Ray… Michael we need to get someone.”  
“He can’t track anything without a telepathic link, and Lexi said Iri is unconscious.”  
“We have to do something!” Marcus shouts in anger and the sky begins to darken to match his friend’s frustration.  
“We need Geoff.” Lexi agrees quietly as she lies down onto the imprint of Iri’s fallen body nuzzling it sadly. “Geoff can find her.”  
“Come on let’s go get him.” Michael says and his companion leaps up onto his shoulder, however Lexi doesn’t budge. “Lexi?”  
“I’ll be here.” Lexi replies brokenly and that’s when Marcus leaps off his shoulder.  
“Michael go on, I’ll make sure they don’t come back for her.” Marcus says as wraps a wing over the distraught dragon. “I’m here, Lexi… He won’t get you too.”  
“I should have gotten Todd or.. Godric. I felt Godric too, he was so close… I could have saved her, but I chose to watch her fall.”  
“Hey stop that! We’ll get her back and I’ll personally invite Godric to tear the man’s throat out.”


	11. In the grip of a Mad Man.... and not a cool one like Godric, like an actual psychopath... not that he isn't, but, well you know what I mean

Meanwhile  
Twenty- Four Hours later

Iri woke up to the sound of quiet murmuring, and soft hands on her shoulders forcing her to face whoever was shaking her.  
“Geoff?” Iri mumbles as her hazy eyes try to focus on the face in front of her. The face just smiles weakly, and shakes its head in no.  
“Harold, I’m afraid. I don’t know a Geoff… Wait Otto do we know a Geoff?” The man asks a large wolf who sits at the side of Iri’s bed and licks her hand gently in a gesture that was meant to comfort her, but it only served to strengthen the reality of this situation.... Erik had kidnapped her, and now all those horrible, tortuous things he desired would happen... He was... he was going. “Otto do we?” Harold questions, drawing the woman from her saddening thoughts.  
“Uh… I don’t think so. I used to know a man who looked like he could be a Jeff. Does that help Miss?” The white wolf asks, not thinking twice she uses her powers to force the men back and she begins tugging desperately at the needles stuck in her arms. Turning feral she doesn’t even flinch as the needle is ripped away causing blood to run down her arm in a steady stream. She wouldn't just roll over and let this happen, no she would fight them. It was only two men how strong could they be she thinks to herself.  
“Whoa there tiger, settle down.. Otto stop her.” Harold commands swiftly, as the wolf barks the room begins to spin before Iri’s eyes. She tries to fight it but with each second consciousness gets harder and harder to maintain, like a tranquilized animal her legs slowly begin to fold. Iri tries to use her powers to put up a barrier around her and the wolf's powers, but it doesn't wake and her mind is forced to give in. “Easy there, just rest for now; Otto and I won’t hurt you.” Is the last thing she hears before darkness claims her mind completely.

Ten Hours later

This time Iri awoke to cuffs around her ankles and wrists, tugging at them weakly she tries not to panic.  
“Gav isn’t here to help you… come on Iridessa breathe… Air is everywhere, literally everywhere.” Iri mutters quietly, trying to coach the panic away and much to her surprise it begins to rescind slightly. Once subdued enough to think about something else she notices the strange wolf from before watching her carefully by the end of the bed.  
“I’ll undo those if you aren’t going to freak out like before.” The wolf’s smooth voice says and she nods slowly. She hears a button click somewhere and her wrists are free. “Are you hungry Ms. Burns?”  
“I want to leave.” Iri states very suddenly and the wolf nods, but remains sitting. “And no, kidnap doesn’t really spark an appetite.”  
“Yeah I’m sorry about Erik, he’s a little one-track minded sometimes.” Harold says apologetically as he enters the room with a tray of syringes and several empty vials. “Arm.”  
“No.” Iri refuses as she draws her knees up and narrows her eyes at the man.  
“I will sedate you again if you don’t, and I doubt very much you want that.” Harold threatens, but wears an empathetic expression. She extends her arm hesitantly, and the man smiles at her. “Good girl.”  
“Harold, where am I?”  
“Protection Regarding Evolutionary Deviants Against Turbulence Or Strife… P.R.E.D.A.T.O.R.S for short.” Harold answers as he sticks the needle in her arm causing the woman to grimace at the pain. “Shush, Otto do your thing.” It is at that moment she feels a thick haze cover her mind, and the questions seem to slip away from her. She didn’t even notice when the man withdrew the needle, and placed a bandage on the small wound.  
“What did he… what was that?” Iri asks as the wolf just smiles.  
“I am basically like morphine on steroids, and he’s a healer.”  
“Like Geoff.”  
“Who is Geoff?” Harold asks and Iri just shakes her head. She wouldn't tell these men a damn thing about her mates. “Okay, well are you sure you're not hungry?”  
“I could eat.” Iri admits softly, no one ever escaped their captors on an empty stomach and the more nutrition she had the better her powers worked.  
“Here, it’s not much but it’ll tide you over till dinner.” Otto says as he comes over with a bar in his mouth, and Iri accepts it with a smile as she wipes the slobber from it. Taking a bite she’s relieved when it’s just a normal granola bar.  
“Why can’t you shift back?” Iri asks after a few minutes of silence between the trio.  
“An experiment gone wrong, but you don’t feel right… Where’s your fox?”  
“I separated us… She’s safe from him.”  
“Wait you can do that, and there is no pain or discomfort of any kind?” Otto asks incredulously and she just nods. “Hmm it’s been a long time since we’ve had a caster.”  
“Caster?”  
“Someone who can unbind themselves from their animal counterpart, and they can both still function normally… It’s been about twenty years since we’ve had one in the facility.” Harold explains as he looks over the woman carefully as though he wanted to say something, but decided against it. “Where are you from again?”  
“I’m from Austin… Why?”  
“It’s just that a long time ago we lost a baby girl whose parents were both Casters... And you look an awful lot like Celeste… Otto what do you think?”  
“I’d say there’s a bit of Klein in her… Maybe just in the way her eyes seem to tear you apart from the inside out.” Otto answers, but before she can asks anything Erik strolls into the room with a smile that causes Iri to pause in her chewing. The way he was looking at her made her feel like a prized cow, his eyes seem to radiate delight, and his mind ached with triumphant... It made Iri start to feel nauseous.   
“She’s awake.”  
“Get away from me you monster! I’ll fucking kill you!” Iri growls as she charges the man who just extends a hand that drags her backwards to be forced against the wall.  
“Metal collars have got to be a great investment on my part for the feisty ones like you… Harold when is her next heat.”  
“About three days.”  
“Wonderful… Now I will give you two options. Artificial insemination or we can do it as nature intended your choice. I’ll give you two minutes before I decide for you.” Erik answers and Iri just snaps at the man attempting to break out of the collar. A man true to his word he waits two minutes of her just snarling and pulling at the collar before making the decision. “Answer?”  
“Go to Hell!”  
“Hmm not in this lifetime, but perhaps in the one after… Choose or I will.”  
“Fuck you!” Iri growls refusing to allow him the satisfaction.  
“Very well heat it is, my dear you will look lovely bouncing on my knot.”  
“I won’t let you.”  
“Oh but you will, see because this is how it works. You will bear me a child or I will kill each one of your precious mates, and I’ll make you watch… Besides once you give me what I want I will release you simple as that. I’ll see you in three days.” Erik explains as he releases the woman who falls to a crumpled heap on the floor, he exits the room swiftly after that leaving her with the other two. She notices how he puts a lot of disdain on the word mates, as though he despised them. At this point Otto walks over slowly and lays his head in the woman’s lap.  
“I want to go home… I just want to go home.” Iri starts to stutter tears streaming down her face, and Otto feels said tears drip onto his head.  
“I know Ms. Burns I know, if it’s any consolation it will take but a minute to conceive… And then about three months for you, and the child will be well taken care of.” Otto consoles as the woman just sobs in defeat.  
“Otto put her to sleep.”  
“Please don’t make me.”  
“I’m sorry, but he will kill us all if this doesn’t work.” Is the last phrase she hears before Otto coats her mind in a blanket of white snow, pulling her down farther than any drug ever could.

Four Days later

Iri didn’t allow him the satisfaction of seeing her beg as the man tried to tease her. She didn’t let this monster see how badly it hurt her having never taken a knot before, and he wouldn't have even cared if it did as the woman lied expressionless beneath him as he rutted into her. His knot caught, and after a half an hour of being forced to lie next to him she eagerly gets up to leave, but in a finally act of dominance he bites her hard on the back. Even as she screamed in pain, he continued biting till Erik was sure the mark would scar over... She would always remember this night. After that he released the woman who swiftly grabbed a robe, and fled to the infirmary to fall under Otto’s numbing touch. 

Four months Later

It had been roughly four months after Iri was taken, and Lexi had wilted completely without her mistress choosing to stay as far away from others as she could, retreating deep into the forest. Her mates had become wholly and utterly distraught when the police finally called off the search. Burnie and Joel had wept after the first few weeks, the company itself seemed to be weeping as the cards piled up on Iri’s desk. No one had the heart to clean it up, and Michael went into a fit of rage each time he saw it. Gavin fared no better, Ray took it particularly hard and the fans noticed by constantly telling him to stop being depressed. Geoff tried to be strong, he tried to smile, and he tried so hard to keep it together... But some nights it was too hard and he allowed himself to mourn her loss.


	12. Don't ask me to tell you what you don't want to know

Friday Night

It was a typical somber Friday night in the house, and the men watched Netflix with a lackluster attitude. Really just half dozing until a soft knock comes on the door disrupting the near silence. Geoff, gets up to answer it with a certain amount of curiosity as the door swings open to find a woman whom they all believed to be dead. His Iri, his lost little Kit, and his lover, stood in the entrance way with tired eyes like she’d been walking for a week, and a frighteningly skinny body... Even for her.  
“Papa!” Iri shouts joyfully as the man surges forward to hold her. She can’t help the tears that cascade from her eyes and she wasn’t sure if they were as sad as they were happy… Bittersweet is how she would describe them as Geoff pulled her into the house. The other looking up hazily to find out who was at the door.  
“Geoff… Iri… IRI!” Michael shouts in realization as he leaps from the couch to embrace their lost mate. “Iri!”  
“Love!” Gavin cries as he nuzzles her happily, and for the first time in awhile he smiles genuinely.  
“I’m so sorry.” Iri apologizes as she remains sandwiched between the men. “I should have fought harder. Geoff, Gavin, Michael I’m so very, very sorry.”  
“It’s not your fault, god no it’s not your fault.” Geoff whispers happily as he runs a hand through her hair softly trying to avoid the tangles. “All that matters is you are here now.”  
“Yeah… Where’s Lexi?” Iri asks as she notices the room devoid of the fox. “Lexi?” She calls out, but the fox doesn’t show.  
“Iri we haven’t seen her in a very long time, she left soon after you did. Marcus and Todd tried to locate her, but she was gone.” Geoff tells the woman who just scoffs at this.  
“Of course you can’t find her, she’s a fox Geoff… Hiding is like sort of our thing, and if a fox doesn’t want to be found she’ll hide really well. I think Todd has spoiled you, having always stayed in your head.”  
“So you know where she is?” Gavin asks and Iri shakes her head.  
“But I know how to find her. Todd can I borrow you for a moment?” Iri asks as the older fox appears as a wispy impression. “I want you to project my consciousness as far as you can.”  
“How?” Todd was a skilled telepath, but even that seemed a little far-fetched for him.  
“Just trust me, now slip into my mind and project.” Iri whispers and the fox does as he is told, he is let in to her mind, and is surprised by a series of locked gates blocking him. Her mind was heavily guarded, but ignoring that he curled around her mind and began to reach out as far as he could. It takes maybe seconds before Iri makes an aha sound, and he is gently pulled out of her mind.  
“How are you able to do that so well?” Todd asks with disbelief, he hadn’t met a woman so smooth since Celeste Marseilles and her mate Klein.  
“If Erik did anything it was smooth out my rough edges… I have discovered a great deal about who I really am, but that is a conversation for another time. I’m going to get Lexi, she is in danger.” Iri says to the men with seriousness as she grabs her car keys from the bowl by the door and heads back out it.  
“Bloody wait will you! I’m coming too.” Gavin calls out after the woman as he and the others throw on some shoes in pursuit of the fox. She waits patiently in the car, until all of them are there and then drives about half an hour south to a small farm. It is there she parks the care and takes off at run towards the barn. The men in hot pursuit follow her till she stops directly behind the barn, where a man was aiming a gun at a dingy looking Lexi. Lexi frozen to the spot just waits for the inevitable shot as the crack of the gun fires, however after several seconds it doesn’t come and the creature opens her eyes in confusion. To her shock she find Iri standing with her hand cast out, and the bullets floating mid-air.  
“Lexi come on.” Iri urges in a whisper as she drops the bullets, letting them fall to the ground with soft thunks.  
“Iri?”  
“The one and only, I’ve missed you so much.” Iri tells the fox who quickly dashes over to the group leaving the confounded farmer wondering as to why his gun misfired. “Let’s go home.”  
“It’s tiring trying to maintain this form.”  
“I know Alexia, it's time to come home.” Iri mutters while reconnecting them and the fox disappears back into her mind. She feels the fox curl around her mind like a warm blanket. Heading back with a smile on her face, the men follow in amazement of what just happened. The drive back was full of nuzzling and kissing as Iri was taken to the back seat by the lads, meanwhile the Gent drove home. From there it was a quiet night of rediscovering each other’s bodies as Geoff knotted her for the first time. He made note of the bite on her back as well as several scars in various places such as the one on her rib cage. Iri explained while at the facility that she had taken up fighting, learning how to defend herself so she could escape. The various marks were scars she’d gotten during her fight out. Which she noted was true for the most part, and even explained to them who her real parents were. A pair of french red foxes by the name of Celeste and Klein Marseilles, she was a musician by trade and he was a mercenary. Her real father often took jobs that seemed to be morally questionable, and on his last assignment the french government decided that he was to blame for the murder of an innocent village. From there they fled to the sanctuary that Erik had offered them. However, as all things with Erik were, there was a catch. In turn for their safety, they had to give up one child to him to do as he pleased with. Foxes were rare enough and to have two in his care was a chance he couldn’t pass up. At first they were hesitant, but as Celeste awoke one morning with a french assassin's gun to her head. Klein agreed, and so as the months wore by Celeste conceived a beautiful baby girl. Her real name was Daphne Artemis Marseilles, with striking blue eyes like her father and a voice that chimed like her mothers. It wasn’t until a year after she was born that Erik demanded they give her to him. The foxes refused and with the help of Otto and their companions the pair escaped. At first they believed everything to be alright until Klein was shot seven times while trying to protect Celeste. Celeste with her dying breath severed her connection with Marie her fox, and Marie whisked the baby away to a nearby run down house. It was then that Kody Burns stumbled upon the giggling baby, and Marie herself had died smiling knowing that the baby girl was safe. Kody had wanted to name her Iridescent Skye after the beautiful sunrise she was found in, but it was then that Margaret suggested Iridessa. Erik had learned of her true identity when he cornered the man in an alleyway with the baby, he'd recognized the seven year old instantly as she resembled Celeste remarkably. From there Iri learned that with the right training her powers would grow exponentially allowing her to not only affect the minds of people but also their bodies. She could heal minor wounds, such as scrapes and bruises however anything deep enough to need stitches she couldn’t do much about. When they asked about her escape she told them how she had vanished into the night after forcing one of the guards to release her. Which wasn’t entirely true, she had tried to escape with her child, but only managed to leave as Erik threatened to kill her child if she dared to take it. A power she never knew existed was held by Erik as he was able to manipulate the iron inside of red blood cells causing them to clot killing the person instantly. Iri herself had learned by Harold that telepaths were immune to this simply because of the shield that surrounded them naturally, but her baby was questionable. And the young vixen didn’t dare try to test the hypothesis, choosing rather to escape on her own. ‘You tell her who I was, and you tell her what you did! You tell my baby girl why this happened!’ Iri remembers quietly and at this Lexi raises her head.  
‘Your child… Iri, your child.’ Lexi mutters as the need to save it bubbles into her brain.  
‘Lexi it is done… I cannot nor can anyone save her… she is lost.’ Iri cries silently as she lay in bed with Michael’s strong arms wrapped around her waist. Looking up into the sleeping man’s face she eases herself from his grasp, and after making sure the others were still out she heads to the kitchen. There she flips on the light and pours herself a strong drink. Taking it out back she settles onto the edge of the pool dangling her feet in the water and kicking slowly at the rippling waves. Sipping at her drink and staring down into the water as tears cascaded from her eyes. She had promised herself she would never abandon her baby, yet her she sat alone in the night, no baby in her arms, no little girl with a crinkled nose to smile down at… rather just her and her drink.  
“I need Otto to sleep.” Iri mumbles as the tall glass soon empties and the alcohol does nothing to blanket her pain, just a weak attempt to cleanse her mind.  
‘Otto isn’t here, and I’m sorry I left you.”  
“I told you to leave remember… And besides I don’t think I would have been able to handle it so well with you there. Lexi the things I saw in that man’s mind were horrible. I’m just glad you weren’t forced to endure them as well.” Iri tells her friend with a mild buzz as the moon shines down on them.  
‘I’m glad you're okay.’  
“Me too… Me too. We have to go to work tomorrow… How do you think that’ll go?”  
‘No clue, but are you sure you still have a job?’  
“Yeah Geoff said Matt couldn’t terminate my employment, he was afraid of what it would do to Burnie… Is it strange to think that even knowing that they weren’t really my parents I still feel bad? I constantly turned over every stupid fight Burnie and I had ever had looking for some valuable reason to fight him… Yet I still draw a blank even now. To be so angry at him for no real reason. Lexi isn’t that idiotic? Instead of fighting him, I should have just let myself love them... those two ridiculously caring Alphas.”  
“I think it’s wise.” Iri hears from a male voice standing behind her, she doesn’t need to reach out to know that it was Geoff. “I think you didn’t deserve any of this.”  
“Thanks Papa, but I’ve learned a long time ago that life is cruel.” Iri mumbles as the man sits down next to her, pushing the empty glass back away from the edge. She doesn’t even wait till he’s settle before she lays her head down in his lap. The man says nothing as he strokes her ears soothingly, he knew she didn’t want to talk and he wasn’t going to be the one to push her to. Erik was a horribly creatively man and that was a deadly combo.  
“I love you Geoff.” Iri says after about half an hour of his gentle touches. “And I never stopped loving you, or any of you guys… He told me he would kill you, and I couldn’t… Geoff you understand why I couldn’t?” Iri mutters brokenly into the man’s lap and the elder just nods.  
“I love you too Kit, and I know his games… I know them all too well.” Geoff answers and leans down to kiss her softly. “I am sorry, I couldn’t protect you from him.”  
“It’s not your fault… it’s no ones, but his.”  
“I can’t wait to watch Godric kill him… That wolf was downright angry when he heard. I had to send Ryan home without Ray just to be sure he wouldn’t accidentally take his rage out on the man.” Geoff tells her and she sits up fully, Geoff stands up and picks her up bridal style and carries her to the house. Placing her gently down on the bed in the guest room he pulls her close to him and nips at her neck soothingly. “You know Daphne’s a pretty name.”  
“Yeah? You think so.” Iri says with a smile into her mate’s chest.  
“I think it’d be real pretty on our baby girl.” Geoff says and Iri can’t help, but pull away from the man in surprise. “I think it’d be nice having a kit running around the house… Or maybe three.”  
“You know I’m inclined to agree with you, but not yet Geoff… not yet.” She tells the man who pulls her back in for a kiss.  
“We’re going to breed you up so good.”  
“Shut up Geoff.” Iri grumbles with a chuckle as the man nibbles her furry ear, and then lies back down. The pair falls asleep slowly sharing breaths and snores. 

In the other room

“Did you hear Geoff?” Gavin asks as he sneaks back into the room from having spied on the other two.  
“Gav… I’m trying to sleep.”  
“She said yes.”  
“Mmm to what?” Michael mumbles as he rolls over onto his back to stare at the man.  
“Pups.” Gavin nearly shouts with excitement as he straddles Michael’s lap. “We’re going to be daddies.”  
“What?” Michael says in more surprise than actual not hearing.  
“If it’s a boy, I’m naming him Odencar.”  
“Dude that’s a horrible name.”  
“Oh then what would you name a boy?”  
“I’d name him, Sam.”  
“That’s so bland Michael! What about Romulus?”  
“Should I just get out the Star-Trek gear now?” Michael asks playfully and Gavin just squawks indignantly at him. “What about Leonard, Leo for short?”  
“I… I kinda like that, and for a girl?”  
“Daphne.” Michael answers having always loved the way it flowed of his tongue. He had a sister who was named Daphne before she had the mistake of trying to hide him from Erik.  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, I think it’s elegant. What about you?”  
“Scarlett…”  
“Daphne Scarlett Free, it’s got a nice ring to it.”  
“Oye why my last name? What about Scarlett Daphne Jones, now that sounds like a fierce woman.”  
“I figured out of all three of us you would be the one to have a girl.”  
“.... I hate you.”  
“But boi!”  
“Shut up you daft man.” Gavin mumbles as he pulls Michael into a kiss that he deepens. “I love you even if you have poor choice in baby names.”  
“And I love you even if you give a kid that huge nose.”  
“Go to bed you two!” Geoff’s voice rings out through the dark room. The omegas fall silent and cuddle into each other, falling asleep quickly. 

Monday Morning

Iri got ready like normal and it wasn’t until she finished her make up that she felt a twinge of worry. What if they didn’t want her back? What if Miles already had a new artist working on RWBY?  
“You ready Iri?” Gavin asks as he pokes his head in their room to find her still in her bra and underwear, staring into the mirror with a worried expression. It didn’t take his powers to figure out that she was anxious, sending happy vibes to the woman he watches her blink a few times before turning to him.  
“What?”  
“I asked if you were ready, but clearly you aren’t… Not that I’m not enjoying the view.” Gavin adds with a smirk as the man just imagines what she would look like with a fat stomach pregnant with pups.  
“Who would have guessed you had a pregnancy fetish?” Iri teases as she saunters over to Gavin, and places his hands on her hips. “You know if you want to have pups I have to be bred as a fox… Some sort of genetic thing that allows for multiple partners of any dynamic to have children.”  
“Hmm I can’t wait to mount you.” Gavin purrs as he trails his hands over her body, kissing her softly. “It’s a shame this weekend went by too quickly.”  
“Yeah.” She whispers needily as he caresses her breasts.  
“Gav, Iri come on!” Michael shouts as he enter the room to find Gavin rutting against her hips as he pressed her up against the dresser. “Christ you two! Like bitches in heat.”  
“Jealous much?” Iri quips back as Gavin pulls back to kiss her gently.  
“Psh you wish, now get dressed so we can get going.” Michael scoffs as he forces Gavin back and claims her mouth roughly sending shivers through her body. “Be a good girl and get dressed before Daddy has to come looking you.”  
“Here just wear this.” Gavin says as he grabs her lacy royal blue dress that came to about halfway to her knee with lace sleeves that came to her elbows and sat off her shoulders exposing them. She just slips it on quickly and her pair of black cowboy boots, grabbing her purse she dashes out after the men. Geoff stood by the car waiting with a smile as Iri came out looking like a dream with her hair curled just slightly, falling in large ringlets.  
“I thought I was going to have to come in after you guys… Hmm seems Gav got a little handsy.. and fetishy.. pregnancy who knew?” Geoff adds with a shrug as he makes note of that for future reference, and starts up the car heading towards the office. The car ride was filled with them playing catch up with Iri trying to prepare her for the mess that would be her desk. Upon exiting the car she enters through the doors normally and heads to her desk keeping her head down as much as possible. What she sees makes her heart hurt, and her eyes tear up. She wished she’d let Gavin come with her to keep her emotions steady, but Iri knew she could do this. Iri just had to believe she could, hell she found Lexi in less time; so standing at her desk that was turned into a shrine of sorts with a deep breath she started to leaf through the objects. The mountain of cards, sea of pictures with her fathers and her mates, a few burnt out candles, a picture that had been taken with a fan at RTX, a miniature vulpix, her rapier that had gone with her SAO cosplay, and amidst it all sat a small unopened box. The box was black and covered in velvet, like a box jewelry came in. Opening it curiously she puts a hand to her mouth in surprise as a picture of her and Ray from a few years ago sits framed on the inside top of the box, and a black leather choker with a sapphire blue gem rested in it as well. Inscribed in the leather was the phrase, ‘Even a stray needs a friend.’  
“Team Stray.” Iri mumbles and takes the necklace out, putting it on with a sad smile wishing he'd been here to put it on her. It’s at this moment her stormy blue eyes meet Ray’s shocked brown. “Ray!”  
“Skye!” Ray shouts in surprise as he rushes to meet the woman whom nearly barrels the man over in happiness. It was no surprise that she was the stronger of the two. Pulling her in for a hug that seemed to express more emotion than Ray knew he ever could. They don’t pull apart until a few people start to stare, and several gasp in recognition. “God it’s been… it’s been hell, when did you get back? How did you get back? Were you hurt? Are you hurt? Did you tell anyone else?” Ray asks bombarding the woman with questions as she just smiles at her worried friend.  
“I hitchhiked, I got back Friday night, I’m not currently hurt, and my mates know.” Iri says answering the man’s question as quickly as possible before he just pulls her back in for a hug.  
“Did he hurt you?”  
“No.” Iri lies knowing that it would be best this way, and she must have lied well since the man just accepted it. It wasn’t surprising how quickly she spotted Burnie and Joel rushing to her desk, someone most likely having explained situation to them already. Pulling away from Ray she stares into her fathers' eyes, with a soft smile not particularly sure what to actually say.  
“Princess.” Burnie whispers as he surges forth to pull her into his arms with tears in his eyes. “I thought, god I thought you were dead.”  
“I’m sorry… I’m not though, so there’s a positive.” Iri tells the man optimistically as he dissolves into a breathy chuckle.  
“I can’t… You know I’m never going to be able to understand your thought process.” Burnie mumbles as he kisses her forehead repeatedly and just whispers, “I love you.” many times.  
“Papa?” Iri says as the man has fizzled into a blubbering mess wasting no time she pulls him down to comfort him. “I’m so very very sorry… I should have never walked off alone, I thought I would be safe there. I never expected this to happen.”  
“I can’t believe you're alive, and here! What are you doing at work of all places? Shouldn’t you be curled up at home in your pack’s embrace?” Joel asks after schooling his expression and pulling himself together.  
“World doesn’t stop just because I disappear, and besides I’d like to just put this whole mess behind me… Just fall back into the groove you know?” Iri answers keeping her voice steady as the older men nod in understanding. Ray however, only smiles as he wraps his arms around her waist and buries his head in her smoky neck, rubbing affectionately.  
“Only you would say that… The girl who's been kidnapped by a psychotic man, escapes, and then goes back to work three days later. Sheesh workaholic much.” Ray mutters jokingly as he releases the woman who just rolls her eyes.  
“Yeah, says the guy who got a dead woman jewelry.”  
“Oh that, was… that was your birthday present but at the time things were so hectic that I forgot, and by the time I remembered you were gone.” Ray says somberly and she takes his head into her hands with a smile.  
“But I’m here now okay? I won’t ever leave again, and besides it’s positively beautiful; it radiates like the fire inside of you.” Iri murmurs poetically while rubbing a tear from his cheek. “I can’t change the past, but our future is bright with you as my light.”  
“If you keep talking like that the crowd will be in tears just like me.” Ray warns as Iri notices the circle of people who had stopped to watch the reunion.  
“Then uh… Back to work people!” Iri shouts as the pair separates sounds of shuffling feet and sniffling catch her ears. Turning to face them she sees Miles frozen, staring at her with more anger than she’s ever seen from him in her life.  
“I can’t believe you!”  
“What?”  
“You disappear, and then reappear months later, days before I have to release a new season! How could you?” Miles practically growls as he approaches her with his scent turned sharp in anger. “I need your help and what do you do? You just decided to go get yourself fucking kidnapped!”  
“Hey I.”  
“Do you know how stressful that is on Kerry and I? We had to find someone to pick up the slack, and who knew our style… Not that we ever did, but god dammit!” Miles rages and Iri just watches the man slam his coffee cup on the wall in anger.  
“Hey Miles chill you're going to give yourself a heart attack, and besides I’m a fast drawer I’ll have it to you by the end of the week.”  
“Wait that’s what you're taking from this? Really? You positively, infuriatingly dumb woman! I’m not mad because the work was missed; I’m mad because I care about you and you were in mortal danger!” Miles fumes as he grabs the woman and forces her into a hug. “I’m mad because I missed your brooding ass.” He mumbles softly.  
“I’m here now.” Iri offers and that seems to placate the man slightly.  
“If you get kidnapped again, I’m going to kick your ass.”  
“Geez Miles, I didn’t know you liked me that much.”  
“Yeah well you never know what you have until it’s gone… Help me clean this up, and then let’s get started on the scenes.”  
“Sure thing Boss man.”  
“Shut up Smart ass.” Miles quips as they both go to mop up the spill, and then get to work.


	13. I broke your nose as easily as he broke me

Tuesday Morning 4 A.M.  
Ramsey household

Iri growled in frustration as her hand cramped again, and it caused the pencil to fumble. She had been at this since the morning attempting to draw the scenes for the new season, and Kerry had given her the script earlier plus some of the concept art they had, but it was very crude and quite unhelpful. It wasn’t until she felt her hand cramp for the last time that she gave up, and tossed the pencil at the wall. However without meaning to she makes a several inch hole deep in the drywall with the eraser staring at her accusingly.  
“God Dammit!” Iri curses as she stands up and goes to remove the wooden blemish from the previously cream wall. Taking it in hand she leaves the room and listening around the house she hears the quiet dreaming minds of all. Walking to the garage where Michael kept his punching bag and weights, she begins to hit the bag. At first just testing it to see how loud it would really be, and when she’s certain that no one is woken up by her hitting. She opens up. It was amazing how fast one learned to fight, when they were trained by the person they hated the most. Erik was an awful human being, wait no, he was a monster plain and simple but the man did know his craft. It isn’t until she imagines his face on the bag that her mind focuses completely. And with one last powerful kick she sends the bag flying off it’s chain. It lands with a solid thud, masking her heaving breaths for a second; she uses her powers to raise it then smash it on the ground repeatedly till it’s spewing it’s innards everywhere and Iri is crying hot tears of pain. Lifting it up once more she hurls it out into the yard, and then sends it flying over the fence into the nearby forest. She wanted him to hurt like she did, and god did she want to pummel him.  
“Christ you really did a number on that thing.” Gavin’s surprised voice says as he appears beside her in the yard wearing his pajamas. Iri just smiles at him kindly as he wipes away the tears that fell from her eyes.“Love are you okay?”  
“Yeah… I’m just tired.”  
“Well let’s go to bed then.” Gavin suggests with a tender kiss to her heaving shoulders, and he grabs her hand tugging her gently till she follows him. “Did you finish drawing?”  
“No… I got about two eighths of the way done before my stupid hand started cramping.”  
“I see, well let’s get an ice pack on it then.” Gavin murmurs as he guides her to the couch in the living room where he leaves to get an ice pack. Coming back he finds the woman lying on the couch with her head cradled by her arms. “Let’s cuddle eh?”  
“Sure Pup.” Iri mutters with a loving smile as he sits down on the other side of her, and she snuggles up into his chest. He hands her the ice pack which she places on her left hand. “So why are you up?”  
“Lance was restless, and he felt your stress...told me to see what I could do about it.” Gav says in between a yawn and he wiggles his eyebrows seductively, causing her to laugh quietly. Her laughter settles, but starts again when he trails his fingers over her ticklish spots.  
“Stop it, Gav I’m serious…. I SAID STOP!” Iri yells as she flings the man across the room with a flick of her wrist. Gavin lands a few feet away with a yelp causing the woman to immediately regret her actions. “Oh god I’m so sorry, Gav come here..I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry.” Iri rambles apologetically as the man holds at his nose. She could see the blood streaming under his hand, and soon the hall light flicks on as the sound of footsteps echo in her ears. Iri watches as Michael lifts Gav up and places him on the bar, while Geoff assesses him. Backing away she leaves the room before they could hit her like Erik had done for these last months. She was so accustomed to the pain and she expected nothing less from them.  
“Geoff, I think it’s broke.” Gavin mumbles in tears as his hands are coated in blood and snot.  
“It’s okay I’ll fix it on three. Ready? One, two.” Geoff says and then a loud snap is heard as the man’s nose falls back into place. “Here I can heal it all the way.”  
“What happened Boi?” Michael asks as Geoff completes his task leaving the other in little to no pain as the blood stops and the bruising disappears.  
“I was tickling Iri and she just freaked out!” Gavin argues and Geoff just sighs in frustration.  
“Gav, I told you to be careful, you don’t know what happened and neither do I… I told you to be careful of her, she may have PTSD for all that we know..”  
“I didn’t think she’d break my bloody nose!”  
“Well you are lucky that is all she did.” Geoff tells the man and hands him a wash cloth to clean himself up. “Where did she go?”  
“Iri?” Michael shouts and he looks around to find her pacing around outside. Leaving Gavin to clean himself up, he and Geoff head towards the fox who is cursing herself in the yard.  
“I’m so stupid! How could I do that? I could have killed him, I could have hurt him. I’m a disaster, a walking disaster. I’m worse than Erik, I hurt my mate, god I’m a terrible mate. He probably hates me… I need to leave, they won’t want me… I’m broken.” Iri rambles on the yard as she paces around somberly. The men watch with broken hearts as the woman shakes in fear. “No one needs me I’m broken, I should just go back.”  
“Kit?” Geoff says drawing the fox from her depressing monologue.  
“Geoff I didn’t mean to, it was an accident! I panicked and I lashed out and I’m so sorry! I… I… Please don’t hate me, I didn’t.” Iri prattles as she stops pacing to look the man in the eye. He was almost horrified by the desperation he saw there. “I’ll go… I’ll get my stuff and be gone in a minute.”  
“Why?” Michael asks in confusion as the fox looks to him mirroring his confusion.  
“I hurt Gavin, I need to leave.”  
“Kit it’s okay. Gavin’s fine, a little angry at himself but otherwise he’s okay.” Geoff assures the woman who stops pacing at looks at him. “It’s okay.”  
“It’s not okay, I could have killed him. I was careless and he paid the price!”  
“Iri you act like he’s dead, look at him he’s fine.” Michael argues as he points to the Brit who was opening the glass door to come outside as they spoke. “It was just a broken nose, and Gav get’s those so often it’s almost comical.”  
“I.. he.. I didn’t mean to.” Iri stutters as Gav walks over to her with a smile on his face.  
“It’s alright Love, we expected trauma… I just didn’t think tickling would do it.”  
“Trauma? I don’t have trauma, I’m fine.” Iri says sharply her remorseful tone now taken on an angry undertone. “I just wasn’t thinking properly.”  
“Okay, how about we all go to bed? Hmm it’s late and we’re tired, no one’s really thinking clearly right now.” Geoff suggests as he feels his pack’s emotions begin to rise.  
“But I hurt him… I should be punished, not corralled into a bed.”  
“Iri it was an accident, and I fixed it. Just let it go, no need to make a mountain out of a molehill.” Geoff assures the woman who reluctantly accepts the thought as he nudges her towards the door. “Let’s just go to bed for now.”  
“Yeah… yeah okay.” Iri mumbles as Geoff lifts the shaking woman up and carries her inside flicking the light off and locking the door. Once in the bed Geoff holds Iri close as they fall asleep, however Iri feels the overwhelming guilt and worms her way out of the man’s grip. Taking her place at the foot of the bed like Erik always made her do when she was bad. He would force her to lie on the ground for the entire night, tied to the bed like a dog. She would be beaten mercilessly if she moved from the spot, so there she laid. Iri didn’t want to be hit, so hopefully lying here would be good enough to sate them. She was a good pet honest! Her eyes drifting shut comforted by Lexi telling her to go to sleep, that she was a good pet, and that they wouldn’t hurt her. 

Eight am

Geoff awoke with a start, he had the dream about being shot through the heart by Erik in Kuwait. Rubbing his chest with a grimace he can still feel the scar from it. However as he is feeling around he notices the bed devoid of one occupant.  
‘Todd where’s Iri?’ Geoff asks dragging the fox up from his mind.  
‘She’s by the end of the bed… Erik did a number on her Geoff, and from what Lexi has shown me… Geoff, I’m surprised she is still functioning normally.’ Todd whispers as he shows the man. Geoff witnesses countless beatings and her being forced to endure the pain, bound in chains. He watched as the woman finally snapped, allowing the man to do as he pleased. Erik had taken her, and he’d knotted her. He’d bitten her back, and that was when the scenes ended. The word pet echoing in his mind. Getting up he finds Iri sleeping fitfully curled up on herself, using a discarded hoodie as a pillow.  
“Iri, wake up Kit.” Geoff whispers as he nudges her gently with his foot. The woman sits up and blinks away the sleep with a yawn. However before he can say anything else she works her way over to him on her hands and knees. Once sitting before him she nuzzles his crotch with a throaty purr he places a hand on her head. Taking this as a good sign Iri continues nuzzling before pulling down his boxers and taking the hardened length into her hands. Kissing the tip lightly she opens her mouth, taking him all the way down to the root. Hearing the man make appreciative sounds above her she pulls back and bobs her head slowly. “Very good Pet, such a good Pet you are.” Geoff praises as the woman smiles around his cock and starts to speed up, twirling her tongue around the tip on each pull. Sucking on him with no abandon. Master didn’t like it when she teased, and good pets do what Master likes. She can hear Master moaning above her and it isn’t until a hand tightens in her hair that she feels him shoot cum straight down her throat... even if this wasn't her usual Master. However Geoff pulls back so that she gets a mouthful. “Show me Pet.” He orders and without hesitation she opens her mouth to show him. Geoff makes a pleased sound before he tells her to swallow. Obediently she does so, and then nuzzles at the man’s legs with a purr. See she was a good girl, she didn’t mean to be bad. “Tell me what he did to you.”  
“...” Iri just sits in silence refusing to meet the man’s eyes, rather choosing to fiddle with a strand of her hair.  
“Pet, don’t make me paddle you.”  
“No… I can’t.” Iri whispers nearly silent as she stares up at Geoff with tearful eyes, couldn’t he just see that she was sorry.  
“Why not?”  
“Hurts.”  
“Very well then at the very least you should go wake Gav up… Go show him how sorry you are for breaking his nose.” Geoff says and she takes the hint while crawling to the other side of the bed. She finds Gavin lying face up on his back, so very carefully she lifts the blankets up and begins to give the man the same treatment as she did Geoff. However with him she kissed his cock a few more times before licking at the slit till it became hard. Iri continues with a pleasant feeling in her chest as Gav makes quiet little noises of pleasure in his sleep. Taking him down in one swoop was a little easier than it was with Geoff given that her throat was more relaxed now. Bobbing her head, enjoying his noises of pleasure until a hand pulls on her tail. Looking up she finds Michael near her backside with a smile. Pulling off Gavin, panting she watches as Michael gathers up some of her leaking slick and rubs her clit slowly. Iri can’t help the moans that ensue as she runs her hands up and down the spit slicked cock.  
“Hush, good pets are quiet.” Geoff snaps as he flicks her ears which are pointed down in submission. She nods and then takes the other’s cock back into her mouth, swirling her tongue around his head. Michael in the meantime pushes the woman’s legs open a little wider so he had access to her leaking hole, and without warning he slips himself in, causing her to whine needily around Gavin’s thick cock. With a smirk he pulls completely out, and waits, rubbing her clit as she deep-throated the man under her. Lifting herself up she stares at Michael with lusty eyes, and Geoff just shakes his head in disappointment. “Naughty girl, very bad girl pulling off your Master’s leaking cock like that. Finish him up and maybe I’ll let Michael get you off.” Geoff says to the needy woman who wastes no time in diving back onto Gavin. It doesn’t take much more before the Brit cums with his eyes wide open and his chest heaving as the woman continued sucking.  
“Bloody hell!” Gavin shouts as he wakes up to find Iri’s lips still wrapping around his cock as he pumps his hips up slightly. “Iri what are you doing?”  
“Showing Master how sorry Pet is.” Iri mumbles after pulling off Gavin with a pop.  
“Pet here has been at the foot of the bed all night, seems she felt awfully bad about last night.” Geoff explains and Gavin nods quickly just going with it. The gent had a feeling that this was more of a reflex for the woman at this point, and from what Todd told him she wouldn't feel forgiven until she did it... He didn't know what Erik did to her, but hopefully there was still time to reverse it. Gavin however just smiles at her affectionately, hell it was a bj in the morning not the worse way he’d ever woken up. Leaning down he pulls her up, and then into a kiss.  
“Mmm Pet is forgiven, but next time I’ll punish you myself.” Gavin threatens with a teasing smile as he watches the woman carefully. It seems that his words relaxed her and Michael seeing as everything was good taps her hips. Without even looking back Iri just lifts them up to present to Michael who grins widely at this. “Good girl, so well behaved.” Gavin purrs as he reaches under the woman to tweak her nipples, enjoying the little murmurs she makes.  
“Pet?” Michael asks as he jerks her tail roughly causing her to squeak in surprise. “I want you to ride me.”  
“Yes Master.” Iri replies obediently as the man lies back on the bed and she straddles his hard member, without wasting time she slides down and her mouth opens wide in pleasure. “So… So big.” She whimpers as her hips only make it about halfway before she stops to catch her breath; Michael on the other hand just clenched her hips most likely leaving bruises as the woman adjusted to his girth.  
“There’s a good girl… Oh fuck yeah Iri, take it.” Michael pants as she moves her hips up suddenly and Michael jerks up, slamming himself all the way in.  
“Master.” Iri stutters as she feels herself filled to the brim, and in an attempt to relieve the pressure she tries to get off. However Geoff clicks his tongue and pushes her back down.  
“He’s no bigger than I, and you took that just fine the other night. Ride him Pet or I get the whip.” Geoff orders strictly though it had been an empty threat and if Iri were in her right mind she would see that, the fox however not just bites her lip and begins to ride the man beneath her. She can feel herself get lost in the motions as Gavin pumps pleasure into her veins with his powers, Geoff whispers praises in her mind, and Michael sends little shocks right to her sensitive pussy causing the muscles to clench around his dick. This continues until she feels the need for release looking down to Michael, she can feel how close he is by the way his hips seem to stutter.  
“Master can I? Please can I cum.” Iri asks the red haired man who just swears fiercely as he fills her up, and she screams in pleasure as orgasm nearly knocks her out. Panting heavily she falls to Michael’s chest and closes her eyes riding out the aftershocks. Lulled into a passive state by the man’s heart beat she doesn’t notice when he pulls out, and she is then kissed chastely by Geoff on the cheek.  
“Iri we need to talk about this.”  
“No we don’t.” Iri pants, she had a feeling this was coming. She had hoped that maybe they could just ignore this, chalk it up to them being kinky bastards but the Gent seemed opposed to that plan.  
“Yes we do, but right now we need to get cleaned up and ready for work.”  
“But Daddy.” Michael whines as he rolls over to face the pillow.  
“Don’t ‘but Daddy’ me. Now get up, we have a Let’s Play to record.” Geoff orders and the boys grumble in disappointment while nearly carrying Iri to the shower since her legs seemed to still be wobbly. Gav the ever insatiable, gets down to his knees in the large shower and begins to lick the cum out of Iri. It isn’t until she cums on his tongue that the man stops with a satisfied smile.  
“Gav, you are way too good at bringing her to an orgasm… It’s almost dangerous how good you are at it.” Michael tells the man as he washes his hair and sticks it under the water to rinse. Iri however just sort of sat against the shower wall till the others noticed. Gavin who seemed to notice her sudden lack of interest turns to see her turned away from them.  
“Love?”  
“Just leave me alone.” Iri whimpers as she curls up away from the man. She was sick, how could she just do that. She wasn’t a pet she was a person, and how did she like it! Maybe Erik was right about her. Maybe she was nothing more than a filthy whore, ready to suck any cock that was offered to her. It isn’t until she feels hands pull her tear streaked face up that she looks at the two men before her.  
“Hey it’s alright… What’s wrong Love?”  
“I.. I… I’m sick.”  
“Why do you say that?” Michael asks in confusion as he works himself behind the woman to hold her.  
“I wanted that. I wanted to be owned, to be nothing more than a bitch willing to suck any cock put in front of her… Erik was right.” Iri resigns and at this the other two’s posture goes rigid.  
“No he wasn’t! You take that back right now!” Michael growls as he forces the woman to look them in the eye. “That was rape, this was, well this was just playing… there’s a difference.”  
“I… Michael.”  
“No, just stop talking before I hit you! What that man did to you was horrible, that was torture… We didn’t force you to do that, you wanted to because… well I don’t know why you wanted to do it, but it wasn’t forced! No one here was going to hurt you if you didn’t want to do that. If you didn’t want to do that Geoff wouldn’t have made you, no one would have!” Michael snarls at the woman who starts shaking and crawls away from the angry man. He was going to hit her, she knew it. Flinching as Michael reached for her seemed to truly make the man understand how scared she really was. “I.. I wouldn’t actually hit you… Never.” Michael says as he storms out of the shower in disbelief.  
“Michael come back!” Gavin calls out after him, but instead turns back to see Iri curled into a corner of the stone shower with her head between her knees. “Love it’s alright, he’s just.. He’s just upset at himself.”  
“No he’s mad at me because I.. I didn’t want to Gavin, I tried to fight him, but the pain… he just kept hitting and he broke my bones… He broke them all just because he could.” Iri whimpers as the man puts his hands to her back as he pulls her out of the water. “I tried to stop him, Gav you have to believe me! I didn’t want him to.”  
“I know Love, but it’s over now. He can’t hurt you now.”  
“Yes he can! What don’t you understand about this? No matter how hard I try to suppress him, he always comes back, and the dreams. God I don’t even know what real sleep is like anymore!” Iri screams at the man who just stares with wide eyes as the woman finally cracks completely, falling to the floor in broken sobs. She didn’t want to fight anymore, she wanted to die, and she didn’t want anyone to care. She just wanted to slip away into the darkness and just let her go… These men could go on without her, they had before… it could be done again. Geoff having heard the sound and saw how distraught Michael was rushes to the bathroom to see Iri sobbing heavily and Gavin trying to influence her to look at him.  
“Iri look at me… Come on look at me Kit.”  
“I didn’t want to… I didn’t want it… I just wanted my freedom.” Iri sobs into her hands and as the truth slips out in her mind as she just cries harder. “I couldn’t stop him.”  
“What did he do?” Geoff asks in more surprise than anything else. Iri still sobbing brokenly as Gavin just stares at him with wide eyes.  
“Lexi, just show them… I can’t.” Iri mutters brokenly as the fox nods, she projects it to them showing them how the man had bargained with her about her freedom. She showed Iri refusing to allow such a thing and Lexi knowing that her mistress would only become more distressed if she showed the truth she tweaked the memories to be that of him just raping and beating her. Lexi also showed the countless hours of training she’d undergone to become a proficient fighter. The last thing she showed the men was of her mistress escaping the lab with bullets whizzing past her, and several nicking her body but none truly damaging her.  
“Every time I hit you, I get to break a bone.” Is all they hear echoed throughout their minds as Iri lay whimpering, and Geoff went to touch her but she growled at him.  
“Do you understand now Michael? Do you understand why I feel so ashamed?” She yells at the ginger staring with wide eyes. “Do you all get why I don’t belong here anymore? I’m broken and no amount of anything can fix me!”  
“Iri you don’t know that… Time will fix this, just give it time.” Geoff tells the distraught vixen who just laughs darkly at him.  
“God how naive do you believe me to be? I know the nightmares he gives you, and I don’t think…” Iri trails off as her brain begins to draw a blank… Why was she angry? What was going on? Why were her eyes wet, was she crying?  
“Iri, Kit are you alright?”  
“Geoff what’s happening? What’s going on?” Iri asks as the man just sighs in relief.  
“You fell, and hit your head. Does it hurt?” Geoff lies as he turns to the omegas who just nods in understanding. “You fell pretty hard, I’m surprised it’s not bleeding.”  
“No my head does kinda ache now that you mention it… Geoff did I pass out?” Iri inquires and for some reason she felt better.. like the anger had just washed away leaving her with an optimistic hope. Maybe her capture wasn’t going to be the thing that defined her life.  
“Yeah for a few minutes, tell me what do you remember?”  
“I remember last night, and falling asleep in the your arms, and Gavin… Gavin you know eating me out in here… But it’s black other than that.” Iri says and the men seem to relax after that. “Did I hurt somebody?”  
“No Love, it’s just that we were worried you wouldn’t wake up at all.” Gavin says and he knows that Geoff erased what happened earlier. It was much too traumatic for the woman, and it only seemed to bring guilt to her. So best to forget it, and this was something they all agreed upon.  
“Gav you worry too much.” Iri mumbles as something seems to nag at her mind, but she doesn’t know what… Hopefully it wasn’t important, speaking of important she had sketches to work on.  
“What is it?” Michael asks warily hoping that Iri wouldn’t try and figure it out.  
“RWBY, I have to get to the office! I have a ton of stuff to finish!” Iri mutters while standing up and wobbling slightly. She goes to walk but stumbles right into Michael. “Sorry, sorta dizzy.”  
“It’s alright, come on I’ll take you to the office while they get ready.” Michael answers as he follows the woman who seemed to be consumed by her task. Throwing on a short dress that was half white on top with midway sleeves, and the bottom was the color of coal, a bright red ribbon separating the two colors. Slipping on black flats with tiny red bows on the toes, and pulling her hair into a french braid. After getting dressed she heads to the guest room to grab her drawings, Michael who followed her notices a tiny pencil sized hole in the wall.  
“What happened there?”  
“Hand cramp.” Iri mumbles with a sheepish smile as the man just rolls his eyes.  
“Did you tell Geoff?”  
“Uh no, I plan to fix it… Michael we gotta go! Here, help me carry these!” She says after handing the man a stack of papers, hopefully Miles wouldn't be too mad about her being so late. It was already ten o’clock on her watch. The pair rush out of the house leaving Gavin and Geoff alone in the bathroom.  
“Geoff she won’t remember this morning will she?”  
“Nope, I completely eradicated the memory from her mind. She knows nothing of this morning, and Gavin it’s better that way.”  
“I know, but how do you know she won’t remember?”  
“Simple I used her anger to burn the memory away like you would a thread. I made sure even Lexi will know nothing.”  
“You know you're scary sometimes.”  
“Yeah, well this was the only way. She would have caused herself more pain, than good if she continued thinking like that.”  
“How come you didn’t just take away the whole thing?”  
“It’s too much time Pup. I would have to have an explanation for her disappearance and from there the story would get much too complicated to quickly. Besides this way she only forgot how bad she felt, plus the pet thing. Don’t ever bring it up, otherwise she may start to pry.”  
“But even if she did what would she find?”  
“Nothing, and that would raise more questions than I want to answer… now let’s get ready for work it’s already ten.” Geoff tells him as the Brit nods quickly getting ready.


	14. My Leige

Noonish

Geoff and the other AH crew were slowly winding down with their respective projects in the hopes that they could all go out for a lunch together. It had been a long time since that happened so the lads and gents were mildly pleased when Geoff brought it up... Jack, and Ryan were mainly just happy to see the rest of their crew out of the despair that Iri's disappearance sent over them. Ray was the first to go off and invite Iri to come along, the eldest Gent had told him that she most likely wouldn’t due to all the work she was playing catch up to. Miles who was finally glad to have his lead artist back was working her to death, trying to finish redrawing sketches so the animators could put them together. So when Ray had wandered back in by himself no one was particularly surprised that she had refused, though it didn’t mean Geoff couldn’t make her. With a sly smirk and after telling the guys to go pile into Jack’s car and Ryan’s car, he disappears to go find the artist. However when he finds her, he finds her sword fighting with Aaron and Blaine. Her hair was down around her shoulders, swaying with each movement along with her tail held high in playfulness, and her shoes were carelessly thrown to the side. Curiosity causing him to watch the woman parry and thrust, lunge and twist, out maneuvering the men each time they attempted to hit her. However they manage to back the woman into a corner and he thinks surely she must fall to the nerf swords, but in a surprising quickness she surges forward, knocking Aaron’s blade from his hand and into the air. Snatching it she pretends to slice both of their heads off with her chest heaving. The men melodramatic as ever fall to their knees in sputtering deaths. With a grin Geoff claps at her swordsmanship and she merely courtesies, and tips an imaginary hat to him.  
“My liege to what do we owe the honor?” Iri asks as she offers each of the men an arm up. She was feeling playful, and if sword fighting did one thing for her it was get her adrenaline pumping… even with fake swords.  
“Well my Lady, I came to see why you refused lunch with your Kings?”  
“Kings… psh the only one among you who is a king is Ryan, and that guy’s crazy on a good day.” Blaine scoffs and the others chuckle quietly.  
“You know Sir Blaine makes an excellent point.” Iri adds and Geoff just sighs.  
“Yeah you're probably right, but seriously why aren’t you coming?”  
“Oh I have work to do, and was doing before these Scoundrels burst into my office with the promise of a battle…And how could a Lady such as I refuse?”  
“Geoff she’s deadly, you’d better watch yourself… Come on Blaine let’s go attack Chris, he’ll be an easy take down to heal our wounded manhood.” Aaron says as he grabs his friend in search of Chris. Iri just rolls her eyes and hands over the sword, grabbing her discarded shoes before standing on her tip toes to give Geoff a chaste kiss.  
“Go have fun with thou friends.”  
“Hmm I think you mean our friends, and besides come with us… have you eaten yet today?” Geoff asks while pulling her in for a soft kiss.  
“No… I’m not hungry though, and I really do need to finish up that work.” Iri mumbles with a smirk as Geoff pulled her close. “Go have fun Papa, perhaps another time when I don’t come back from being kidnapped.”  
“I hate how you make it sound so.. so casual as though getting kidnapped is just part of your everyday agenda.” Geoff grumbles into her hair and Iri just takes one of his hands into hers, kissing it lightly she puts it to her cheek. He knew how damaging the man had been to her psyche, and it upset him that she was so nonchalant over it... though he supposed he had made her forget the brunt of those feelings this morning.  
“It’s harder to heal what is always broken.”  
“And that means what exactly?”  
“It means that the bigger deal I make of this the worse it will feel, and besides wouldn’t you rather have me happy than sad?”  
“You know I do, but if you ever need to talk about it we’re here.. And I won’t ever make you tell me something you don’t want to.”  
“I know Papa, I know. Now shouldn’t you get going before the Lads get anxious.”  
“I love you.”  
“As do I love thee, but I will see you later.” Iri says pushing the man slightly towards the exit where she could feel the others heading to. “Go my Liege before the Knights get restless.”  
“Only you would call me that, and I sorta like it.”  
“Perhaps if you go now I’ll let thee take me to thine chambers tonight, but only if you depart now my Liege.”  
“Promise?”  
“I won’t promise you something I can’t be sure of, but maybe.” Iri teases as the gent finally relents and heads off towards the door. She watches him leave the building before heading back to the office to work more. Hopefully she could finish this in the next few days, surprisingly when Miles had announced her return the fan's had told them that they were cool with waiting. It would be a lie to say that she wasn’t touched by that, so in order to make it up to them she promised to finish them as soon as humanly possible… but she wasn’t completely human, and it did have its perks. Closing the door and shutting the blinds she grabs a pencil in her hand, while Lexi appeared next to her.  
“Iri what are we doing this time?”  
“I want this… and if we could tweak it just a little so Weiss’ brow isn’t so furrowed that would be great, but I want sharp lines Lexi so don’t be afraid to stop and sharpen the pencil.” Iri explains while picturing a scene in her mind before the fox sets off to work on it, using telekinesis to draw. On the other hand Iri used her telekinesis to finish out shading while she started another scene. This was perhaps her favorite part about using her office instead of her desk, here she could be free to allow true self to shine. 

2 pm

Iri doesn’t even notice when the door cracks open to reveal Gavin holding a bag of food and a drink.  
“Bloody hell, how can you do all that at once?” Gavin asks in amazement as he watches Lexi drawing, Iri working on two separate pieces one with her hand another with a pencil just drawing by itself.  
“Oh hey Gav, whatcha need?” Iri asks as she doesn’t even drag herself from the art. The other just shakes his head before he walks over to where the woman sat with an intense look of concentration. He pulls her chin up, giving her a quick kiss that causes the other to smile, and then presents the food to her. “Well aren’t you just a gentleman.”  
“You know what they say about the British, chivalry lives within our blood.” Gavin murmurs into her lips as he kisses her again.  
“I feel like that’s not a thing, but I do like the initiative.” Iri whispers seductively as he bites at her bottom lip and she opens her mouth so he can play marco polo (As in the explorer). It isn't until their both breathless from kissing that he pulls back and finally hands her the food.  
“Would you like to play a game?”  
“What kinda game?”  
“A fun one… get on the ground love, now come here.” Gavin says as he sits in the rolling chair she had occupied. He motions for her to rest her head in his lap so she does, and Gavin takes out a french fry he places it in her open waiting mouth watching with a smile as she chewed it slowly.  
“I’m not sure how this constitutes as a game Gav, this is just you feeding me.” She says after a few fries.  
“Fine then how about we play it this way.” Gavin accepting the challenge turns around and pulls down his pants presenting his hole to her. She watches with curious eyes as the man takes about five fries and shoves them a little in. “Eat me out.”  
“Literally.” Iri mumbles with a chuckle as she starts out by licking all around the man’s hole, tasting his grassy musk. Licking his balls playfully and enjoying the way he nearly bucks off the chair, she moves onto the main event nibbling at the salty fries. Eating them slowly so that the man was merely panting into his arms before she done. “Gav don’t cum on my chair.”  
“I make no promises.” Gav whimpers as he feels her tongue swipe his slick hole again, lapping at the remaining grease and salt. With a smile Iri takes another fry from the bag forces the man to turn over now facing her. Taking the fry she rubs it all over the man’s cock listening to the whimpers he makes as she does it. “Gav you okay?”  
“Burns a little… salt wasn’t made for your knob.”  
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry let me get it off.” Iri teases with a knowing smile as she laps at the man’s leaking length, and then taking it fully into her mouth bringing him to an orgasm quickly. “Gav you taste great with fries.” Iri mumbles as she swallows his load and continues eating the food as the man catches his breath.  
“Yeah…. thanks.” Gav pants as he pushes her back to the floor causing the woman to make a surprised squeak. “I bet you’ll taste even better.”  
“Gav we don’t have time.. a blowjob is one thing, but… Oh god.” Iri stutters as the man pushes up her dress and her panties down. She watches with a smile as the man grabs a fry and runs it through the slick she was making, before eating it.  
“Mmm smoky.”  
“Gav if you don’t fuck me now, I’m going to make you fuck me.” Iri whines impatiently as the man just raises his eyebrows at the woman.  
“Pushy, aren’t we Love.”  
“Please we might get caught and I… good god Gav just fuck me already.” Iri whimpers as she pulls the man in for a kiss. Wasting no time he thrusts into the fox who arches her back at this, with a smile he runs his hand over his bite on her hip. Pushing on it possessively the woman moans around his tongue.  
“Love be quiet, lest someone gets curious.” Gav orders and the woman just nods in understanding as he starts working his hips in and out. With a grin he starts to tweak her sensitive nipples through her bra, and the woman releases another loud moan.  
“Don’t you dare stop… Gav come on harder, faster… Please Gav… Oh yes!” Iri nearly screams as she feels the buzz of orgasm course through her body and her muscles clamp down around Gav sending him over the edge as well. She can feel him filling her up, and with a needy whine the man leans down to her neck placing rough kisses there that were sure to bruise. After a few minutes of rest the man pulls out causing Iri to whimper at the loss. Gav ever the gentleman reaches into the bag for some napkins and cleans up his messy mate with a loving touch. Once satisfied that they were clean he pulls the sleepy woman into his arms and grabs the soft drink. Working the straw in between her lips, he coaxes her to drink some, and after a few sips he puts it aside while still holding her against his chest. Leaning his back against the wall he listens to the way her breathing evens out and grins at how steady it sounds. Nothing comforted him more than the sound of a heart beat so steady and unwavering. Slipping into a restful slumber alongside her, he lets Lance provide dreams of gentle sea breezes and rolling green meadows. 

4:30 pm

Michael whom had been quietly editing a video with Jack now looks at his watch to find that Gavin was still gone after two and a half hours.  
“Hey Ryan you seen Gav?” Michael asks and the gent just shakes his head.  
“No… well actually I saw him leave here a few hours ago, but I don’t think he ever came back. Ray, you seen the Lad?” Ryan answers as he looks to his mate who just shakes his head without turning from the game he was playing.  
“Not my day to watch him.” Ray quips as he completes another level of his game.  
“Geoff you seen our Boi?”  
“Uh no, I think he went to give Iri some food earlier… Go check her office.” Geoff suggests as he scrolls through his seemingly never ending emails.  
“Jack you got this?”  
“Yeah go ahead Michael, go find your Lad and Lass.” Jack mutters with a smile as he turns back to editing while the other stands up and leaves the office. Making his way to the office he opens the door quietly to find Gavin and Iri snuggled up against the wall with a pair of panties in the middle of the room. The room itself smells of sweat and burning grass, the combination of their scents. Entering the room he shuts it quietly trying not to wake the pair as he leans down to place soft kisses on their foreheads before turning to leave. However a hand fists itself in his jeans and stops him, looking down he finds Iri staring up at him with a sleepy grin.  
“Come here Red.” Iri mumbles as she turns to give the spicy man a kiss. “You smell good.”  
“And you two smell like sex… also french fries.”  
“Gav wanted to play a game.” Iri explains as she feels the man lifts her out of the other’s grasp.  
“Yeah what kind of game?”  
“I’ll show you.” Iri says and shows him the memory of them.  
“Hmm…. not much of a game was it?”  
“That’s what I said, he just wanted to have sex… not that I’m complaining, but I’m still sorta hungry.”  
“There should be a hamburger in there.” Michael answers as he levitates the bag up to find the hamburger indeed in there. “Here.”  
“Thanks Monsieur.” Iri mutters into the man’s chest as he sits them on the chair. Pulling at the wax paper she begins to eat the cold burger, which she might add is fantastic. Nuzzling into Michael’s chest she releases quiet happy chirps in between bites.  
“You know you should have just came with us.”  
“But then I wouldn’t have gotten to have played such an exciting game with Gavin.” Iri says with a fake pout as the other shakes his head.  
“I’m sure Gav would have still played that game with you.”  
“Yeah probably, but I really do need to get back to work… though I might add he is a wonderful distraction.”  
“Mmhmm, now finish up so I can wake sleeping beauty up over there.”  
“You know we could play a game if you wanted… s’not fair that only he gets to play.”  
“Oh really? Well fuck, what kinda game you want to play?”  
“The kind where you pin me to a wall and fuck me till I’m screaming your name.”  
“I could get behind that, but you aren’t allowed to scream because we are at work.” Michael whispers seductively and Iri just flips the lock on the door in response. 

5 pm

Geoff couldn’t help but notice the lack of lads in the office. Turning his computer off he went in search of them, and after wandering aimlessly around the building he finds himself in front of Iri’s office. Going to open the door he finds that it’s locked and with a quick flip the lock opens. What he finds doesn’t surprise him in the least as Michael has Iri pinned to the wall fucking her mercilessly while she whimpers for more.  
“Fuck Iri I’m close.”  
“God, cum for me Michael, cum for your Lass.”  
“Well aren’t you two just a sight.” Geoff comments with a smirk while closing the door loudly causing Michael and Iri to both squeal in surprise then delight, cumming quickly from the gent's sudden appearance. “It seems someone forgot to invite me.”  
“Geoff s’not like that… I figured you were busy.” Iri tells the gent who just purses his lips together. “Also Gav started it, I just didn’t want Michael to feel left out.”  
“Oye I was content to just feed you, but you wanted to play a game!” Gavin squawks indignantly and Iri just laughs as Michael pulls himself out while handing her a few tissues from her desk.  
“Nuh uh you said it was a game, and hand feeding someone is not a game!” Iri argues with a hazy smile still working through her orgasmic bliss.  
“To be fair it wasn’t much of a game Gavin, not at first.” Michael says taking Iri’s side.  
“Yeah… I had an idea it might turn into that.” Gavin adds with a smirk that made them roll their eyes. “Besides you were working yourself to death in here, I only answered Lexi’s call.”  
“Oh really…” Geoff trails off in disbelief, but the fox just appears and nods in agreement.  
“Yeah he was already bored so I figured he could come help her relax a little… She wouldn’t admit it but her hands were starting to cramp, and a migraine was just about to begin as well.”  
“Aw well aren’t you just sweet… taking care of your Mistress like that.” Iri coos at the animal who purrs with a smile at the soft touches placed on her head. “Thank you Lexi, it was a good call.”  
“I aim to please, now why don’t you just call it a day. We got more than half of it done so far, thanks to your use of telekinesis.” Lexi says as Iri kisses her on the head, and pick up the fluffy red fox.  
“Well… I.. maybe just a little more and then I will.” Iri says as she heads back to her desk, and sets the fox gently on the wood surface. “Besides my headache is gone and I’m ready to go again.” She tells the worried fox who just accepts it and watches as Iri takes a pencil in hand as well as another with her mind. The men just watch in amazement as the woman draws a scene while the other pencil draws the scene after. It was simply unfathomable how coordinated the pencils were given that it was two separate scenes, especially for the one that seemed to be held by an imaginary hand.  
“So if you were worried about Michael not being left out. What about me?” Geoff asks as he places his hands on the woman’s shoulders, rubbing the aching muscles there. “How do you think it makes your Alpha feel knowing that his frisky little Omegas left him out?”  
“I… I told you earlier that yours would be at home.” Iri stutters as he works his way to the base of her neck causing shivers to slide down her spine. “Geoff that feels so good.”  
“Mmhmm I would expect it to, but what if Alpha doesn’t want to wait till then?”  
“Then he can go fuck one of his pretty little boys standing over there… Look at those wanting men.” Gesturing to the way Gavin was rutting up against Michael’s leg trying to provoke the man. “I think Gav is desperate to be filled considering he tried to use french fries earlier.” Iri mumbles as she focuses on the paper in front of her. Leaning down he licks the shell of Iri’s ear causing a slight whine to fall from the woman’s lips.  
“Seems Gav might need some attention, but I like to watch him desperate… watch him become a whining, whimpering mess willing to open wide for any sort of filling possible.” Geoff whispers in a low, lust filled tone, making Iri nearly give in right then and there but Lexi flicks her tail drawing the woman’s attention back to the art. However when she looks down at the papers one of them is supposed to be a scene of Blake fighting a Beowolf, but rather she is just bent over and presenting herself to it. The one her other pencil had conjured was of Yang slamming herself down on Junior’s cock.  
“Geoff you are distracting me.” Iri mumbles while setting the two pictures aside to be thrown away, god knows Miles would make fun of her for those. “In fact all of you are quite distracting, so if you could kindly leave it would make me oh so happy.”  
“And if we refuse?” Michael challenges and the woman just chuckles.  
“Then I’ll make you leave… and believe me you won’t like how I do it.” Iri threatens with a dark under tone that makes Gavin whimper. Geoff however, just meets her challenge with a confident smile.  
“Let’s go Kit, let’s see what you got.”  
“Geoff, I don’t want to hurt you.” Iri replies with a hesitant look, she knew Geoff was strong but Erik had nailed her to a wall and told her to force him to release her. It had taken her two days before she broke down and ravaged the man’s mind to let her go free.... Geoff wouldn't stand a chance in hell against her.  
“I doubt you could.”  
“Very well.” Iri says and she turns her chair to face the man, surging forward she kisses the man. Geoff’s eyebrows raised in surprise just accepts it, and in a twist of fate he soon finds himself exiting the room with the boys close behind.  
“The fuck!” Geoff growls as he notices the clicking in the door signalling it was locked. “How did she do that?”  
“Geoff how’d we… damn she’s good.” Michael mutters as he shakes his head clearing it of her clouds, Gavin just happily smiles at them. “Gav what’s with you?”  
“Oh, I just like watching how easily she can make you two succumb.”  
“Wait, you didn’t feel anything?”  
“Of course not, I’m a dream-walker my gift is all about entering and exiting a person’s mind. You act as though I can’t evade her touch. It is not as nearly hard as you two make it look.”  
“Gav get off your high horse, I kicked you out by using the neurons that control movement, like I literally just kicked you out using your own legs.” Iri shouts through the closed door, before going back to her own work with Lexi by her side. Gavin wilts at this causing the other two to chuckle at his idiocy.  
“Well boys what do we do now?” Geoff asks and the men just shrug, all the editing was done, and they weren’t set to film anything else today. “Let’s call it a day.”  
“What about Iri?” Michael says and their Alpha just rubs his chin.  
“Ryan is staying late tonight, and I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving her a ride back.” Geoff suggests as he texts the gent who responds with a yes. “See it’s all set, now why don’t we see if we can sate our horny little puppy.”  
“It’s going to be a long night isn’t it?” Gavin mutters causing the other two to just laugh as they gather up their stuff to go home.


	15. Sponsored by the letter F, for flying, fighting, and fuck me (Not in the good way)

eleven pm

Ryan had finished up his task and was itching to get out of the office for the night, so he begins heading towards Iri’s desk, and once there he sees a small note that says in office. So walking to the office he finds the door open and the sound of singing flowing out. It wasn’t perfectly on key, but it was pretty close and the tune was rather pleasant on the ears. A bouncy little melody about being in love… Billy Joel if he remembers correctly.  
“What else could I do? I’m so inspired by you, (Humming). That’s where you found me when you put your arms around me! I haven’t been there for the longest time.” Ryan hears being sung in time, and when he looks in the room he finds Iri dancing around it gently with a small feathered dragon flying with her as well in a smooth rhythm. He listens to the song change into something a lot faster and with a sexual charge to it. The change in the tempo causing the woman’s movements to become different as her hips no longer swayed in a relaxed manner. Rather now they swayed in a more sensual way that makes the man raise his eyebrows at how easy the woman seems to fall into this side of herself. The saxophone's sharp staccatos drawing his eyes down to the way her hips were swinging, reminding him of... Well really Godric's aggressive pursuit of the woman, he would have done it kindly like he'd done with Ray but his wolf had ruined any chance he could have possibly had with her. “You know you're just my type.”  
“Yes I know, but it seems you're already spoken for.” Ryan says with an easy smile that causes the woman to open her eyes wide and slam the door shut in his face. “Wow, rude much.”  
“Sorry, oh Ry I’m sorry, you scared the shit out of me just standing there all stalker-like.” Iri apologizes quickly after re opening the door and turning her music down.  
“You know you move rather well for someone who spends an awful lot of time alone.”  
“Uh thanks… Gav said the same thing when we went dancing, but I just you know…” Iri stumbles with a blush darkening her cheeks, she rarely ever danced especially in front of Alphas. Hell the only time Geoff had ever seen her dance was at the club.  
“So you ready to go dancing queen?”  
“Yeah let me drop these off on Miles’ desk and we can go… Thanks for the ride, I know Geoff appreciates it.” Iri says to the Alpha after gathering her stuff and the art that was ready for him to use, they take it to the Omega’s desk so he could get it digitized in the morning. After her mates had left she and Lexi had gotten done a lot more leaving only about a third of the work undone. Ryan led her out to the parking lot and this was the first time she was alone with the man since he’d attacked her. As though he could sense it his brows furrowed in distress.  
“Hey you know I’m not going to hurt you right?”  
“Of course and who’s saying you even could.”  
“Wait… what do you mean?”  
“Well I’m just saying that I’m not as easily conquered as I was before.” Iri tells the man who seems to narrow his eyes at this.  
“That sounds like a challenge.”  
“It isn’t a challenge because I know I’ll win.” Iri says with a confident tone, she was more than able to fight this man and win. She doubted it would be very hard given that he used Godric to fight and Erik was very much like Godric in his fighting style. Abandoning any tactics unless Ryan forced him to follow them, rather choosing to behave like a vicious animal.  
“Care to test that theory?”  
“Yes but let’s go to Geoff’s first in-case I actually hurt you.”  
“Would he like this?”  
“No probably not, but I’m going to kick your ass whether he likes it or not… When I win we’ll call it even.”  
“Fine, but that’s a big if.”  
“We’ll see Haywood, we’ll see.” Iri says with a smirk as she prepares Lexi for the upcoming fight and has the fox heals her minor cramps, and relax her muscles. She was limbering up with each moment they spent in the car. It didn't take very long before the pair arrives at the household. Wasting no time they get out of the car and shift. Iri can tell the obvious difference in Ryan and Godric. Godric’s gait was lighter and it held a killer’s undertone. While the other’s was a heavier yet milder approach, and it isn’t surprising that Ryan’s thoughts are guiding the wolf.  
‘Tactics are key with these two Lexi, see how his gait has changed… We need to remain alert, and take nothing for granted. They will strike with ruthless precision, and we just need to dodge. Don't get antsy just wait for an opening.’  
“Are you ready Vixen?” Godric’s dark tone asks and Iri just nods as the pair begins circling each other waiting for the right moment to strike. After what seems like eternity Godric finally lunges forward with his claws extended, and teeth sharp glinting dangerously in the pale moonlight. Iri strafes to the left and narrowly avoids his claws.  
‘Iri he’s fast.’  
‘Then we are to be faster.’ Iri growls as she dodges another flash of teeth only this time lunging at him in an attempt to bite his left flank. Her teeth meet flesh and the taste of copper flows into her mouth. The wolf snarled angrily as he bites the fox’s tail causing Iri to gasp in pain and release him. He wastes no time in retaliating by tackling the fox. Iri however uses her powerful hind legs to send the canine flying backwards. It is at this moment that they hear the front door open to find Geoff, Gavin, Ray, and Michael streaming out to see what the commotion was.  
“What the fuck are they doing?” Ray yells as he stares at the wolf and fox snapping at each other violently. He could see the red of blood on both of them. “Rye stop!”  
“He can’t hear you, and neither can she… it’s like a challenge, but not… Gav tell me what are they feeling right now?” Geoff asks and Gavin scratches his forehead before turning to face him.  
“Well Iri is fighting for redemption like she’s trying to prove something, while Ryan is merely meeting a challenge… She’s trying to prove that she is stronger than him.” Gavin says with surety and Geoff just growls lowly.  
“I had a feeling this would happen… well nothing to do but wait it out, and see who wins.”  
“Geoff you can’t be serious they’ll tear each other to shreds!” Ray shouts in worry as he watches Iri and Ryan roll around attempting to pin the other all the while raking their claws down the other’s body. And in no less than five minutes the fight is over when Iri manages to wrap her jaw around the wolf’s throat, squeezing threateningly. The wolf sensing defeat goes stark still and Iri pulls back with triumphant eyes as she licks his throat. She however goes right back in and bites his shoulder roughly but not enough to scar causing the other to whimper in pain. Jumping off the man she shakes out her fur and trots over to Geoff with a stupidly proud smile, rubbing up against her pissed Alpha. Ray on the other hand streaks over to find Ryan already shifted back and rubbing at the bite on his shoulder. Plus the other on his thigh.  
“Damn Vixen, you win… Ray what’s wrong?” Ryan asks as he turns to see his mate glaring at him angrily.  
“How could you? You could have killed each other!”  
“No Ray we wouldn’t really hurt each other besides it was Iri’s idea to do it here so Geoff could fix any real damage. Speaking of that Geoff would you mind?” Ryan says as he walks over to the Gent who is shaking his head at him.  
“Yeah.” Geoff concedes as he heals the gent who thanks him profusely and once Iri shifts back he offers the woman a hand.  
“That was excellent, and I couldn’t have lost to a more worthy opponent but if you'll excuse me. Ray and I really should be going being that it’s now midnight.” Ryan says as he shakes her hand heartily before tugging Ray in the direction of the car. The pair takes off and they can hear Ray scolding the man angrily. Iri who is all smiles and happy thoughts turns to see her mates straight faced and angry.  
“What made you think that fighting Ryan would be a good idea?” Geoff asks very simply and at this Iri just withers slightly, choosing to stare at her feet rather than answer. “I’m waiting.”  
“....” Iri still doesn’t answer and the man growls in frustration before dragging the woman into the house with the other two following quickly.  
“Boys what do you think the punishment for this should be?” Geoff inquires and the boys only look down at their feet in silence. They hated when Geoff made them do this. “If you don’t answer then I‘ll punish all three of you.”  
“Collar?”  
“Twenty swats?”  
“Hmm I like how you two think, but I have something better. You are to wear your collar all day tomorrow and if I see you anywhere near Ryan I’ll clip a leash to you myself.”  
“But Geoff!” Iri says in distress, it was embarrassing when he made her wear the collar in public.  
“Twenty-five swats and you sleep on the dog bed for two nights, keep whining and I’ll keep going.” Geoff threatens and he can see Iri wanted to say something but she held her tongue.  
“Love what in your right mind made you believe that fighting Ryan would be rewarded?” Gavin tries only to receive an angry glare from the fox.  
“Be nice Kit or I’ll give you thirty.” Geoff warns and at this the woman storms up the stairs. They hear a door slam, a loud yell, and then the sound of ripping paper.  
“She’s upset.” Michael comments quietly, and Gavin nods in agreement.  
“Maybe this way she’ll learn not to fight crazy Alphas!” Geoff shouts up the stairs so she could hear. “Just leave her be for now, I’ll deliver the punishment when she’s less likely to bite someone.”  
“Are you really going to make her sleep on my dog bed?” Gavin asks and the gent shakes his head in no. That was Gavin’s bed for when they played puppy or he wanted to stay in his wolf form for the night.  
“No, but maybe I should now since she’s being rather destructive.” Geoff mumbles and at this they hear the door open and Iri comes out wearing her dark blue leather collar with a leash in hand.  
“I want to go for a walk, but as a fox.” Iri mutters while shifting down and staring at the men expectantly. “Can someone please take me? I don’t fancy getting picked up by animal control.”  
“Uh… sure I’ll take you Love.” Gavin says eagerly while looking to Geoff for confirmation that this was okay.  
“Have you eaten dinner yet?” Geoff asks and Iri shakes her head in no. “Eat and then you can.”  
“Not hungry Geoff and if you're going to swat me later I don’t want to throw up.”  
“Fine, but you need to eat breakfast tomorrow for sure.”  
“Okay, let’s go Gavin.” Iri says impatiently and the man takes the leash in hand, exiting the door with her.  
“So where are we going Love?”  
“I don’t care Gavin just walk with me for awhile.”  
“Of course.” Gavin answers as he follows the woman into the pale moonlight. He can’t help but smile at the way her hips sway with each step, and he can feel Lance begging to come out and play. ‘Not tonight Buddy, she’s in trouble.’ He tells the wolf who just sighs in disappointment.  
“Gav?”  
“Hmm?”  
“You want to go running?”  
“Lance says he could go for a run.”  
“Shift down and we can head into the forest just let me take the leash off.” Iri mumbles while unclipping the leash and using her powers to make it land on the front porch.  
“Hey could you toss me like that?”  
“I could toss a three hundred pound man if I wanted to, but I won’t test it. Considering Geoff is mad at me for fighting, I doubt he would like me throwing you around very much.” Iri states with a sigh, she knew why Geoff was mad... and maybe... maybe his anger was warranted.  
“Who says he would have to know?”  
“Oh trust me he would, he’s listening right now.”  
“How can you tell?”  
“I don’t know Gavin, I just know when another telepath is listening… it’s like deja vu because I’m already here yet I can feel another presence similar to mine.” Iri says trying to explain it to the wolf who just cocks his head in incomprehension. “Like Lance would know if there was another dream-walker near.”  
“Oh.. Oh yeah I get what you're saying. It’s like reading two pages saying the same exact thing in a book. Is Geoff still there?”  
“No I chased him out with Lexi, you might feel her wandering around in there.”  
“Wow that was fast, how can you do it so quick?” Gavin asks, it took Geoff forever to use his telepathy on people faraway, sometimes he couldn’t even do it.  
“Because I was trained differently than him, also I use it constantly Geoff uses it maybe an hour a day. I use my consistently throughout a day.”  
“Rather dependent on it aren’t you?”  
“No Gavin there’s a difference between dependency and using it because I need to.”  
“Well why do you need to use it?”  
“Because if I don’t then Erik will use Donaldson to mess with my mind… and I don’t like the constant state of illusions he brings. I like knowing the difference between reality and fiction.” Iri says in such a way that makes Gavin stop his line of question as they trot through the forest. It isn’t until Iri stumbles over a branch that he realizes she was lost in thought.  
“Hey do… AHH!” Gavin starts to yelp as he steps on a trap, however before it can snap Iri lifts the man several feet into the air like it was nothing. “Bollocks that was close, thanks Love.”  
“No problem, did it get you at all?”  
“Uh no I’m fine you were right about being able to lift me… I feel light as a feather.” Gav mutters with a light hearted tone that makes Iri smile despite what almost happened.  
“Hey you want to fly?”  
“What?”  
“I said do you want to fly?”  
“Yeah I heard you, but how?”  
“Well I can lift at max like three hundred pound, and I doubt very much that together we weigh over three hundred pounds, so by that logic theoretically I should be able to lift us high enough to simulate the feeling of flying.” Iri theorizes and at this Gavin’s eyes light up with possibility.  
“So what are you bloody waiting for let’s go!” Gavin exclaims with excitement as he remains lifted in the air. “Love are you afraid of heights?”  
“I wouldn’t say afraid… more like apprehensive.” Iri tells the excited wolf who paces around the air, she had created bunch of platforms made of concentrated air around the man who was now bouncing. “Gav be careful I’m not real sure about how stable those are.”  
“Oh Love you worry too much now come on up it’ll be fun.” Gavin urges and against her better judgement she hops up onto what she believes is a platform. It took a lot of concentration to make just enough for one person in case they deviated, but now with two it seemed rather impossible. Gavin was now sprinting ahead with about as much caution as a toddler would, so it was a race to keep up with the wolf as he ran and make platforms at the same time. It isn’t until she’s breathless and wobbling that her vision begins to waver. In a last ditch effort to keep him from falling she lets herself fall completely to the ground and gives Lexi her powers to keep the man afloat. She barely even feels the twenty foot drop due to how her mind had basically fallen into a haze. Iri can feel several bones out of place and shifting back to access the damages she notices her leg bending the wrong way.  
“Gav… oh fuck! Lexi get him down!” Iri shouts as the full force of the wound hits her mind causing her to arch in pain as every little movement makes her mind screams in agony.  
“Bullocks Iri, your bone is not supposed to bend that way!” Gavin says as he sprints to the woman and the wound causes him to gag. “I’ll get Geoff.”  
“Don’t leave me! Gav don’t leave me!”  
“Love I have to get him or you have to walk.”  
“Lexi can you help me anymore than you already are?”  
“Iri, I tried to push the bone back in, but I don’t know how to do it right… you need Geoff or a doctor, probably a doctor.” Lexi tells her and Iri just nods.  
“Gav shift back, and help me up.”  
“Love I can just go get…”  
“I said help me up!” Iri growls and the man immediately shifts back, lifting the woman up as gently as possible, but she still screams in pain. It is then the tears start and every movement causes her consciousness to waver. “Gav… Gav it hurts.”  
“I know Love, come on you can do it… You made us fly, you can do this.”  
“Gav I..”  
“No you can and you will!” He orders and Iri just bites her lip and continues limping along until her leg gets caught on a branch causing her to feel it wrenched back. The scream she lets out curdles blood and makes tears prick at Gavin’s eyes. He could feel the waves of fear flood through her, and only serves to accentuate his own. The man feels her body go limp in his grasp, and this is when full on panic sets in. He could leave her, get Geoff, and be back in maybe ten minutes or continue dragging her at this slow pace. His arms were already tired from carrying the woman so far, it’s not that she was heavy but it was beginning to make his muscles ache. “Lexi?”  
“Yeah I’m here, but she’s not awake anymore.” Lexi reports as her bright amber eyes catch the moonlight.  
“Can you go on ahead and get Geoff? I will continue, but by the time I make it he may be freaking out at least if you run ahead and get help he can meet us halfway.” Gavin asks and the fox looks at the woman resting brokenly against the man’s chest. “Lexi please I can’t leave her.”  
“I… I.. I’ll get him, just keep moving as much as you can.” Lexi tells the man as she darts off into the night.  
“I will.” Gavin promises as he keeps moving. 

Meanwhile at the house

Geoff and Michael were watching The Avengers on Netflix comfortably on the couch, both discretely checking the time on their phones and hoping their mates would show up very soon.  
“Geoff you think they’ll be home soon?”  
“I would imagine so, unless they started fucking in the woods.”  
“You know I wouldn’t put it past those two… Fucking animals they are.”  
“Hmm though does it surprise you? Vixens are known for their sexual prowess, and wolves are known for fucking just about everything.”  
“But your a fox.”  
“Yes but I’m a male fox, and the need to breed is less dominant in my genes. Besides let the two romp in the woods I’ll just paddle her tomorrow before work.”  
“Christ you're awful you know that?” Michael says as he kisses at the man’s neck with a grimace remembering how he’d been forced to go to work after a long session.  
“Mmhmm well maybe she’ll learn not to fight every living thing. Did I tell you about the sword fight she had gotten into with Blaine and Aaron? Kicked both of their asses, but it was strange.”  
“Yeah I know what you're talking about, it’s like her actions are driven out of survival.”  
“Desperation almost… I can’t believe we let her be taken… I can’t.”  
“Hey stop Geoff we couldn't have known he would do such a thing at RTX, and she’s back now so let’s just focus on getting her better… She’s still Iri, and we love her right?”  
“Of course!”  
“And she’s going to mother our pups.”  
“God willing and she’s willing.”  
“Then we’ll figure this out, I can’t wait to see her all bred up and filled with our pups.” Michael murmurs as he silently sends the image to Geoff who laughs and nips his ear.  
“Whoa slow down there we still have to get her to agree completely, and then there’s the actual catching… it might not be as easy as you think.”  
“Hey you remember how Gavin said something about being in animal form for a litter to be had. Do you think she has to remain that way for the entire pregnancy?”  
“No I believe just contraception, or at least from what Kody’s work says it’s only needed for contraception.”  
“Okay, hey did you text them?”  
“Yeah but neither has answered… you don’t think anything’s happened right?” Geoff asks and he suddenly hears a slam against the back door. Getting up he and Michael find Lexi, just Lexi panting at the door with a panic in her eyes. Sliding the door open he listens to her thoughts that she was shoving at him. “Oh my god, Lexi where?”  
“What’s happened?” Michael asks as he watches Geoff shift and take off after the fox who was already sprinting away. “Fucking telepaths.” He grumbles as he shifts and chases after the pair.

Gavin/Iri  
15 minutes later

Gavin was still making slow progress towards the house when he hears a loud crashing through the underbrush. Growling low in his throat not sure if it meant danger or not.  
0 “I have a gun!” Gavin lies with a snarl and he is met with Geoff and Michael quirking eyebrows at him and Lexi panting.  
“You have a gun?”  
“Oh bloody hell you nearly gave me a heart attack… Geoff did Lexi tell you what happened?”  
“She did, but I’m still not sure how.”  
“I actually know nothing just that someone is hurt.”  
“We were flying… well not really flying more like walking on air… I don’t know how to describe it to you, just look.” Gavin mutters as he lets Geoff in and the man projects the image to Michael.  
“What the actual fuck? Geoff how is that even possible?” Michael asks in confusion.  
“She’s very strong and I don’t think she realizes how weak her body is, that’s the reason this didn’t work. Iri hasn’t eaten in hours and the exhaustion from her fight with Ryan… She’s reckless to say the least.” Geoff curses as he sees the bone sticking straight out of her leg. “I can’t heal this, we need a real doctor.”  
“Wait why not?” Lexi’s confused tone asks.  
“Because I don’t have the training to put this back in it’s proper place. She has to go to the emergence room, and that means a cast.”  
“Fuck.”  
“Fuck indeed.” Geoff says as he hefts her up and starts towards the house. “Michael get the car, and take Gavin with you. Lexi you're with me.”  
“Aye Geoff.” Gavin answers as he and Michael take off to get the car.  
“Lexi, why didn’t you stop her?”  
“I.. I didn’t realize until she told me to keep Gavin up. Geoff you have to believe me, I would never let her hurt herself knowingly.” Lexi tells the man who just sighs and offers her a sympathetic look.  
“Next time get someone, or just tell her not to.”  
“That would be as useful as a match in a monsoon.”  
“She’s sorta hard headed isn’t she?”  
“There are still places in her head where even I cannot go… Geoff they must be terrible if she won’t let me in.”  
“I don’t doubt it, but right now let’s just focus on getting her to the hospital.”  
“Okay, and I’m so sorry I didn’t get Todd or you. I thought she could handle it.”  
“So did she apparently.” Geoff mumbles as the woman in his arms barely breathes, and he heals the wounds that he can but the doctor would need to fix that bone. 

ER

The doctor’s were suspicious of the woman who had three men accompanying her. It isn’t until she awakes that they begin to ask her questions.  
“Miss Burns how are you feeling?” Doctor one asks her and his nurse just pets her head apathetically.  
“I’m.. where am I?” Iri stutters as her mind reels at the smell of antiseptic, and there was a nurse touching her. Inching away she growls as a hand rests on her cheek. “Stop it!”  
“Okay I just thought maybe you needed comforting.” Nurse touchy says.  
“I don’t, so stop. Where’s my pack?”  
“In the waiting room, Ms. Burns are you aware that you broke several ribs and your left tibia?”  
“I fell.”  
“How exactly?”  
“Why does it matter?”  
“Miss we just wanted to make sure they didn’t hurt you.”  
“Fuck off you asshole! No they didn’t hurt me, I was getting our cat from a tree and fell!” Iri snarls in outrage as she surges forward only to find two pairs of hands pushing her back down. “Let go!”  
“Nurse sedate her.”  
“Come near me with that needle and I’ll fucking tear you to shreds! GEOFF! GAVIN! MICHAEL! Please someone help!” Iri screams and at this the nurse approaches her.  
“Whoa whoa what’s this? Iri what’s going on? Kit talk to me.” Geoff says as he races into the room to find the Nurse’s needle inches away from the thrashing woman’s arm whom they were trying to restrain.  
“Geoff they were… Geoff make them stop, please I just want to go home!”  
“Okay, Kit it’s alright. Ma’am just back up a little.” Geoff tells the nurse who does and he works his way to the crying woman. “Shh baby they're just going to help you sleep a little… hush Kit it’s alright.”  
“Geoff don’t leave me, don’t let them hurt me.”  
“Never Kit, never.” Geoff assures her as he nods to the nurse who injects the sedative in and the omega murmurs sleepily against his comforting hand. “Shh baby girl just sleep now.”  
“Don’t… leave.”  
“Of course I’ll be here when you wake… Gav too and Michael as well.” Geoff promises her as he kisses her forehead gently as the woman finally gives in to the medicine. “I’m sorry about that she is terrified of hospitals.”  
“No it’s fine Mr. Ramsey, but we want to know is why she has so many bruises and bites for falling out of a tree.” Doctor says and Geoff just sighs, he knew this would come up.  
“Yesterday she got into a fight with a coworker and the man was vicious. It took four of us to break it up.” Geoff lies and the Doctor nods, seeming to accept the answer as he and the nurse leave after marking her chart. “Fucking doctors.”  
“Geoff how is she?” Gavin asks as he comes in with a bouquet of bright red roses. “I figured they might give her something to smile about when she wakes.”  
“I told him to just wait until we got home, but the idiot insisted.” Michael tells their Alpha who just shrugs with a lazy smile.  
“I’m sure she’ll love them, those doctors thought we abused her.”  
“What why?” Michael asks in outrage as he settles into one of the chairs.  
“All the bites and the bruises… to be fair it looks pretty awful.”  
“But we don’t and besides what’s it to them she’s ours not theirs.” Michael says defensively as he strokes her ears gently. Gavin says nothing to this as he sets the roses on the bedside table, and turns to give her a sad look.  
“She bloody saved me.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Lexi showed me her point of view and there were only three thoughts running through her mind. I can’t keep this up, this is going to fucking hurt, and protect Gavin… She let herself fall about twenty feet, and get a banged up leg so I could come down safely… How can that be?”  
“Love is a funny thing, it makes you do dumb stuff, and you’d rather give your own life than let the other die.” Geoff tells the man as he curls his arms around him.  
“It’s dangerous that’s what it is.” Gavin mutters and pulls out of the gent's arms. “I want to be able to protect her like that, but I’m not good for much besides good dreams.”  
“Hey and she loves that, you know it… Sure you can’t stop a roof from collapsing on her, but you can protect her from the horrors of her own mind.” Michael adds with smile as he kisses Gavin’s forehead. “And that means the world to her.”  
“Boi how do you know?”  
“She tells me, sometimes. That’s why she likes cuddling with you till she falls asleep so much Gav, you make her feel safe from herself.” Michael tells the man who seems to brighten at this.  
“Besides she loves you for you and that’s all that matters.” Geoff adds with as little cliche as he can. “And we all love you so yeah… Plus we love her too so it works out.”  
“On a scale of one to ten how mad is Burnie going to be?”  
“Oh he’ll be a ball of rage, but it’s nothing I can’t handle… Alright boys time for some shut eye.”  
“Are we going home when she wakes up?”  
“Yeah.”


	16. Disobedience is her middle name

A few hours later

Iri awoke with a start and in an unfamiliar place, but with a familiar smell. Her nose told her this was a medical facility due to the antiseptic smell, and so did her mind judging by the sort of soft bed beneath her. Without even thinking she swings her legs over the side of the bed, barely noting how one felt heavier than the other. Though this did nothing to stop her as she hopped off the bed only to land on the ground with a yelp. Looking to the source of the pain she finds her left bottom half of her leg in a cast. Using the bed to stand she finds Gavin sleeping deeply in one of the chairs, and a bouquet of roses on her bedside table.... Most likely his doing, such a loving pup. It is then that last night’s memories flood back into her mind, and she remembers watching herself plummet but the other man stay up. This brings a smile to her face, at least he was safe she thinks to herself. Looking around the bed for a pair of crutches or something similar she finds the crutches, putting them under her arms, and then making her way to the bathroom. After doing her business and washing her hands she hobbles back out to find Gavin wide awake and terrified.  
“Gav what’s wrong?”  
“Oh thank god you're here.. I thought something happened!” Gavin mutters as his expression turns into that one of relief.  
“I’m here Gav, I just had to go to the bathroom.” Iri tells the worried man who walks over to her side and helps her back into the bed. “Where’s Geoff and Michael?”  
“They went to fill out paperwork… I seem to have dozed off for a few minutes.”  
“It’s alright Pup… I’m sorry about last night. I thought for sure I could handle it.”  
“Why are you apologizing to me? I’m the one who should be apologizing to you! I should have realized that it was too much.. I’m sorry about that Love.”  
“Naa it’s okay, at least you're safe.. that’s all that matters.”  
“I think you mean at least we’re safe.”  
“That too… Hey help me change and then we’ll meet Geoff up at the front.”  
“Sure Love.” 

Michael and Geoff

“Geoff why is there so much god damn paperwork?”  
“Because hospitals suck.”  
“Fair enough.” Michael agrees as he wanders back to the room, however he finds it empty save for a few stray rose petals. Rushing back to Geoff he tells the man in fear. “Geoff they’re gone!”  
“What do you mean gone?”  
“As in not in the fucking room Old man.”  
‘Todd can you find them?’  
‘Yeah, Gavin took a wrong turn and then another. He’s in the pediatrics wing.’ Todd tells the gent and he relays this to Michael.  
“They’re in the pediatrics wing… Idiot got them lost.”  
“Typical, you done yet?”  
“Yeah let’s go find dumb and dumber.” Geoff mumbles as he signs the last of the papers, following Michael to the ward they find Iri and Gav staring into the nursery full of newborns.  
“One day.” Iri murmurs as she leans heavily on her mate, who just agrees with a smile.  
“I can’t wait.”  
“Neither can we.” Michael interjects causing the pair to turn to find the other pair mildly irritated.  
“Sorry we got lost, and then I saw all the babies… It’s my fault we stopped.” Iri says apologetically while hobbling towards Michael and Geoff giving them kisses on the cheek.  
“Doctor gave you a prescription, and it’s the good stuff.” Geoff tells her softening his tight expression as her ears prick at this.  
“How good we talking?”  
“Like sell it on the street corner good.”  
“Fuck yes.” Iri says with a smile that quickly turns into a grimace as her leg begins to throb. “We should go home.”  
“Are you sure you don’t want to try and fly there?” Geoff teases and Iri just ducks her head in shame.  
“So you know… In all honesty it was working perfectly for a little bit.”  
“Next time if you want to experiment come home first, and you still owe me 25 which with this little stunt I should make it 30, but your leg probably hurts more than my paddle ever could.”  
“Geoff are you serious?”  
“As a fucking heart attack now let’s go home.”  
“Fucker.”  
“I do it because I love you, and this seems to be the only way you’ll learn.”  
“Do I have to go to work?”  
“Yup, and I expect you to leave that collar on all day, or I’ll get the leash and tie you to my desk.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Try me and you’ll find out.” Geoff threatens as the woman settles grumpily into the back seat with Michael’s help. Gavin rode shotgun while Michael and Iri rode in the back, the pair was leaned up against one another with him placing a soothing hand on her side. Michael was rubbing gently until he hears a squeak of pain.  
“Red stop, broken ribs.”  
“Fuck I’m sorry I didn’t even realize. How about this?” He asks with a hand trailing over her shoulder softly.  
“That’s cool… Geoff when we get home can I take off this wrap?” She asks the gent who shakes his head.  
“Doc said at least a day with that on then you are free.” Geoff answers as they pull up in the driveway, Michael helps her out, and then they enter the house. Iri attempts to stumble up the stairs, but after a few minutes it becomes too painful; however she wasn’t going to ask for help. Michael watches her struggle before wordlessly scooping her up and depositing her in the bedroom.  
“Thanks Jones.” Iri mumbles while still groaning against the pain. “Papa can I have some of those pain killers?”  
“After your punishment.”  
“Papa.” Iri whines as the man comes over with a paddle and props her up on the bed.  
“If you're good I’ll stop at 19.” Geoff offers and the woman snaps her mouth shut, preparing herself for the upcoming hits. The gent true to his word stops at nineteen leaving the woman a tearful mess with a bright red ass. Grabbing her pain killers he rolls her over and places one in her mouth followed by a mouthful of Michael’s nearby mountain dew. Swallowing gratefully she sits up only to wince at the pain from both her leg and butt. Taking her tail into her lap she stroked it in a comforting manner as the men soon lay down in the bed. They still had a few hours before they had to be ready for work. Gavin taking his place near Iri, Geoff next to him, and then Michael on the outside being pulled in close by the gent. Kissing his forehead Michael purrs quietly into the man’s cuddles. Gavin notices how Iri has nestled herself under his chin, and her tail laid over his hip casually almost protectively if he had to say.  
“Good night Vixen.”  
“And to you to my fretful Puppy.” Iri whispers into his chest loving the way their scents mingled to smell like a burning forest in the winter time. It was such a comfort to know that he was here and he always would be. Gavin listens to his lover’s breathing and smiles sleepily as he is lulled by her even breaths. The group gets up in a few hours and grogginess is scattered throughout their movements as they get ready.

Work 

Iri was still grumbling about how Geoff was making her wear the collar to work, and in an attempt to hide it she put her hair down. Though she could tell that it was catching attention, or maybe it could have been the cast on her leg… Hell it might have been both, but regardless she had decided that it was ridiculous that Geoff expected her to wear it all day. So she very quickly unclasps it and places it aside, almost positive the gent wouldn’t hold true on his threat. With her neck free she focuses on the task at hand the rest of the RWBY work.  
Lunch Time

Geoff figured it was time to give Iri another painkiller knowing the woman wouldn’t admit to the pain itself, rather choosing to ignore it, and continue on. He walks slowly over to the fox’s office and without knocking he just opens the door. The woman had her headphones on, singing along quietly, and Lexi was quietly napping in the corner of the room barely opening her eyes when she saw Geoff enter. It isn’t until he gets closer to the desk that he notices the woman’s collar lying unbuckled on the corner of her desk.  
“Well aren’t you just troublesome.” Geoff mutters as he pulls out one of her earbuds that was stuck inside her fox ears.  
“Geoff… What are you doing in here?” Iri asks as she keeps her head down and continues working quietly, making sure to keep her eyes from drifting to the leather accessory on the desk. Hoping that maybe he wouldn’t notice, however her hopes are dashed as he rubs at her shoulders and works closer to her neck. She knew he was doing this on purpose.  
“I came to see if you needed another pill, but it seems someone has broken a rule… What do you have to say for yourself?” Geoff inquires as he spins the chair around so the fox is forced to meet his eyes. Iri however chooses to continue to stare submissively at the floor. “You know I specifically remember buckling that around your neck this morning, and telling you to leave it on all day.”  
“It was itchy, and people were staring.”  
“Hmm but that’s the point, wouldn’t be much of a punishment if you enjoyed it.” Geoff says as he picks up the collar and hums pleasantly as the woman bares her neck so he could put it on. “Do you remember what I said I would do if you disobeyed?”  
“Papa, I have work to do.”  
“As do I.”  
“Geoff there won’t be room for me to do this tied to your desk.” Iri argues trying a more logical tactic, perhaps it might work.  
“Jack left early so Ryan won’t mind moving so you have room by me.”  
“But.”  
“Come on Kit, you knew the risk when you disobeyed.” Geoff shushes as the woman whistles to Lexi who follows with her supplies in it’s neat little suitcase. He carries a few stacks of paper, and Iri hobbles slowly behind him a defeated look in her eyes. They came to the AH office with curious looks, and before Gavin opens his mouth Iri glares at him. This shuts the Brit up as he turns back to his computer. Ryan who has already moved due to Todd’s asking him, and Ray just watches as Iri settles on the floor by Geoff’s desk.  
“Ry what’s she doing?”  
“Todd said she took off her collar after Geoff warned her not to… seems that was her punishment for fighting last night.” Ryan tells his mate who cocks his head in confusion. “If she didn’t want to she would just refuse, a game she is more than willing to play… besides bad dogs get leashes.”  
“Shut up Ryan, before I rip your throat out.” Iri grumbles as Geoff loops the leash around a desk leg, and then clips it to her, while glaring at him she mumbles. “I hate you.”  
“Sucks for you because I love you, now be a good girl and take your medicine.”  
“I don’t need it I’m fine.”  
“Love just take the pill.”  
“Fuck off I’m not in pain.” Iri growls as she sprawls herself out on the floor with Lexi shifted into her white dragon form and laying on her side nuzzling her Mistress. Her ribs however were rather unhappy about this forcing the woman to grind her teeth to keep the position steady. It isn’t until Michael comes over and flicks her ear that she realizes she was shaking.  
“Stop being dumb and take the pill, Gavvers keeps whispering about how you are in pain, also you jingle.” Michael explains briefly as he grabs the pills from on top of Geoff’s desk and leans down to place one in her mouth before offering her the gent’s water. “You might want to get off your chest, and wait for this to kick in.”  
“Thanks Red.”  
“No problem, and I’m sorry he is being like this… I told him that you wouldn’t wear it all day especially the way Blaine and Ashley were fucking eyeing you. Down right embarrassing.” Michael says as he pets her ears gently causing the woman to purr and push up into his hand. Lexi who was currently sitting on Ray’s warm lap can’t help the smile that crosses her face as she watches Michael care for her.  
“You know just cause I have headphones on doesn’t mean I can’t hear you two talking about me, and besides she could safe word out.” Geoff mumbles and the pair just chuckles.  
“Safe words are for bitches.” They both say at the time before breaking into another fit of laughter. Sometimes Michael questioned if Iri really like him and vice versa, but it was times like these that he knew she did.  
“I love you Red, hey you want to help me up?” Iri asks and the man offers her a hand as she wobbles to her feet. “Thanks Champ. Dungeon Master I gotta pee, release me.”  
“Who says I’m not just going to walk you there and back like a good little dog?”  
“Because that’s a little far for even you old man.”  
“Yeah I’m going to fight you on that one, I’ll be chained to your desk and all only because it was a scene from Star Wars but the whole walking bit is a tiny much.” Iri jests as the man unclips the lead. “Many thanks my Liege, Lexi care to accompany me on this quest for the bathroom?”  
“But he’s so warm.”  
“Damn you Sir Ray, stealing my faithful dragon with your fiery Latino blood!” Iri curses with a mocking tone as the small dragon jumps off his lap and flaps her wings shakily, still sleepy from her quiet napping.  
“I’m coming Lady Iridessa.” Lexi plays along as she lands gently on her shoulder. “To the bathroom!”  
“For glory! And the emptying of my bladder!” Iri adds as she pulls open the door with the dragon on her shoulder. They watch the door close and hear the sound of crutches being used off in the distance.  
“She’s a catch.” Ryan says and Ray just nods in agreement. He loved his best friend, but even she was sorta weird for him sometimes… that’s probably why they worked out great because they were willing to accept each other’s quirks.  
“Aw someone’s jealous.”  
“Hmm maybe a little, would be nice to hear someone call them my liege once in awhile.”  
“Shoveth a stick up thine ass my liege.” Ray quips as he kisses Ryan chastely.  
“Sir Ray I’d rather shoveth mine up thee’s.”  
“Oh shit gauntlet thrown!” Michael says as the pair just rolls their eyes at the ginger.  
“Alright, alright everybody back to work.” Geoff tells them as he glares around the room.


	17. You are being genetically unfair right now!

Iri

It was fair to say that going to the bathroom with crutches wasn’t as easy as it was for her. Telekinesis helping her to land on the toilet without bumping her cast painfully on anything felt almost like an advantage, but then again she was an evolutionary deviant... So advantages were pretty much a given. After washing her hands and exiting she notices a pair of eyes fixate on her with confused looks.  
“Oh hey Dad, sup Papa.” Iri says in greeting them casually as the men stare openly at her cast in shock.  
“What happened?”  
“Did Geoff do that to you? I’ll kick his ass.” Joel’s worried voice asks as he puffs out his chest.  
“Down Darling, but if he did I’ll kill him.”  
“No, I fell out of a tree trying to get Lexi, she got too high and didn’t realize it… Turns out foxes don’t land on their feet.” Iri lies and the dragon on her shoulder just jumps off and lands on Joel’s hair, licking his forehead suddenly.  
“Why is there a creature licking me?” Joel asks as he picks it up and brings it to his face, Lexi just licks a long stripe up the length of his nose. “It’s adorable.”  
“That’s Lexi, she and I have learned a few tricks… though she knew that one before I left.”  
“But can’t she just disappear… Why didn’t you just tell her to do that instead of climbing a tree?” Burnie asks suspiciously and watches as Iri freezes at this. “What really happened?”  
“I.. .well… Gavin and I… you know it’s sorta unbelievable.”  
“Try me.”  
“Very well.” Iri mumbles in defeat as she shows them both how she and Gavin had attempted to walk on air last night.  
“What the hell!”  
“Yeah… I shouldn't have.”  
“What in god’s name were you thinking, you're not a bird?” Burnie scolds harshly and Iri flinches away from the man’s outstretched arms. “I can’t believe… Where was Geoff?”  
“At home, Dad we were just going for a midnight stroll and I never intended.”  
“You could have been killed!” Burnie rages as he cuts his daughter off again. “Princess it’s hard enough knowing that you aren’t… I just don’t want to lose you.”  
“I’m not what Burnie?” Iri asks quietly, narrowing her eyes at the man, and she wonders what Geoff told the man.  
“You aren’t Kody’s, I read his letter… I read all of it looking for you.” Burnie admits and at this Iri backs away with tears... This was the moment she feared coming to fruition, Burnie didn't want her, and soon Geoff wouldn't want her either... no one wants a stray. “I always knew you weren’t ours, but you aren’t even.”  
“Dad what are you… what do you mean?”  
“Iri he’s just confused, just go back to work… I’ll call you later Sweetheart.” Joel says as he ushers a distraught Burnie in the opposite direction. Iri watches them leave and Lexi stares at her with worried eyes.  
“Iri he didn’t mean that, he’s just overwhelmed… he loves you very much.”  
“Just go Lexi, I don’t want to talk anymore.”  
“I’ll head back to the office so they don’t come looking… I’ll tell them you needed to talk to Miles.”  
“Good girl.” Iri whispers as the dragon flies above the offices making sure to keep herself hidden for the most part. On the other hand Iri stumbles outside, not caring who saw as tears begin to form. What did he mean by that? He loved her didn’t he? That man was as much of her father as Kody was, and it had to mean that he loved her right. She wasn’t just some orphaned kid that he took pity on was she? Iri growls bitterly when she tumbles to the ground banging her leg painfully on the concrete as she made her way to the shady part outside of the office to sit. Pulling herself up slowly she sees Jeremy strolling over to her with a worried expression, and his arms extended to help her back up.  
“Hey are you okay?”  
“I’m super great actually… So keep on walking.” Iri says very gruffly causing the small Alpha to back away and continue on towards the building. Once he was out of earshot Iri yells in anger and punches the ground in frustration. “Stupid leg, stupid Burnie, stupid fucking life.”  
‘Iridessa why don’t you just come back inside and talk to me?’ Todd’s soothing tone asks as he appears in her mind.  
‘No Todd.’ She growls at the fox who just nods curtly in understanding.  
‘We’re here if you need us.’  
‘Thanks Todd, don’t tell Geoff?’  
‘Of course Iri… I just saw Lexi and had a feeling something was up.’  
‘I’ll be okay, just gotta process.’  
‘Burnie didn’t mean what he said, and in fact he is currently debating on whether or not to punch himself in the mouth if that helps… It seems that Erik has been playing his games again at the expense of others with the help of Donaldson.. that man is just dreadful.’ Todd explains and Iri wonders how long he’s been doing that for.  
‘I fucking hate that man...’  
‘Yes, Geoffrey has experienced the harsh reality of him… He used to be very close to the man before he shot him in the heart. I was lucky enough to be able to break through the illusionists grip just in time to protect his internal organs from taking too much damage. It is a shame Erik can influence so many people, charisma is wasted on the worst of people.’  
‘Todd how are they connected?’  
‘I had a feeling you would ask that, but it is not my place… Ask Geoffrey.’ Todd says as he fades from her mind, and instead of going inside Iri just sits outside, watching people come and go. It isn’t until she spots Burnie that she stands up and goes to hobble away.  
“Iri wait! I don’t know what I was saying earlier, I just get so confused I swear I might have early on set Alzheimers… And I do love you like you were mine!” Burnie shouts as he sprints towards his daughter, yes this was his daughter not anyone else's.  
“Do you mean that Burns, or is it just another way to hurt me?”  
“I am your father as long as you’ll have me.”  
“It’s good to have you back Dad… Can I try something?” Iri asks as she steps closer to the man and wraps her arms around him tightly.  
“What are you trying?” Burnie asks wondering what she could possibly be doing unless it was the hug in which he was happy to provide.  
“Just relax and picture a door unlocking.” Iri whispers as she lets herself into her father’s mind to find Donaldson’s presence nearly suffocating him. With a quick, forceful shove she tosses the asshole from his mind, leaving her Dad’s thoughts clear. Burnie can’t help but feel as though his mind is ten times lighter when Iri pulls back and kisses his cheek like he used to do when she skinned a knee. “All better.”  
“What did you do?”  
“I just cleared away some clutter… Like debugging your hard drive.” Iri tells him and the man seems apprehensive as he watches his fake daughter look sheepishly at him… Maybe he wasn’t as cool with the whole telepath thing as Geoff was… and now she might be just a little insecure. “I should go… Good talk though and we still on for Sunday?”  
“Sunday?”  
“Papa told me to come over for some Game of Thrones and steaks, or was he just joking?”  
“No! Sunday right, I just completely forgot… Hey what’s with the collar?” Burnie asks as he watches as Iri’s hand immediately reaches towards it with a blush darkening her face.  
“I.. uh… you know just… Geoff’s idea.” Iri stutters out as she looks down at her feet cursing herself for not taking it off earlier, then again Geoff would have just forced it back on.  
“That explains nothing.”  
“It has to do with how I got into a fight with Ryan last night.”  
“Why’d you fight Ryan?”  
“He didn’t believe that I could win, so I decided to prove him wrong. Geoff told me if I was going to act like a bad dog then I should wear a leash like one… I only got out of the leash because I had to go to the bathroom.” Iri explains with a blush as her father just sighs and places a hand on her shoulder. “Dad?”  
“Joel has the same one.”  
“What?”  
“Well when he starts to get snippy I just…”  
“Please no!”  
“Oh you don’t want to hear about how I thrust.”  
“Dad stop! Oh god that’s so gross, please stop thrusting that image into my mind.” Iri begs as she catches a glimpse of Joel panting on her father’s knot. “I need bleach! So much bleach!”  
“Alright Princess settle down before I go get Geoff.”  
“How can I when you showed me that? Dad I knew you were evil, but god dammit my mind is ruined now… How will I ever look Papa in the eye?” Iri yowls while trying to shake the image out.  
“Hey there you are, and you found Iri! Did you apologize yet?” Joel’s curious tone asks and Iri just grimaces as the picture of him on his knees is flashed in her mind.  
“Evil! You are pure unadulterated evil!” Iri shouts as she storms back into the building if only to get away from her father who is nearly dying in laughter. “Monster!”  
“And that’s why you love me!” Burnie shouts back as Joel merely stares after her in confusion and the other just shakes his head. “Nothing you don’t already know about.”  
“Ok… Can we go to dinner now?”  
“Sure thing Darling just let me grab my keys.” 

Iri

She hobbles back into the AH office content to never ever look at another dick again, lest she be reminded of her fathers. The pairs of eyes that meet her are only Geoff and Ryan as the lads had gone to get a very late lunch. Turning back to Geoff who is staring at her expectantly she gets down to the ground and he clips the leash back on.  
“So how was your meeting with Miles?”  
“Productive.” Iri mumbles with a brevity that makes the men turn to face her.  
“Oh really what did you do?”  
“We did you know artist and animator stuff.” Iri says with a nonchalant shrug as Ryan rolls over to face the woman with a charming smile.  
“So what does that entail exactly?” Ryan asks with an expression that said I’m just curious, but on Ryan it was more suspicious than anything.  
“Uh it involves talking about color scales, and digital transformations of characters.” Iri says without batting an eyelash or even meeting his eyes. “And coordination between other artists plus the animators… Again I ask why? If you were really curious couldn’t you just ask him yourself?”  
“Here’s the thing, Kerry and Miles have been out of the office since about one thirty… which means you’ve been gone for roughly two hours.” Geoff interjects with a knowing smile as he pulls the woman’s face up to meet his. “So where’d you go?”  
“I… I was talking to Joel about dinner plans on Sunday.” Also not a complete lie she thinks to herself quietly. Ryan just laughs as he feels Geoff hand over the leash to him. “Geoff?”  
“Oh Kit why don’t you look at Uncle Ryan, he seems to have taken quite a liking to you.”  
"Such a beautiful little fox, so well behaved sitting between my knees like this."  
“Ray… what about Ray?” Iri stutters, not that Ryan wasn't incredibly attractive and since burying the hatchet last night she held no ill will but she was absolutely positive Ray probably didn't approve of this... probably.  
“Don’t worry about my Kitten, he seems to think that the picture of you bouncing on my knot might be something worth seeing.”  
“And if I refuse?”  
“Then we pretend this never happened and we go back to normal… You drawing by my feet and quietly singing, while we edit.” Geoff explains and the woman feels her cheeks redden. “Ryan and Ray have brought up an interesting idea of merging into a pack.”  
“Wait, really?”  
“Indeed, Ray says it might be nice having a true pack to rely on… as well as kits. My Kitten can’t have a litter so he was hoping that you’d be receptive to us.” Ryan says and this is when it shatters whatever charming spell he had held over her. It brings her to the bitter reality of what he was suggesting.  
“Kits? That’s all you want from us? You don’t do this out of love just out of gaining viable offspring, fuck you Ryan, and fuck off the both of you! Hell, all of you can go to Hell! I can’t believe the audacity of you fucking knot heads!” Iri growls as she rips the collar off her neck and stands up, her tail sticking up in anger. “Lexi?”  
“Yes Mistress?”  
“Did you know about this?”  
“I had my suspicions, but it isn’t meant to be a bad thing. It is an honor to carry pups especially.”  
“Go away.” Iri snaps as she severed their connection causing the fox to whimper.  
“Yes Iri.” She replies sheepishly as she heads toward Ryan who picks her up.  
“Fuck all of you!” Iri says with more rage than Geoff had ever seen in even Michael, and when he goes to stop her she forces him back down into his chair. “I’ll kill you Geoffrey Ramsey if you touch me, and this is something you can be sure of.”  
“Iri, I think.”  
“Shut up before I drop you high enough to hurt.”  
“Don’t.”  
“You want to test me Geoffrey because I will crush you.” Iri threatens with the severity of a trained combatant. This wasn’t his meek little mate, this was the fighter that Erik had trained, and she would not be controlled by him. So Geoff shuts his mouth and watches as the woman storms off slamming the door shut behind her. It was days like these she cursed being an omega, and being a woman. She knew this would come up eventually but she hadn’t realized it would be this soon. Not even bothering to grab her purse, rather just her phone she starts hobbling towards her father’s house. Getting there had been something short of a miracle as her leg throbbed and begged for her to stop. Slamming a tired fist on the door roughly she waits not ten minutes before Joel answers the door breathless.  
“What’s up Kiddo?”  
“Were you guys having sex?” Iri asks leaving the man a stuttering mess and this is when she catches flash of silver on the man’s neck. He was wearing a god damn collar. “Nevermind, sorry to have bothered you.”  
“Wait we can finish later. What’s up with you?”  
'Nothing, and go have fun.. You deserve it.' Iri whispers forcefully in the man’s mind causing him to nod and shut the door. Hobbling back off the porch she feels her phone buzz obnoxiously in her pocket. 

Skye where are you?- Ray  
None of your goddamn business Narvaez. -Iri  
I take it Ry asked you. -Ray  
No dip asshole, and the answer is no! I’m not letting you fuck me for your own personal gains, so go to hell!- Iri  
Alright well that is a fair point, but you know male Apex omegas can’t produce living offspring. And I figured you‘d want to help. Team Stray right? -Ray  
Yeah but not like that! Did you even think about how you would feel if someone asked that of you? -Iri  
It’s not fair that you get to have kids and I don’t!- Ray  
No it isn’t but genetics are a bitch aren’t they! Answer is still no fucker, bring it up again and I’ll punch you in the dick. -Iri  
Fine, talk to me when you get off your high horse.- Ray

Oh the fucking audacity of men today! Iri was fuming as she crutched her way to a park bench with so much rage that her mind was clouded with nothing else. Not the pain in her leg, not the fear of being alone, but what did make it was how her mate had basically offered to pimp her out to their friends. What the fuck was wrong with people these days? Who would agree to something like that… sure it would have been cool to have a pack, and even pups running around the house but not because they wanted kids... Was it too much to ask for it to be out of love, instead of personal gains? To be a family, not just a tool to get to the ending you desire. She wanted them to be a pack out of love, not a bargain to be struck... Not like Erik, she would never have another child for her personal freedom. Never.  
“Miss are you okay?” Comes a elderly voice, and Iri recognizes it from the man whom had given her directions so long ago. “Miss… Miss Iri if I remember correctly, though I may not given how the years tend to dull such a thing.”  
“No it is Iri, but I’m not sure I remember your name… Tis a shame to be young and put to shame by such an elderly person as you.”  
“Haha don’t worry too much about it Miss it happens to the best of us. My name is Terrance.”  
“Terrance that’s a cool name, if I ever had a kit I might name him Terrance… It has such a caring yet strong vibe to it, you know?”  
“Well I’m not sure about strong, but I suppose my children would call me caring.. Their mother though was an iron castle, tougher than nails and more dangerous than malaria.”  
“Geez, she sounds rough.”  
“Her idea of discipline was a sharp smack to the ass and a mouthful of soap.”  
“What is yours?”  
“Time outs? I never did like punishing someone, I let her do that but I may have held the children afterwards.”  
“Christ she sounds like an awful woman… Sorry I mean.”  
“No Miss that’s how I portrayed her though, but in reality she was fiercely protective and more loving than you could ever imagine. We were quite a pair her and I.”  
“Were?”  
“She died in a car crash five years ago…”  
“That’s terrible Terrance, I’m truly sorry that your family suffered such a tragic loss. May her soul reside in a heaven worthy of her character.” Iri tells the man with a sad expression, however he just meets her with a smile.  
“It’s kind of you to say that, but I doubt that old bird is resting peacefully… I still hear her nagging me sometimes, but… but I don’t mind, that’s why I love her.” Terrance answers with a smile that causes Iri’s anger to dissipate. Even with the death of his wife this man was still more calm than she would ever be.  
“Terrance can I ask you something?”  
“I suppose, but you might not like my answer.”  
“No… I might not but I still want to try.”  
“Perseverance is a respectable trait, one I hope you pass on to your kits.”  
“Funny that’s actually what this is about.”  
“Alright Miss shoot.” Terrance says and Iri begins to explain the entire situation. She explains from the very beginning and then she explains begin kidnapped as well as everything that has happened up until this very point. Save for the powers and why her parents were killed. It must take her hours because the sun is just starting to lower on the horizon casting long shadows on everything. After the long explanation Terrance doesn’t say anything at first rather choosing to mull it over for what feels like forever.  
“So what should I do?”  
“I’m not really sure… I can honestly say having kits with Geoff, Gavin, and Michael won’t hurt. Nor will it really hinder your relationship with the other two, but it is unfair of them to just spring that on you.”  
“Thank you! They act like it is every woman’s dream to be bred, and I’m not denying that I want kits it’s just… I already have one.”  
“Yes and that places an obvious aversion to having another lest it be stolen from you… However you cannot let that stop you from becoming a family. It would be unfair to the others. Do you love all of these men?”  
“I think so.”  
“Then I would try, at the very least it will give you some sort of relief knowing that at least you tried. Personally I would wait till that leg of yours heals, but that’s just my opinion.”  
“Terrance what do you do for a living?” Iri asks thinking that any man who was as smart as him must be a doctor or something.  
“Oil field worker… I have been working in the fields for over 35 years and I’m not sure why but it gives you a sense of clarity.”  
“Open air perhaps?”  
“Hmm possibly, but shouldn’t you wander home it’s getting dark, and I’m sure that Geoff of yours is probably worried sick.”  
“What if I want him to feel like that?”  
“Then you are a much crueler person than I first thought, but something tells me that you don’t.”  
“You are right, it’s killing me.”  
“Then get going or answer one of his calls because I know it’s him making your phone buzz every ten minutes.” Terrance says knowingly as Iri pulls her phone up to indeed that Geoff has left voice-mail after voice-mail and the boys left texts. “What’s it say?”  
“I’ll play it.”  
‘Kit come home, I’m so sorry for asking that of you. It was stupid, selfish, and just about every negative word you can think of. Just call me Baby we’re so worried.’  
“He sounds awfully sorry.” Terrance comments while nudging the woman's shoulder with a smirk.  
“Yeah and the texts aren’t much different, a lot of sorry’s and you can punch me if you wants.”  
“Haha I bet my wife Lora would have liked you, same feisty spirit.”  
“I’m sure we would have gotten along wonderfully.” Iri replies mirroring the man’s pleasant smile. “Well as always it’s been interesting Miss Iri, I do hope to meet you again someday.”  
“As do I Terrance, have a good night!” Iri calls out as the man leaves, walking off towards the houses behind the park.  
Geoff can you come get me?- Iri  
She sends the text and almost immediately he responds.  
Of course! Where are you?- Geoff  
The park off of Redwood and Myronine.- Iri  
We’ll be there soon.- Geoff

With a sigh she just rests on the park bench pulling her legs up as well, she waits quietly while staring up at the clear Austin night sky. The stars were just beginning to twinkle when the sound of a car pulls up to the street. This was Michael's favorite part of Texas, Iri knows that because before she got kidnapped the man would take her to stargaze... Not that he knew many of the constellations besides a few of the common ones it was more about the aesthetic, gazing up into the vast, open sky. Sometimes if they were feeling contemplative they would talk about what was out there, if there was a God, or how amazing it would be to look down here from there. However, with that thought in mind she reaches out to find her pack approaching and Lexi as well but she kept her eyes still on the sky. Snapping the connection back she feels Lexi sigh in relief.  
“We’re sorry.” Geoff starts off as he and the others find their youngest mate sitting on a parch bench staring up at the night sky, her body shivering slightly at the night's chilly air. “I know… But what if I said yes… how would this work?”  
“What?” Gavin squeaks in surprise, they had thrown out the entire prospect when she refused so adamantly earlier.  
“Well I’m not saying yes just yet, but how would we do it? Would they just fuck me and I hand them a child three months later?” Iri asks still staring up at the sky and Geoff just sits down on the other side of the bench careful of her leg.  
“No, we would be a gigantic pack… all of us living under a roof, and taking care of the kids.”  
“Good because I can’t give up another child… Geoff I won’t.”  
“And I don’t expect you to, but what do you mean by another?”  
“When Erik raped me he forced me to conceive a child for him, and then took her away from me.” Iri explains with tears forming in her eyes. “I tried to take her with me, but he threatened to kill her… Geoff you must understand, I couldn’t stay there, but I wasn’t going to let him kill her.”  
“He’s more of a monster than I thought.” Michael growls as Iri sits up and hunches over with her face in her hands.  
“Harold and Otto told me they’d protect her, and I trust those men more than I trust myself… I know she’s safe, but it doesn’t change the fact that I became exactly what I never wanted. I left her… just like they left me.” Iri cries as Gavin sits down on the other side of her, pulling her close to him as she sobbed. “I won’t let that happen again, and hell be damned if someone tries it.”  
“No one ever would Love, Ryan and Ray have already talked about taking over one of the guest rooms.” Gavin says and that’s when she remembers her and Ray’s conversation.  
“Ray and I aren’t on the best of terms right now.”  
“I talked to him about that, and he wished for me to relay his apologies… it seems he and Ryan were getting into fights about this lately, and it was like dangling a carrot in front of his nose.” Geoff says and Iri just nods.  
“But I’m not ready yet. This bone needs to heal and I have to wait until I get a little less work because having four kits is probably going to wreck me.”  
“I can fix tissue damage don’t you remember.” Geoff adds with a smirk and Iri just punches his shoulder.  
“Don’t be gross asshole!”  
“Though you may need to exercise for awhile after that… that’s at least four children.” Michael says trying to imagine what their petite Iri would look like with four children in her womb.  
“I swear to god if one more person pictures pregnant me I’m going to mind fuck them so hard.”  
“What does that entail?” Geoff asks as he tests her, only to find an image of Burnie and Joel fucking doggie style implanted in all of their minds. “Oh god stop! Please I’m sorry! That’s too much Burnie!”  
“Who knew Joel was so lithe?”  
“Not bad Caboose, not bad.”  
“Alright now you fuckers are just being creepy.” Iri mumbles as she gets up and grabs her crutches, however Michael just scoops her up into his arms. “Whoa there cowboy.”  
“Hmm I bet you’d like to ride me wouldn’t you?”  
“Maybe if I didn’t have a broken leg.” Iri answers with a smirk as she nips at her lover’s neck. “But I don’t think I have the strength for anything tonight seeing as parading around town on crutches is much harder than someone might think.”  
“Alright Kit we’ll call it an early one tonight… Though you are eating dinner since I know for a fact you have not eaten in a long time. When we finally do this whole kit thing you will need to start eating regularly.” Geoff tells the woman who groans at him as Michael lies them both in the back seat and Gavin shuts the doors.  
“But Geoff.”  
“Don’t butt Geoff him, you are going to be healthy if you expect to do this, and Ryan won’t allow anything but perfect nutrition.”  
“I’m going to call him Ryan the nutrition guy.”  
“Hmm it has a nice ring to it.” Michael smirks as he nips at her neck playfully causing Iri to turn and face him. “Meanwhile Gav and I are going to cuddle the fuck out of you… just knowing that you’ve preemptively said yes makes me humpy.”  
“Shut up before I drop you, literally.”  
“Oooh she told you Boi!” Gavin adds as they pull into the driveway and she yelps at the jerk of the curb causing her leg to knock against the back of Gavin’s seat. “Christ Geoff, you trying to kill her?”  
“My bad I forgot about the bone injury. You alright back there Champ?”  
“I’m grand Geoffrey.” Iri growls as the pain from earlier raises it’s head reminding her of the pills that she really wished were in her hands. Pulling herself out she waves off Michael choosing to crutch into the house hitting her foot on the door step accidentally. “Fucking hell!”  
“Okay, I think it’s time for you to sit down before you break it again.” Geoff warns as he ushers the woman to the couch where he props her foot up with a pillow on the coffee table. “I’m making alfredo; Michael, Gavin come make a salad. Iri just stay there.”  
“Aye Captain.” Iri responds as the other disappear into the kitchen it isn’t until she’s sure they’re busy that she decides to head upstairs to change. Perhaps levitation might be a good thing now, now that she had a better understanding of it than she did last night. Taking a calming breath she heads to the stairs and without grimacing too much she lifts herself skyward. Not as easy as she had hoped, and she nearly tosses herself to the top of the stairs in an attempt to make it up. She lies there for a few minutes panting heavily and fighting the urge to vomit before dragging herself to the bedroom. Once there she wrenched herself up on the bed and sits there. Now came the easy part. Opening her drawer she lifts a nightgown out that was dark purple. It was of baby doll fashion, but had a sweetheart style neckline with a white ribbon that she tied into a bow on her back just under her bust line. The material itself was cotton with thin white ribbon straps that rested on the beginnings of her shoulders. It fell to about midway to her knee so it was one of her more conservative night wear options given that most of the time she just took off her bra and pants, choosing to put on one of Gavin’s shirts and those only made it to her hips most of the time. Pulling her hair into a long braid, she heads back to the stairs only to realize that it would probably only result in her falling. “Michael.” She calls out quietly hoping he wasn’t busy anymore, and the man just pops his head in the hallway looking for the sound of his name.  
“Damn girl no need to get dressed up for dinner.”  
“Red, can you help me down?”  
“My pleasure milady.” Michael says with a smile as he carries her down the stairs and back onto the couch.  
“You make me feel like a princess when you say that.”  
“I’m your white knight remember, and you're my damsel in distress… This is basically my job.”  
“You stereotypical piece of Jersey trash.” She mutters with a chuckle and the man looks at her with raised eyebrows.  
“Why thank you my prissy little Vixen.” Using Gavin’s pet name for her with a seductive grin.  
“Have I ever told you that I hate you?”  
“Hmm once or twice I believe, but what’s another time?”  
“God you… you make me angry and horny all at the same time. That cinnamon scent of yours drives me bonkers, and makes me want to bury you deep inside my aching pussy.”  
“And that smoke of yours always makes me question what it would look like to have you bent over this couch taking me balls deep.”  
“Kiss me my knight?”  
“Oh I’ll do a little more than that.” Michael answers as he claims her mouth like he was born to do it, and Iri lets him. She loves the feeling of him pulling her on top of his lap careful of her wounds. However he plays just rough enough to make her slick form in needy droplets in her underwear.  
“Fuck me on the couch?”  
“Would be my pleasure my Lass.”  
“Say that again.”  
“What? Does my little Lass want her thick Knight to fuck her raw on his cock?”  
“Yes god she wants that.” Iri huffs as she forces Michael’s pants away from his body as well as his underwear too. With the man’s help she lines herself up with his cock and then sinks down fully, gripping roughly onto the man’s shirt. “Knight’s going to have to do most of the work with this leg of mine.”  
“Hmm I think that can be arranged.” Michael says as he lifts her hips up and down at a frighteningly fast pace. Iri can’t help the moans that fall from her lips as she bounces on his lap. Earlier she thought her energy was gone, but then the man opened his mouth waking her up. She can tell with each bounce that he is getting rapidly close to finishing so in attempt to finish with him she grips her tail and pumps it in time with him. her pussy clenching around his cock eagerly trying to milk the man dry. This seems to send Michael over the edge, and Iri with him as she lets out a loud keening noise.  
“Bullocks you two are beautiful, our lovely little gingers.” Gavin praises as he walks in on Michael and Iri finishing up. Geoff had heard them, but Gavin had been in the bathroom only to walk back and be drawn by their sounds. “Love are you hurt?” He asks when he notices how tense her muscles are, she bites her lip and nods quickly. Her leg had become pinned up against Michael and the sofa back.  
“Oh shit, Iri I’m sorry.” Michael says quickly as he sees the woman nearly crying as Gavin lifts her off and then onto his lap. Kissing her neck lovingly he tries to soothe away the tears. “No more spontaneous couch sex for you.”  
“But the sex was great, it’s just the leg smashing I could do without.”  
“Dinner Assholes!” Geoff calls out as he enters the room to find it filled with the scents of sex, sweat, and pain. “Kit do you need another pill?”  
“Yeah Daddy, she needs a few.” Michael answers for her as he grabs a few tissues to clean up the mess. He also puts on his boxers before carrying Iri to the table.  
“You two smell like sex, smoky cinnamon sex… Hmm it’s a scent I could learn to love on you two.” Geoff praises as he sets the food on table and places two pills in her outstretched hand.  
“Hmm upping the dosage Doc?”  
“You’ve had a long day Kit… I figured you could use the extra one.”  
“Are you going to gang rape me after I pass out?”  
“We could if you like.” Geoff answers with a sarcastic smile as he fills up a plate and hands it to her. After dishing the rest out they tuck into it, and Geoff watches as the woman slowly starts to fade with each bite. It isn’t until halfway through her plate that she lays her head on Michael’s shoulder while continuing to slowly chew.  
“Someone’s sleepy.” Michael murmurs as he rubs his cheek against her head. Now what Geoff hadn’t told her was that one pill was actually a sleep aid that the doctor had prescribed at his ‘request’. This was perhaps one of the most useful abilities as a telepath… or just furthered helped him in his dreams of becoming a successful drug dealer.  
“Mmm Red’s really soft, which is strange because he’s soooo buff… Gavvers isn’t that weird? Though he also has a hard dick, but that’s not really weird because he’s a dude… a buff, hard, dude… The best kind.” Iri mumbles hazily into his arm as she slips into the drug induced cloud.  
“Heh, so what do you think about Gavin?” Michael asks with a smile wondering what she really thought about the Brit.  
“Gavvers is the greatest, I love him to death!” She enunciates with big eyes as she pulls back to look across the table at him. “I love how he’s always so energetic even though it ticks me off when he interrupts my work, but it’s refreshing you know? Like a cool drink of water in the summer time, and god the sex is great… Such a talented mouth on this man, now I remember while Miles always teases me about staring too long at his mouth.” Iri rambles as Gavin blushes mildly across the table. “Cun...cunnilingus is always great from bilingual guys… The tongue because it you know..” She says while flopping her tongue around in her mouth with her eyes closed as though imagining it.  
“Alright that’s enough Love, we get it I’m good with my tongue.” Gavin says as he picks up the plate in front of her and Michael. “Tell us about Geoff.”  
“Oh he’s my Papa.”  
“Mmm I am, aren’t I?”  
“You are and your Michael’s daddy, and Gavin’s… well I’m not sure what he calls you… Gav?”  
“He’s just Geoff to me.”  
“And Geoff to him! Your our Alpha, our pack leader, and most of all the giant knot head who keeps us together and the man who punishes when we’re bad like a good pack leader.” Iri stutters as she stands up only to collapse to the ground in a fit of giggles. “... I fell.”  
“I think it’s time for bed Lass.” Michael says as he picks the woman up who pouts in his arms.  
“But Michael! I don’t wanna go to bed!”  
“Iri.” Geoff says in a strict tone that causes the woman to shut up in the other man’s arms.  
“But Papa.”  
“I’ll watch a movie with you.” Michael offers and the woman turns back to him with an excited look. “We can watch whatever you want.”  
“What if I say the Fox and the Hound?”  
“Then we can watch that.”  
“Or what if I say High school of the Dead?”  
“I’m game for that.”  
“To the bedroom my knight!” Iri commands lightheartedly as the pair disappears up the stairs giggling quietly. Leaving Gavin and Geoff to clean up the kitchen.  
“Geoff?”  
“Hmm Gavvers?”  
“Fuck me.”  
“I thought you’d never ask.” Geoff says as he places the rest of the dishes in the sink and turns to his mate who already has his clothing off, and leaning over the dining room table presenting his leaking hole. It takes Geoff maybe a minute of fingering before the younger is so open that he could probably be fisted easily if he wanted to. Slick was leaking from him profusely coating Geoff’s brain in a dense cloud of grass and his own peachy bourbon smell.  
“Geoff come on don’t tease me.”  
“Baby relax or this is going to hurt.”  
“Shut up and just fuck me Sweetheart before I die of boredom.” Gavin says impatiently as he wiggles his hips trying to entice his lover to fuck him. Geoff relents and with a smile presses himself into his wanting pup with little to no resistance.  
“Seems someone has been playing with them self today.”  
“In the bathroom.. earlier… I pulled the plug out from when Michael fucked me after our ‘lunch’.... Darling, move.”  
“Whatever you wish my Pup.” He says as he snaps his hips back causing the man to whine at the loss before he moans wantonly.  
“Harder.”  
“Pushy tonight.”  
“Please Geoff… Please.” Gavin begs sweetly as the man starts his hips again at a brutal pace. He could feel his bruising grip on his hips and the sharp sting of the bites Geoff placed on his shoulder. “Please.”  
“Shush I’ll give you what you need.” Geoff orders as he bites the man’s collar bone and the other cums harshly from just penetration. It wasn’t rare that he would do this and Geoff soon follows him, his knot swelling deep in the other. Both panting heavily and Gavin rests his head on the table trying to catch his breath, only to find it gone again as the other ruts up into him, hitting his prostate. The little stars he sees only make him whimper as the other works him through another orgasm only this time Geoff uses his hand to stroke him. “Good boy.”  
“Thanks Sweetheart, not too bad yourself.” Gavin chirps happily as he feels the knot slip out of him, and the leaking cum start to dribble down his legs.  
“You need a shower Baby, you smell terrible.” Geoff jokes as he licks at the man’s neck.  
“I’ve been working all day and Michael had me sweating like a beast after work… Man is like a rabbit with those hips.”  
“Yes he is, I wonder if he works out with pelvic thrusts?”  
“No I just fuck, a lot.” Michael answers as he strolls down in just his boxers. “You and Iri seem to keep these bad boys in shape.” He adds with a kiss to Gavin’s lips, and then one to his Alpha giving a playful thrust.  
“Where is our little Vixen?”  
“Sleeping… she was out like a light once her head hit the pillow. I didn’t even have time to turn Netflix on before she was snoring.” Michael tells the man as he grabs a glass of water. “But I’m going to go back up in case she wakes up.”  
“Night Michael.”  
“Night Baby boy.”  
“Night Daddy, and night Pup.” As the other ascends the stairs Gavin goes to take a shower in the downstairs bathroom, while Geoff finished up the dishes. He himself heads up the stairs to find Michael playing his DS with Iri wrapped under one arm and curled into his side. Shucking his clothes, he dons a pair of pajama pants, and then slides underneath the covers. Michael switches off his DS and slinks down further to wrap Iri in his arms completely, and that's when Gavin shows up a few minutes later smelling clean and a towel wrapped around his hips. His hair even more tousled than normal, and he just slips right in between them. He presses himself up against Geoff until the Gent flips over, and takes him into his arms. The group falls asleep and a sense of contentment ensues allowing that the next few months go by smoothly. Iri finished up her artwork and got her cast off, using her powers to heal the remaining damage as well as sensitivity. Ryan and Ray had taken up a room at the Ramsey residence that was mostly used on the weekends as Iri became more receptive to the idea of having pups. However she still had momentary relapses where she secluded herself in an unused office and cried for the child she lost, or painted horrific scenes of torture that seemed to suck the life out of any who dared to look upon them. Though with the bad came the good, she had begun attending dinners with Joel and Burnie choosing to strengthen the bond between them. As the months past and it drew closer to spring Iri found herself being asked to go cross country with Miles and Kerry for an upcoming convention in California. Now this was something that her mates had been hesitant upon. It was very hard to keep someone safe when they were a three hour flight away, so it was from this that heated discussions were born.


	18. Pack Life

5 months later  
Two days before the convention

It was about one day before her flight, and needless to say the pack was less than pleased as the woman flitted about the house packing. Geoff who was still not pleased with the whole situation was watching grumpily as the woman packed with a pep in her step, and her tail flicking with excitement. It wasn’t until she packs her Machiko cosplay that he finally makes his voice be heard.  
“Is that really necessary?”  
“What? Geoff I’m pretty sure underwear are necessary.” Iri says while continuing fold up her chosen outfits and undergarments.  
“I’m not talking about the underwear. I’m talking about the outfit, I don’t approve of it.” Geoff says putting his foot down metaphorically and raising his hand he lifts it out. Iri can’t help but chuckle at his behavior, he had been petulant about this entire situation… though most of them had been only Gavin truly supporting her, and helping to get her flights in order.  
“Well Mr. Ramsey why do you find it to be disapproving?”  
“You show far too much skin, and I don’t trust people to not get ideas.”  
“Oh and what might those ideas be, Mr. Ramsey?” Iri teases while coming to sit on the man’s lap, wrapping her legs around the gent with innocent eyes.  
“Ideas about how good you might look wrapped around their knot, or on your knees sucking them off… I think you should wear this.” Geoff answers while sliding her off his lap and onto the bed. He gets up and goes to the closet, picking out a few items of clothing. When Geoff comes back he has a tan trench coat that Iri sometimes wore on particularly cold days, with a pair of her blue jeans, and a turtleneck sweater. She can’t help but laugh as the gent offers them to her, only to tug them out of his grip by an unseen force and places them back in the closet.  
“It’s in California Geoff, the land of skimpily dressed women, and surfing… Oh that reminds me I need to get my bikini.” Iri mutters as she gets off the bed and begins rooting around her drawers.  
“No, I want you in a one piece.”  
“Funny Alpha, now tell me where have you hidden it?” Iri questions the salty gent, she wasn't sure if she even had a one piece.  
“In Hell with the rest of your scandalous outfits.”  
“Geoff don’t make me ask Todd, because you know he’ll tell me.”  
“Nope his lips are sealed just like mine. He doesn’t approve of it either.”  
“Fine, Michael where’s my red bikini with ruffles? You know the one that Geoff likes!” Iri shouts as she exits the room only to bump right into Ray who was clearly blushing. “Oh hey Ray! How’s it going?”  
“Good, whatcha looking for?”  
“My scarlet bikini you know the cute one with the ruffled skirt and the black bow in between my boobs.” Iri says while gesturing with her hands, and taking one of Ray’s to feel the minor gap between her breasts. “You know the one I wore to the party last week.”  
“Oh yeah… that one.”  
“Mmmhmm tell me have you seen it since Geoff is being a pouty old man.” Iri whispers while running her hand over his chest and settles them along his neck. They had always had chemistry, but it had never quite felt right; however now it felt perfect and even though Ray still blushed when they got intimate it only made her love him more.  
“Ry left it hanging in the laundry room to dry when he washed it.” Ray answers obediently as the redhead smiles gratefully and kisses his cheek.  
“Thanks Homie.” Iri whispers before disappearing off to the basement to find her swimsuit which was hanging on a hanger. Grabbing it and right as she goes to turn around she feels a pair of strong hands grip her waist.  
“Guess who?”  
“Hmm with hands like those it’s either Michael, Ryan, or Geoff. However Geoff is being rather grumpy, and I saw Michael outside in the pool with Gavin when I walked down the stairs, so process of elimination tells me that this is Ryan currently fondling my hips.” Iri deduces as she spins around to indeed find the Gent gripping her hips tightly, almost possessively.  
“Very good Faline.”  
“You know I’ll never understand why you call me that… If anything shouldn’t you call me Vixey from Fox and the Hound?”  
“Well I could but I like the name Faline better.”  
“But I’m not a deer.”  
“Neither am I, but I let you call me Stag.”  
“I only call you that because Gavin is Pup, and I don’t want to confuse him… Plus Stag just sounds powerful, and persuasive like a man who is charming yet mysterious.” Iri says as she lets her arms wrap around his neck. “Thanks for doing laundry, I was meaning to get around to it.”  
“Don’t worry about it, so tell me why is our pack alpha grumpy now?”  
“Clothing… He does not agree with my cosplaying, but it is a convention and there will be women in less clothing than I.”  
“Which one is it?”  
“Machiko.”  
“Oh, yes I can see why he may worry with that one, but I trust you to keep yourself true… If not then we will just have to show you where and to who you belong to.” Ryan threatens with a smile that sends shivers down Iri’s spine as the man pushes her up against the doorway. His kissing is how one might describe a sniper. Precise and deadly, allowing for no error and maximizing every second. She knows he’s only kissing like this since it’s the last night she’ll be home considering her flight is tomorrow.  
“I love you, but I need to pack.”  
“But I need to get my time in before the other’s ruin you.”  
“You’ll have Ray, and he seems rather bashful today.” Iri remarks as she wiggles her way out of the gent’s grasp only to feel his hand wrap around her wrist.  
“His heat is coming up and he doesn’t wish for you to leave, he likes having you around… Says it is grounding to have a woman here who isn’t there to fuck him rather just pleasure him.” Ryan explains and Iri looks away from his penetrating blue eyes. “But you’ll be back around to experience another with him.”  
“Yeah… I’m going to finish packing now, perhaps later.” Iri murmurs guiltily as she works her wrist out and heads up the stairs, her good mood diminished slightly. She felt awful about missing Ray’s heat given how bad it usually hit him, and he always seemed to cling to her when she was around. Heading back to the bedroom she finds it empty, Geoff probably given up his conquest in favor of joining his boys in the pool. She places the bikini in her bag, and with a sigh she takes her cosplay outfit out. It couldn’t hurt to be herself for a couple of days. Replacing it with a pair of jean cut offs, and an AH tank top; Gav said it was going to be hot in California so this was probably a good choice. Her next outfit was a short but flowy black skirt, and an emerald spaghetti strap low cut top that fit perfectly. The final was a white ruched chiffon ruffle dress with a royal blue ribbon tied around the middle. It fell just above her knees and paired beautifully with her royal blue heels that tied up and around her calves with cute bows on the toes. Satisfied that she would be clothed in California she zips up the bag, and place it by the front door. Donning another of her bikinis, this one a green polka dot one that had an underwire to promote her bust, she goes to head to the pool but a whimper catches her ear. Stopping at the door that was Ray and Ryan’s room she opens it to find Ray rutting into his hand on the bed.  
“Iri?”  
“Hey Ray, heat’s already here?”  
“A little… I can feel it coming… All packed up?” Ray asks as he removes his hand in frustration.  
“You want some help there Ember?”  
“No, I think I’m just going to play some games or something.”  
“Don’t be like that… present omega.” Iri orders sweetly and Ray just whines before flipping over to show her his slicked hole. “So pretty, and wet.”  
“Iri don’t tease.” Ray whimpers as the woman just parts his cheeks, letting the cool air dry his slick slightly. It isn’t until he whines deep in his chest that she takes pity on the man and starts lapping at the flowery scent. His moans only spur her on and with a grin she pokes her tongue in just enough to tease the man with penetration. Pulling back she can feel Ray shaking with need, and whining loudly.  
“Settle Ember, I’m just getting something to help you out more than my tongue can.” Iri mumbles as she grabs a knotting dildo from the nightstand drawer, coming back he pushes back needily on her fingers. Once satisfied that he was adequately stretched she takes some of his slick and lubes up the toy. Pushing the head against his hole gently, it is soon sucked up, and he moans lustily under the attention. “Feels good Ember doesn’t it?”  
“So good… God Iri...thank you…. needed this so bad.” Ray praises as she starts drawing it in and out of him at a slow pace only speeding up when he begs her to. Taking mercy on the man she gives him what he wants, and denies him nothing stroking in time with her thrusts. “I’m close…. so very close.”  
“Cum for me Ember, cum for me.” Iri commands in a tone similar to Geoff’s strict one when he was punishing someone. Ray gasps as the orgasm is practically ripped from his body at the woman’s command, he moans happily into his arms as she turns on the dildo, and its’ knot swells up into his ass filling the man’s aching hole. Pulling her cum covered hand away she licks at the substance on her fingers, and then leans down to lap at the spot on the bed.  
“I love you… so much.” Ray whispers as the woman pulls up to kiss him, and he can taste himself on her. It was a flavor akin to the smell of burning roses “I’m going to miss you very much Skye.”  
“Same here Ray, but I’ll be back in like four days.” Iri answers while lying down on the bed and then pulling him onto her chest. “I’m sorry about missing your heat.”  
“It’s okay, just get me a t-shirt or something.” Ray adds sleepily as he lounges on the woman’s chest and that’s when he notices her state of undress. “Were you going swimming?”  
“I was, but then I heard that whimper of yours and you know I can’t resist that.”  
“That’s because I’m irresistible.”  
“Mmhmm now go to sleep, I’ll take the toy out when it finishes.”  
“You know we could go to the pool, and I could lounge around as an ocelot. It would give Flynt a good reason to sunbathe.”  
“In a few minutes let’s just lay like this for a little while, cuddles are nice.”  
“They are.” Ray remarks before finally slipping into a napping state, Iri just lies there stroking his hair while he purrs quietly. It isn’t until the toy stops ten minutes later that she pulls it out drawing the man from his sleepy state.  
“Shift for me Ember, and I’ll take you outside to lay in the sun.” Iri whispers and the man soon becomes his sleek ocelot form lying on her chest. Picking him up gently she carries him to the back yard where Geoff is watching Michael put Gavin on his shoulders in an attempt to play chicken.  
“Uh Geoff no offense, but I don’t think you can lift me.”  
“None taken Ryan, I don’t think I could either.”  
“Aww but Geoff you haven’t even tried… Now how are we going to play Omegas vs. Alphas?”  
“Yes because that sounds like a good idea to me. Gavin against Ry, a much stronger Alpha who could easily take him down.” Iri adds quietly while going over to one of the loungers and setting a towel down on it. She places Ray on it and kisses his furry head before he gives her a lick on the cheek. “Have a good nap Ray… Now Ry, it might be a fair fight it I got on your shoulders.”  
“Oh looks like the Lass wants to play… Team nice dynamite is prepared, right Boi?”  
“You know it Boi, ready to get crushed Love?”  
“Dream on Pup, you're going straight to the floor… the pool floor that is.” Iri says meeting his challenge with a smirk as she gets onto the Gent. Ryan places his hands on her legs as she holds onto his head trying to gain balance, playing it up for the boys. Geoff could tell this was an act by the way her tail seemed to dart playfully, but he doubted the boys knew.  
“You ready?”  
“I was born ready Ry. How about you two?”  
“Well come on Mr. and Mrs. Confident.” Gavin says as they surge forward, locking arms. It wasn’t until Iri smirked that he knew he was done for. She used her powers to lift him straight off Michael’s shoulders and dangle several feet above the pool. Dropping him a few times she catches him inches before he would have smacked hard onto the surface of the water. Holding him there for a few minutes before dropping him with a heavy splash. She feels herself waver while trying to maintain her balance, but picking him up had taken much more than she would have liked it to. So Iri slips off Ryan’s shoulders and fell back into the water letting it swallow her up with a whoosh. Ryan waits a few seconds before pulling the dazed woman up, and she stands up sputtering. “Love?”  
“I’m alright, just got cocky.” Iri answers as she smiles at the men, even catching Ray’s worried eyes on her. “Seriously I’m fine.”  
“Are you sure?” Geoff asks knowing that her ability to move, and hold such heavy objects was okay at best. He knew that she would be able to do it one day, but lifting Gavin like that had to be taxing.  
“No worries Papa.” Iri replies briefly as she feels his hand slip around her waist, and pulling her close to him. “Told you we’d win.”  
“That’s not fair! You used your powers!”  
“Hey a girl’s gotta do what she can… It’s a cruel world to live in.”  
“Geoff tell her she cheated!”  
“Honestly she didn’t, neither of you said no powers.” Ryan points out and Iri just oooooh’s them.  
“Thank you Ryan the loophole guy!”  
“Fuck you two, it was implied! You don’t see me using mine!”  
“Yeah because you would have electrocuted all of us.” Iri mutters and she suddenly feels a gust of wind force her from the gent’s arms and into Michael’s.  
“As you were saying.” He says while tilting her wide eyed expression up to meet his calm one, and he leans in for a kiss. “Tell me again about control, Miss I can’t keep him up.”  
“Fuck off Michael.”  
“I’m only teasing.” He says but it’s too late as the woman lifts herself above him and creates a platform so she just lays about twelve feet in the air above the pool.  
“Hey come down before you hurt yourself.” Geoff orders and she just laughs at him.  
“Or what are you going to ground me?” Iri challenges and the telepath just glares at her.  
“No but I will make it very uncomfortable for you to sit three hours in a plane tomorrow.”  
“You act like I can’t heal that.”  
“Faline just come.” Ryan starts, but it seems her concentration runs out as she feels her platform disintegrate from under her. Closing her eyes and preparing herself for the pain of being splashed hard against the water, she is surprised when a gust of wind lowers her gently into Michael’s arms. “Down… Michael I must commend you on that, your control is spectacular.”  
“Thanks Geoff helped me with it.”  
“You did?” Gavin and Iri echo.  
“Yes, he’s the only one who trusts me enough to let me into his mind.”  
“Oh.” The pair echo again as they go silent. Iri would never let anyone in ever, and Gavin only let Iri in sometimes. They held a strange bond, seeing as whenever Lance dream-walked he would do it into Iri’s mind finding it the most interesting of the groups. He liked Ryan’s but it held too much danger as Godric would tear the North American wolf a new one. Slipping out of Michael’s arms and onto the side of the pool she finds Ray rubbing against her.  
“Hey there Ember, what can I do for you?”  
“You want to go on one last run before you leave?”  
“Kitten your heat is about to kick in, I don’t think that’s wise.” Ryan says as he comes over to face the pair. Taking Ray onto her lap she pets him gently.  
“Come on Ray we’ll go.” Iri says disregarding the Alpha, sure it was close but she could mask him and they wouldn’t go far enough to draw attention. Shifting the pair run out through the open gate and into the woods behind it.  
“They’re hard headed, and very disobedient today.” Ryan resigns with a sigh as he watches the pair disappear from sight.  
“She’s leaving for a few days so I think they're trying to get in a week's worth of shenanigans.”  
“Do you think she’ll visit FunHaus when she goes?” Gavin asks with apprehension. This had been a topic heavily avoided by their thoughts for the most part. A pack feared nothing more than having one of it’s member stolen away by another, and from what had been said by Miles and Kerry they weren’t making a detour to that office. However plans change and the FunHaus pack may be too great of a temptation to miss.  
“Probably not, but it’s cool… She loves us so no big deal, right?” Michael answers as the hesitation is heavy in his tone. It’s not that they didn’t trust her, it’s just everyone else, and Iri had a tendency to be flirty while not realizing it… Or how she had such a low resistance to other Alphas. She would never run into another Alpha’s arms willingly, but if she was drinking and the man commanded her to; they doubted seriously that the woman would be able to refuse. It was hard for any omega to resist an alpha, even mated ones.... Sometimes when they got strict with her, her eyes would get misty and her tail would sink in submission, her lip would quiver in fear, and it was then the Alphas would stop in their yelling to take her into their arms. Their anger dissolving in seconds, and soothing words already on their lips. Sometimes she would be fine in seconds, other times it would take her hours to stop, and on the worst days she couldn't look them in the eyes. It was those days that they remembered the trauma Erik put her through. “Right.” They all agree simultaneously.

Several hours later

Iri came back with an exhausted Ray, and the pair was more than happy to just sleep the rest of the night away. However the others were eating, so shifting back and settling at the table they joined in. Having a raucous meal like usual, and laughter was unanimously had all around. Now after for Iri at least was bed time given that her flight was at 8 a.m., and they had to be out of the house by 6 to beat traffic. Geoff and Gavin had followed her up the stairs with Michael’s promise of later ringing in their ears. Stripping down to pajamas and underwear the foursome scents heavily before going to bed with kisses for all parties.


	19. God knows it's not easy taking on the face of someone else's pain

The morning. 

Iri was so excited the words were flowing quickly from her as she flew around the house getting ready in a hurry. Making sure she had her phone, and all the necessities four times before Geoff corralled her to the car. Listening with a smile to the woman’s fast moving phrases and answering any questions she had. Arriving at the airport and then meeting up with her buddies went smoothly as the pair greeted them with smiles.  
“Morning Geoff.”  
“Hey guys, you three all set?”  
“Yeah we’re good. Iri?”  
“I’m so ready!” Iri says not even bothering to school her enthusiasm which brings grins to all their faces.  
“You take care of her, or you're going to deal with a pissed off pack.” Geoff threatens and the males just gulp and nod quickly. “Okay you guys have a good time, I love you.”  
“Love you too Papa.” Iri whispers in his ear as she kisses him one last time. “Tell the others I love them too!”  
“We gotta go, it’s boarding.” Kerry says and Iri pulls away from Geoff with a nod. The trio walks off and Geoff turns away with a pain in his heart, suddenly wishing Gavin would have come.  
“They grow up so fast.” Geoff mumbles with a sad smirk as he exits the airport and heads home. He and the others still had to go to work later, and he bet they were already there now.  
California  
Like 3 hours later 

They walked out of the airport with luggage in hand and much to their surprise a hand written sign held by a man in the airport lobby that read, ‘RT artists or something like that’  
“Uh guys there is a dude here, and he’s coming towards us.” Iri warns as she stares warily at the man who was quite beefy with brown hair and a had beard like Geoff grew in the winter, or when he was being too lazy to trim his facial hair. He wore a shirt that Iri had seen Jon working on, but never asked about. It had an F and an H on it with in orange with a black back ground.  
“Iridessa, Miles, and Kerry right?” The man asks as he extends a hand and the others nod quickly unsure of what he wanted. “I’m Adam Kovic, official, unofficial leader of FunHaus the RT of LA. Welcome to California.”  
“Oh yeah, I’ve heard of you guys!” Iri says in recognition as it finally clicks as this was the man her dad had hired a few months ago, and from what she'd heard on their podcasts they were pretty funny. “Dude Soup guy.”  
“Yeah that’s me, Dude Soup guy… You know Burnie told me that you guys would be unmistakable. Nice tail.” Adam comments with a hearty shake of her hand and Iri just smiles politely.  
“It’s genetic.” Miles answer as he finally gains his voice. “So Mr. Kovic it was kind of you to welcome us, but we should head to our hotel.”  
“Miles it’s just Adam, and Burns told me to drive you there. Follow me.” Adam says and the groups follows him, however not before he picks up Iri’s suitcase. “Let me.”  
“No I got it, but thanks though.”  
“I insist, I can’t have the boss’ daughter saying we weren’t hospitable.” Adam tells her with a wink and the woman hesitantly agrees before relinquishing her grip on the bag.  
“Wow, what a gentleman. Can we get going?” Kerry says in a deadpan voice that draws the pair from their sheepish smiles. It isn’t a long walk to the car and once everyone is settled in they take off to their hotel. Checking in was a breeze, and upon entering her room she hears her face time ringing. Adam who had entered carrying her bag, just nods respectively before he heads to the bathroom as she smiles gratefully.  
“Hey guys!” Iri answers cheerily as the others appear sporadically on the screen as they attempt to squeeze in the small frame.  
“Love, we miss you already!”  
“I’ll be home before you know it Pup, and besides it’s been like five hours.”  
“Too long for my tastes. How’s the weather?”  
“Sunny and Adam said once he took us by the office to grab James, and Bruce we would head to the beach. Check it out it’s Dude Soup guy, Adam Kovic!” Iri introduces as she flips the screen around to face the smiling man. “It seems I am in the presence of a celebrity.”  
“Oh my god it’s the RWBY lead artist Iridessa Burns! Wait till I tell Lawrence.” Adam says mimicking her fake awe and it’s on the other side the other men’s bloods takes an icy chill.  
“I thought you weren’t going to FunHaus?” Michael says sheepishly and Iri just shrugs.  
“FunHaus kinda found us, Adam picked us up from the airport.. I guess my Dad put him up to it.”  
“It’s true Mr. Burns suggested it, and by suggested I mean told.”  
“That’s cool! Hey have a good time Faline, you deserve it.” Ryan comments with a possessive smirk that sends shivers down her spine, and Kovic makes note of that. He didn't see any marks on her, so as far as the law went she seemed free... However as he drew closer he could smell Geoff on her, but that wasn't enough for him to let such a cute omega like her slip through his hands.  
“Love you guys, I’m going to go now! Have fun at work and give Ember a kiss for me!”  
“Will do.” Ryan bids as the call ends and her phone screen goes dark.  
“You ready?” Kovic asks and Iri just shakes her head.  
“Let me change and I will meet you in the car.” Iri says and the man nods in understanding before he leaves. She wastes no time in throwing off her airplane clothes and on her scarlet bikini. Pulling on her jean shorts, a matching scarlet tank top, her cowboy boots, and pulling her ponytail out she switches it for two low set pig tails sweeping her side parted bangs to their respective sides. Iri dons her straw cowgirl hat with a black strip of leather on it imprinted with foxes; it had been a birthday present from Michael and Gavin. Exiting the room quickly excitement still fueling her actions as she rode the elevator to find Kovic waiting patiently by himself in the lobby a warm smile on his lips. “ Miles and Kerry?”  
“They told me to tell you that they wanted to nap a bit. So it’s just us once we get Bruce and James… Oh and Spoole.”  
“What's a Spoole?” Iri asks the man, as she gets in the car, and the pair ride to the office. Surprisingly it wasn’t an awful drive and Iri enjoyed listening to the man jabber about their crew. Pulling into the lot Iri left her purse in the car save for her phone. Climbing the stairs she enters the office building to find it cluttered, but in a creative sorta way. Like it seemed that everyone knew exactly where everything went, but she doubted she would… Much like her office, she knew but no one else did. Taking her hat off and fluffing up her hair she smiled in greeting and shook several hands before the question of her tail and ears arose.  
“Is that just some serious cosplaying for a RWBY character or what?” Bruce asks getting straight to the point, and it’s weird for Iri to explain this seeing as she never had to at her office. People just sort of accepted that she had a fox tail and ears, plain and simple.  
“Uh it’s a genetic defect on the seventeenth chromosome that affects the spinal cord development.” Iri lies and the men just raise their eyes at this.  
“Cool.” Spoole says causing the group to just shrug in acceptance before the beach goers grab their stuff and go. “So Iri, favorite part of LA so far?”  
“Traffic, I just fucking love sitting in a car for long periods of time.” Iri answers sarcastically and the men just chuckle at this.  
“The sarcasm in this one runs deep.” Adam says in a Yoda voice.  
“Well it is one of my defining characteristics.” She could feel her phone buzzing but Iri was too caught up in the conversation to answer. Honestly it was probably just Geoff or Michael making sure she wasn’t being a whore. Part of her wanted to be mad at the thought of distrust, but the other half knew she’d be worried if one of them went off without her.  
“Are you going to answer that?” James voice asks interrupting her thoughts and she just blinks at the man before shaking her head.  
“No… no it’s nothing.” Iri stutters turning her phone off completely, and dropping it in her bag.  
“So what’s it like being a hybrid?”  
“You know I would like to say it’s sort of strange given that most shampoo is not safe for tails so you know there’s that… but it’s cool.” Iri tells them jokingly as she flicks her tail on James's nose only for the man to sneeze. “Also there’s that.”  
“Alright we’re here pile out.” Kovic’s commanding tone orders and the group files out, it isn’t until Iri stops to admire how beautiful the beach is that they notice her paused.  
“Do they not have beaches in Texas?” Spoole asks curiously as he faces the woman who stands staring out with wonder towards the water.  
“No they do, I’ve just never seen ones like these.” She answers without wasting a moment she grabs Spoole’s hand and sprints toward the sand. “Spoole the water, the air… it’s all so clear! Almost crystalline, and the way the sun shines on it all so brilliantly! I should have brought my easel or my sketch pad… wait, I did bring it, but I left it in the hotel room… Another day.”  
“Sure I think that can be arranged, but if you could release our lover’s hand that would be great.” Kovic teases and Iri’s eyes widen before she drops his hand.  
“Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t realize… I.. Sorry.” She mumbles sheepishly not meeting the Alpha’s eyes. “I did not mean anything by it.”  
“It’s cool, you have really soft hands.” Spoole replies nonchalantly as he elbows her in the side playfully. “To the water?”  
“To the water.” Iri says in agreement as they dash off to the water’s edge, and she wastes no time diving into the warm water. Treading water until it is so deep that she can no longer touch, diving beneath the upcoming wave she reaches out with her mind and touches all the sea life she can. Geoff had taught her this in the very beginning before she was taken. The pair had spent hours in the woods just feeling out the minds all around them, so now as she swam underneath the surf. Opening her eyes to gaze upon the flora and the fauna of the sea. Colorful fish were staring at her presence, and even some crabs were eyeing her warily before scurrying off. There was one mind in general that stood out, and facing it she found herself face to face with a very large great white shark. Her eyes wide and running out of breath she surges upward to breathe, making sure to keep her focus on the shark. However it does something curious or at least curious to her. It swims around her, yet in a nonthreatening way just enjoying the warm waters beside her like she was. Iri goes to swim back, but it is then she realizes how far out she truly was. As if sensing her panic the shark swims closer looking for danger.  
‘You are out very far, odd looking sea lion.’ It’s voice rings in her head, and at this Iri gasps in surprise forcing herself to take gulping breaths only to be bowled over by a group of oncoming waves. The shark itself swims deeper to avoid being upset by them, and Iri is forced to go down as well. ‘Sea lion you need to breathe, you have no gills.’  
‘Waves… I can’t swim up.’ Iri tells the animal and it seems puzzled by this. A wave of fear courses through her body as the shark swims underneath her.  
‘My skin will cut you, but I will push you up Sea lion.’ It says as the skin does indeed cut her exposed skin but Iri feels herself thrust up into the air. Coughing harshly she takes gulping breaths and prepares for the next wave. ‘The other Sea lions fear me… As did you.’  
‘Thank you, I did not anticipate the waves… I am not from here.’  
‘You are also not from the sea, and that alone should be a reason for you to be cautious… However you are different from other sea lions.’ It conjectures and she just nods slipping off to just hold onto the shark’s fin using her powers to heal the minor cuts.  
‘I am what they call an Apex Predator, I share more in common with a fox than humans.’ Iri explains as she sends an image of her fox form to the shark figuring it had no idea what a fox actually was. ‘I, much like you are feared by most humans… So I hide away with my pack, and hope that none discover the truth.’  
‘Fear is a powerful motivator, and it is a shame one such as yourself is forced to hide. Such is the way of predators though, to be feared by all… even your own kind.’ The shark mumbles and Iri finds herself being pulled along to the shoreline.  
“Is that a shark?” Spoole’s fearful voice asks, and Iri stands up onto where the drop off began as well as ended. They men had been searching the waters until they spotted her eared head bobbing along the waves.  
“Uh yeah I guess it is… I was floundering about out there and it just sorta helped me.” Iri answers and the men eyes go wide; she could feel the fear in them and it is then the sharks words truly sink in. ‘Feared by all, even your own kind.’  
“Sharks just don’t help people, they’re killers.” Kovic states as he notes how the large animal swims around them.  
“No, they are predators… And in their world it is killed or be killed, they do what is necessary to survive.”  
“So killing surfers is necessary?” Bruce quips and Iri stares at the man with a hard gaze, and then back at the shark innocently swimming around them. However before she can answer a bullet whizzes through the air and a shot is heard. The water clouds a murky red, and Iri feels the shark’s mind fade away into nothingness. It was a pain worse than any she had ever known, feeling as though the bullet crashed through her own skull causes her knees to give out. The men bear confusion as she falls next to the dead shark in the bloody water. She holds her head and feels herself being carried to the beach where a lifeguard stands ready.  
“Is she alright?”  
“Yeah… yeah I’m fine… I just need a minute.” Iri mumbles to the man as she is set down on the warm sand. “Can we go back?”  
“Sure, I think that’s a good idea… it’s getting late anyways.”

Back at the hotel

The first thing she did was take a shower, washing away the salt, and sand. She watches it swirl around the bottom of the tub, and slowly drain away until the water runs clear.  
“This is how an angel dies, blame it on my own sick pride.” Iri sings along to the song as she steps out of the shower and pulls on a pair of pajamas. Even though it was only about eight pm she could feel the weight of today wearing on her. Sitting down on the bed with her sketch pad, Iri starts to draw the scene from today.. when the shark first showed up, and the sense of wonder its eyes held. The eyes were always the hardest part of a drawing, and it was simply given that capturing emotions is harder than even the most contorted body. To give lines on a page such meaning is surreal, and nearly impossible. For the few who could do it, it was amazing to behold, and even magical as the romantics might say. Bringing forth this beauty was her job, and she got paid for it. She had won awards several times, and her work inspired people to write scripts this much she knew from Miles. But an artist doesn’t do it for the awards, or the recognition. An artist does what she does because there is a simple fact in life. Emotion must be expressed, they demand to be recognized, and deciphered by the heart so that a person may truly understand themselves... And that goes even for the ones that cut like knives leaving the recipient bleeding in jagged lines. “Cover your crystal eyes and let your colors blend and bleed with mine.” Iri whispers to herself as a single tear drip onto her paper, and blurs the graphite eye. Colors merged, and swirled around to blend them into a shade of gray that bled into the surrounding white.  
“Hey Boss Lady, you decent?” Miles voice asks on the other side of the door.  
“Yeah hold on…. what do you need Miles?” Iri answers as she wipes at her eyes and opening the door.  
“Geoff and Ryan won’t stop calling me, answer them.”  
“No thanks, Miles see you in the morning.”  
“So I’m going to have to deal with this all night aren’t I?”  
“You could turn off your phone.” Iri suggests as the man settles onto her bed and picks up her sketch pad.  
“Whoa what’s this? It’s pretty awesome.”  
“Uh nothing just something I saw today… So what did you do while I was at the beach?” Iri mumbles in embarrassment as she pulls the pad from his grip, setting it closed on her pillow away from the other Omega's wandering eyes.  
“Not much just got our passes and checked out our booth… We’re next to some fan made comic; which I might add, isn’t that awful. They seemed excited to be next to us.”  
“Well I hate to say it, but we are Roosterteeth… we’re sort of a big deal.”  
“Fair enough, Kerry and I are going out to a bar. Come with us we’ll get drinks, food, and you can go grind on some horny Alpha to piss off your other two.” Miles says with a smirk that causes the woman to cast an unimpressed look his way. “So put on some clothes.”  
“Ooo Miles you know I get all tingly when you make decisions for me.” Iri mumbles sarcastically, making no move to get up from the bed.  
“Yeah well fans don’t like a mopey Iri so I figured this might be the best way to get you out of the funk. Adam told me what happened, scary shit.” Miles comments, while nudging the woman to stand up with a gentle shove.  
“The shark didn’t mean any harm… it didn’t need to die.” Iri says quietly, and finally standing up to do as the man asked... She knew he was right about getting out of this funk, but it didn't change the fact that the shark didn't need to be killed.  
“Iri it’s a wild animal. How can you say it wouldn’t have turned on you?”  
“I just know, but get out of my room so I can change.”  
“Alright I’ll be waiting outside the door.” Miles acquiesces while jumping off the bed and exiting the room. Pulling on her shorts, tank top, boots, and hat. After doing her make up and brushing her hair out so it fell in its loose curls. Grabbing her purse she turns off the light, and heads out to find Miles waiting in Kerry’s arms.  
“There you are, took long enough.”  
“Hey I’m a girl it takes me longer, and this tail doesn’t groom itself.”


	20. You know it's over before it even began

Bar

Iri was about six shots of tequila into the night when Miles pulled her onto the dance floor. She wasn’t sure what was happening exactly, but she felt hands around her hips and a thumping bass in the background so she really didn't need much more information than that. Dancing was one of the activities that Iri only ever did when she was in a large group of people because hiding away in the crowd was her favorite. Becoming just another nameless face, when she was dancing she didn't have to be Iri the somber artist, she could be anything she pleased whether that be a seductress, or just a humble woman looking to sway along to the music. Tonight was no different as she moves her hips in time with the fast beat, and her arms raised above her head. Allowing her inhibitions to be released with the emotions from earlier, and she poured all of the feeling into her dancing. Even now she could feel the eyes on her despite how her own were closed. Reveling in the attention she bites her lip and runs her hands up and down her body in a seductive manner that made her body ache for Geoff's strict touch... She desired nothing more than for the gent to be here, and caress her body as she danced for him. Not that she did it often, but the man would always pause in whatever he was doing to dance with her.  
“Damn girl, you sure can move.” A voice praises as a pair of hands fall on her hips, and turning to face the owner she finds that its none other then Kovic looking at her with an approving smile and Lawrence smiling bashfully at her. His hands weren't nearly as rough as Geoff's own calloused ones, Geoff's spoke of the deeds he's done and the hard life he's lived while Kovic's spoke of nothing or at least not the hardship her lover's hands did... They spoke of a life yet to be lived. But for now they would do in place of her gent's own rough ones... In fact it felt kind of nice to have his soft skin trailing over her body.  
“It’s a talent the men praise me for.” She answers flirtily while dancing with the man wearing glasses who looked extremely awkward. Slinging her arms around his neck she swings her hips while Lawrence just stares at her wide eyed casting an unsure glance to his Alpha, who urged him on with an assuring smile. Rolling her eyes she takes his hands and places them around her hips, then replacing hers on his neck. "You're stiffer than Ray and not in the way I like. Relax, and move with me.... Good boy, just breathe, and feel the beat…. Yeah just like that Lawrence.” She praises and that’s when she feels Adam come around behind her. Removing her hands from Lawrence she turns to face the man in front of her with a flirty smile. “Hmm seems someone wants a sandwich. Do you think Stiff can handle it?”  
“He’s a fast learner.” Adam whispers in her ear, letting his hands roam freely over her body. Iri however turns back to face the other, smiling as he places his hands back where she had put them earlier. “See, look at how fast he picked this up.”  
“Mmm very good, young padawan.” Iri says in a terrible Yoda voice as she bursts into giggles.  
“Are you drunk?”  
“Very… Where’s Miles and Kerry?” Iri asks curiously turning around to face Kovic who kept dancing, and leaned in close to her. His chest was broad and it made her Omega side smile contently as they danced.  
“They left, said you were having such a good time it would be a shame to ruin it.”  
“Kerry just wanted to fuck Miles before they went to bed… Speaking of fucking, where’s Gavin or Michael or Geoff or Ryan or Ray, where’s my pack?” Iri rambles as she hears the bar's dj play a slow song, leaning on Adam’s chest with a sigh fiddling with a button on his shirt. “Does it make me a whore because I sleep with all of them? Except Jack, Jack has a wife who is soooo soooo sweet.”  
“Not really, FunHaus is a pack.”  
“I thought you might be because you seven practically eye-fuck each other all day.” Iri comments with a drunken grin, and she knows Lawrence’s face is red… She didn’t even need telepathic powers to know that.  
“The sexual tension is palpable between us on a good day… and we’re fucking on a better one.” Kovic teases as he moves them off the dance floor and to a table, where Iri and Lawrence sit patiently as the buff man disappears. When he comes back he has a few beers, and the rest of the group. She sips the beer placed in front of her, and leans her head on James who had slipped in beside her.  
“Your shoulders are massive, I thought Michael had huge fucking shoulders, but you… Man, you are ripped.” Iri murmurs and looks up to see Adam snapping a photos of all of them; she thinks nothing of it and just smiles happily. So the night wears on and it leads to more laughter, dancing, and just general merrymaking. It is last call when Iri stands up, and places her hat on her head, however not before tipping it to the seven. “Well gentlemen I must bid thee adieu… I shall see thee on the morrow perhaps.”  
“Where are you going?” Joel asks curiously, Adam had told them that they were taking this woman back home tonight... But it seems she had other plans.  
“To my room, Joel. Where else?”  
“Well why don’t you come back with us? We have a spare bedroom, and Spoole likes to cuddle.” James suggests as he takes her hand, and gives it a gentle kiss that made her mewl quietly, and her cheeks redden in embarrassment.  
“I...I don’t think Geoff will like that.” Iri remarks quietly, pulling her hand from his grip slowly.  
“Geoff isn’t here and what he doesn’t know won’t kill him... Plus I don't see any marks on you.”  
“He’ll know trust me… Geoff’s a real detective when it comes to this, not to mention if Michael get’s wind of this… I’ll be collared to his desk for weeks.” Iri mumbles absentmindedly and at this the men’s eyes widen in interest. Though it was true that Geoff's mark had faded much more than she would have liked to admit, perhaps it was time for him to reapply his bite if other Alphas were starting to take interest again.  
“Collared?”  
“Yeah they’re big into keeping track of me, it’s a miracle none of them have flown out with the way I’ve been dodging their calls… But I shouldn’t be telling you this.” Iri stutters while standing up and heading towards the exit. Fucking alcohol blurring her mind. She feels around for Lexi but she finds the fox sleeping deeply, unable to be awoken with her gentle prods. Sighing in defeat she starts walking back to her hotel… well more like stumbling with her tail in her hands nervously as she wanders the unfamiliar streets of LA. She wasn’t stupid and hearing the sound of footsteps behind her causes her pace to quicken. Schooling her expression she sobers up a little, enough to alert the fox in her mind. “Lexi can you walk with me?”  
“Yeah, give me a second.” Lexi mutters with a yawn before shaking the sleepiness out and forming her fox body beside Iri.  
“Thank you… I can feel someone, but they’re lurking too far away… I’m going to call Miles.”  
“I’ll keep watch Mistress.” Lexi answers as Iri ducks into a side alley in an attempt to cut out the other side. However the alley turns out to be much longer than it she thought, and Lexi starts to growl before she can even dial. “Someone’s here.”  
“Okay… Please I don’t have any money, just leave me alone!” Iri shouts as she plays a wolf in sheep’s clothes, knowing that a fight like this might be catastrophic on her part. She could either kill herself accidentally, or another in her inebriated state. “I’m calling the police.”  
“No you aren’t, and relax it’s just me.” Kovic assures as he walks into the street light and Iri visibly relaxes. “I saw you take like six wrong turns, and you are surprisingly hard to keep track of in a crowd. Matt is getting the car, come on we’ll take you home.”  
“I.. I.. okay, but just this once…” Iri mumbles as she feels Lexi disappear back into her mind.  
“Of course now come on, let’s get you home.” He says and pulls the woman close to him, Iri can’t help but be lulled by the heat of the man’s body. It isn’t long until they reach the car, and the pair pile into the already full car. Iri finds herself sitting on Bruce’s lap, and curling up into him reflexively. He felt just like Ryan, but more squishy like Geoff; however he smelled different bringing her back to reality. Though, this didn’t stop her from laying on him. It isn’t until she feels the car stop, and her body lifted up that she squirms in his arms.  
“Shh it’s alright, we’re just going inside.” Bruce whispers soothingly while walking through a doorway. She feels herself set down on a bed, and then hears someone shutting a door softly. Lying in the strange bed holding her tail, and stroking it gently. After staying there for an hour or two she can’t help it when her feet carry her to the living room. Sitting down on the couch with her legs pulled up, Iri pulls her cell phone out of her pocket, and dialing Geoff’s house number hoping that someone might answer.  
“Hello?” Geoff’s groggy voice answers and Iri purrs over the phone in greeting.  
“Hey Geoff.”  
“Kit! I’ve been trying to reach you all day.”  
“I’m sorry, I was at the beach with some of the guys and then we went dancing.”  
“The beach... dancing? Who’d you go dancing with?” Geoff asks worriedly, and Iri just whines.  
“I miss you, and Gavin, and Ray, and Michael, and Ry… and this was a bad idea. Geoff, I was in a shark’s mind when it was gunned down for saving me from a riptide. It hurt so bad and now I’m at the FunHaus house because I’m drunk and was previously stumbling around in an alley.” Iri rambles in a mournful tone, she had never longed for someone so bad since the kidnap, and all she desired was to go home to his house, his bed, and his loving embrace. “I wish you guys were here.”  
“Kit, it’s only three days, and then you’ll be back in our arms… We’re going to talk about you at their house though.” Geoff says and she just sighs. “I remember telling you to stay with Miles and Kerry.”  
“Well they left me, and I got found by the others. How is everything in Austin?”  
“It’s good, but the boys miss you… Shouldn’t you be in bed?”  
“I can’t sleep, but yes I should be.”  
“Kit go to bed, we’ll talk later.”  
“Love you.”  
“Right back at you, sweet dreams Kit.” Geoff whispers and Iri lets out a quiet purr right before she hears the line go dead. So with a sigh she gets off the couch and wanders back upstairs to what she thinks is the bedroom from before. Opening the door however she is faced with James pumping his hips in and out of Lawrence with Bruce whispering encouragements to him, while Lawrence is blowing him. This is one of those moments where a person just kinda stands there wide eyed and frozen like a deer in the headlights. She feels a hand on her arm pulling her towards the bed where James bids a hello.  
“Hi James… I should go.”  
“No stay.” They say and the woman nods, but remains still unsure what to do… well she knew what to do, but she wasn’t sure what they wanted her to do… or if she should do anything at all the alcohol in her mind casting her logic in a murky haze.  
“I would touch him, he seems a little pent up… Aren’t you Larr? Just need something to take you over the edge don’t you?” Bruce teases with a smirk as he pulls out of Lawrence’s mouth. “Answer me.”  
“Yes Bruce.”  
“Good, now Iri why don’t you help him over to sweet oblivion.”  
“Is this… I don’t think… Lawrence I would love to help you out, but this seems highly inappropriate.” Iri stutters as she gets off the bed and heads back to the door only to be met with Kovic’s demanding eyes… Eyes that Alphas wore when they wanted something done; eyes that made Iri’s own body refuse to listen to logic. Eyes that reminded her of Erik's dangerous hands, and his unforgiving looks.  
“Why are you so against this? You were more than willing to play with him earlier.”  
“He had pants on Adam, and he wasn’t getting Chinese finger trapped… Plus I was drunker.”  
“Hmm I guess, but why don’t you at least touch the man a little… He won’t cum otherwise.”  
“Iridessa please… Please they’ve been at this for half an hour trying to get you to wander in.” Lawrence begs, and his pitiful tone tugs at her heart strings seeing as he sounded just like Ray when Ryan kept him on edge forever. It was this, the alcohol, and the way the pair of Alpha’s stared her down with eyes that left no room for question finally breaks her resistance. Adam and Bruce just stared down at her expectantly with their cold and demanding gaze.  
“I’m… I’m so dead.” Iri relents as she lowers her lips to the man’s aching length. Taking him down in one swallow, she bobs her head in time with the others. It doesn’t take long for the man to cum, so with one last swirl he blows his load deep in her throat as do the two in him. “Good boy Lawrence.”  
“Now why don’t you just lie back and let me take care of you.” Kovic asks as he pulls her back onto the bed with a smile, and starts licking at her neck. “Relax Iri, and let us play… Give you the true L.A. welcome.”  
“But Geoff… I…” Iri stutters only to feel her mouth covered by Adam’s persistent one. “I told you no!”  
“But your body says yes.”  
“God you fucking asshole, I told you to get off me!” Iri growls and bucks up throwing the man off and she doesn’t hesitate to use her powers to fling him against the wall. “You are a total douchebag Adam Kovic! Blowing a needy Omega is one thing, but you.. you are a piece of shit!” Iri growls while dashing out of the room leaving one man dazed and the others confused as to how such a little woman could throw Adam.  
“She’s got a fire.” Adam mutters and the others just roll their eyes.  
“I’m surprised she blew Lawrence.” James pipes up as he curls into a half-sleeping Spoole with a light nip to the man’s neck. “Spoole what do you think of her?”  
“Mmhmm she’s strong.” Spoole murmurs into his lover’s chest, and gesturing to Adam who is standing up slowly.”Not many people can knock Adam over.”  
“Yes, and it seems she’s also gone.” Joel says as he comes back from checking the house, the woman left before anyone could stop her.  
“That’s not good… Burnie will kill us if he hears about this.”  
“Well yeah you are the guy who tried to force her into the bed… Waita go Alpha.”  
“I didn’t think she would leave like this, she seemed pretty down at the bar.”  
“Adam phone, it’s Geoff.”  
“I will gut you alive if you've hurt her, and then I’ll sew you up to let Ryan tear you to shreds.” Geoff’s angry voice threatens over the line.  
“Geoff I didn’t know she was yours, I mean who just let’s their Omega go to a strange place alone… Well I mean not alone, but with a wimpy little pair like them.”  
“Don’t even start Kovic. What were you going to do? Let her bounce on your knot and then what? Hmm she’s coming back to Austin in three days, and she’s never leaving again… I told Burnie this was a bad idea, that you weren’t to be trusted.” Geoff yells at the man and the rest of the group flinches at the gent’s harsh words. “If I ever see you, your ass is mine.” Geoff promises as he clicks off the phone, and calls back his lover whom had texted him everything that had happened. Michael who had been the one to first read the texts since he had spotted her name pop up. He had shown the gent immediately and then began packing. Michael had a few days he could use to go down there. So he found a cheap flight, and he just left the house with Ryan driving. Geoff was now in the process of trying to get a hold of her, but she seemed to be not accepting calls right this minute.  
“Geoff?”  
“What Gavin?” He asks with a tight voice, and the younger just flinches.  
“It’s alright, Michael is going. He’ll protect her.” Gavin assures him as he purrs against the man’s side trying to get him to relax. “Geoff look at me.”  
“Gav it’s just I worry… I worry so much, first it was her not answering today, and now this. I don’t want her to ever leave us again.”  
“She is a very strong woman, hell she tossed Kovic off of her, and not to mention escaped Erik. Geoff she isn’t going anywhere soon, she could have let him.”  
“Don’t… Don’t say that.”  
“But she didn’t, and that is just proof of her love for us.”  
“I love you Gavin… I love all of you so very much. Even when you're assholes, and I want to chain you to my bed then whip you into submission. I just hate when we’re all separated… Especially when you go off to England to film with that handsome Dan, or Michael goes to Jersey and takes Iri with him. I just like it when we are altogether.” Geoff tells the man who pumps reassuring feelings into his mind to help him settle down.  
“Geoffrey I love you, but bloody hell you worry too much.” Gavin adds with a smile he kisses his lover’s lips. “Let Lance and I take care of you.”  
“Gav.. I…”  
“Shush and take off your pants… Or I will do it for you.”  
“Pushy.”  
“Lippy.”  
“Annoying.”  
“Disobedient.”  
“Sexy.”  
“Marvelously beautiful.” Gav whispers before straddling the man and pressing needy kisses to his lips. “I’m going to ride you till my legs give out, and you have to lift me up to finish the job.”  
“You better or I’ll fuck you till you choke on your own gasps of pleasure.” 

Michael

He was furious, and it showed; he could feel Marcus working to keep his powers from tearing the plane apart. So he sat brooding on the plane, festering in his own anger, and just waiting till he saw Kovic… He might kill someone today, and that was totally cool with him. 

Iri

After the debacle with FunHaus… well really just Adam. She would say it. Alphas are assholes. It had taken her about four hours to finally arrive back at her hotel, and slowly dragging herself up the stairs she yawns in exhaustion while opening the door.  
“I wanna go home.” Iri mumbles to herself as she walks in the room.  
“Well you're still obligated to be here, but I’ll be your little slice of home.” Michael’s voice answers and her eyes widen in excitement.  
“Michael!” Iri shouts happily as she jumps into the man’s open arms. “I’ve missed you so much! How long are you here for?”  
“I’m with you till the end Lass.”  
“Good you can keep handsy Alphas off of me while I dance.” Iri tells the man as she feels him lift her off the ground, and then onto the bed. “Michael?”  
“What?”  
“We’re a pack right? Like we’re a pack all of us.”  
“Of course baby girl, what’s got you wondering?”  
“I just… don’t listen to what he tells you.”  
“Why would I believe some douchebag who tried to force you into his bed over you?”  
“I.. I.. I just wanted to be sure you didn’t think less of me… I’m not a whore, I promise.”  
“Who told you that? Did he call you a whore because I’ll fucking knock his teeth out, so he can’t say anything.” Michael assures the woman as he kisses her lips and works his tongue all around her mouth tasting something that shouldn’t be there. “Is that cum? Did you blow someone?”  
“Yeah, but he was whimpering just like Ray and they wouldn’t let him cum until I did… Michael you know how I am with Ray when they spit-roast him.” Iri tells the man with a face full of shame.  
“Iri did you initiate it or did they sort of tug you down?”  
“Tugged me down.”  
“Yeah that doesn’t count, just don’t tell Geoff more than they came onto you. He’ll flip, but worry not your knight will avenge your honor.” Michael assures as he goes back to kissing her. “I’m going to fuck the doubt out of you.”  
“I just told him that Adam came onto me, and I’d be upset if you didn’t.”


	21. You are my sanity, even when you make me lose it

Second day of the convention at noon

The build up to the day had been rather slow, but it had started to pick up right around lunch time. They had taken a few pictures with fans, and signed a bunch of stuff but it was hard not to find themselves getting bored. Iri and Michael were currently wandering around the convention floor aimlessly.  
“Ooo Michael look at that one!” Iri says as she drags the man over to a booth about some sort of anime, she wasn’t sure exactly what it was but the art style was noir and she loved noir. Michael just stands by her quietly mirroring her infectious smile until he catches Adam’s wandering eye. The Alpha wore a smirk that had the feline's hackles raising, and he pulls his hand out of Iri’s as he starts toward the man. They were just going to talk…. because talking was good, talking is what sane people do when they have a problem…. then again he was from Jersey, and Jersey men weren’t all that sane.  
“Michael? Hey man what are you doing here?” Adam asks casually as if he hadn’t assaulted his mate like twelve hours ago.  
“I’m here for the convention, and my mate.”  
“Oh yeah about her, I think we have a little bit of a misunderstanding.” Adam starts, but Michael cuts him off by slamming him into a nearby wall. “Whoa Michael!”  
“Touch her again and I’ll cut your fucking hands off.” He threatens while slamming him a few times against the cement wall until the Alpha fell silent. "My mate is a saint, and fuckers like you don't get to touch saints."  
“Michael what are you doing?” Iri shouts as she gets in between them and pushes her fiery mate away from him. “Red leave him alone!”  
“Why? I should be pummeling this fucker’s face in till it’s nothing but a bloody smear on my fists.”  
“Na, he’s not worth it besides the fans enjoy when you are not held up in a jail cell… Tell me how mad would Geoff be if he had to come bail us out? Come hither my Knight, and accompany your lass to the restaurant across the street for lunch.” Iri entices as she kisses his lips, she wouldn't admit how satisfying it was to have him stand up for her.  
“Very well Lass, let’s go.” Michael relents reluctantly as he follows his fox towards the exit.  
“Thanks.”  
“For what?”  
“Not beating his face in, I could practically feel the rage exuding out of you… After work you want to go to the bar?”  
“Oh I’m so going to beat him to a pulp, but sure I could go for a drink…. Honestly I really just like to watch you dance, get’s me real fucking horny watching those hips of yours shake all around. Not to mention how your body moves with a sinfulness that makes even the devil weep.” Michael whispers into her ear as he puts his arms around her waist while they walk.  
“You’ve been listening to Ryan read poetry again haven’t you?”  
“Maybe… what’s it to you? I seem to recall that you love when the gent whispers how your eyes are bluer than the brightest sapphires and they sparkle with more gusto than the sun.”  
“Stop it!” She growls playfully as her phone begins to buzz in her purse. “Hey I got to take this it’s Miles, go get us some food. I’ll eat whatever you will.” Iri tells the man as she walks over to where the restaurant had patio furniture and sits down. Once Michael gets back with burgers he notices how distraught the fox looks as her tail sits on the bench lifelessly.  
“What happened?”  
“Miles and Kerry got into a really big fight about something stupid and he thinks they're breaking up… He wouldn’t say why exactly though.”  
“Shit that sucks... Is he okay?”  
“Yeah he’s in my room right now… Those two can’t break up they're too perfect for each other.”  
“Or maybe they’re not.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I’ve seen how Miles lusts after Chris and the affection is mutual, maybe this was just the final straw… Relationships are hard Iri, and maybe this just wasn’t the right one.” Michael tells the woman and at this Iri just sighs while curling into his side. “Besides they never claimed each other, so if they broke up it wouldn’t be that bad.”  
“So why do we work?”  
“Us? Well we work because we just do, plain and simple.”  
“That’s a bullshit answer and you know it.”  
“No it’s the truth, we work because our relationship isn’t built of lust or something flimsy like that; what we have is true love, and genetic defects that tie us together.” Michael explains while pulling her up for a kiss. “We all love each other first and foremost, nothing more nothing less.”  
“Pssh gay!”  
“Wait to ruin the moment!” Michael gripes as the pair falls into hearty chuckles before she nuzzles his neck happily.  
“Some days I wish you were an alpha so I could belong just to you, but then I remember how possessive you get and I’m glad there are others to spread you out a little.”  
“Damn right, bitch you're mine and don’t you ever forget it… Speaking of mine, Geoff is going to chain you to his desk when you get back.”  
“What why? I haven’t even done anything!”  
“Yeah I guess you weren’t aware of the photos that Adam took last night on the dance floor.”  
“But I was drunk, and.. and you know how easy I am when I’m drunk. I’m a loose little whore ready to be mounted.” Iri admits to the man who blushes at this. “And I just get so wet…. I was dripping on the dance floor, it’s a good thing Adam and Lawrence were there otherwise some big bad Alpha would have snatched me right up… Probably would have let him if he asked real nicely.”  
“That is why you are getting tied to the desk, you've been a bad girl… a very naughty little Vixen.”  
“Come on we have to go back Casanova.”  
“Well technically you have to go back, I’m here on vacation days… I could go to the beach, or to the bar.” Michael teases and Iri just rolls her eyes while dragging him back to the center.  
“You used your vacation days to come to this… That was a shitty decision, this convention isn’t even that fun.” Iri adds as they cross back the street, and Michael just shrugs.  
“Ehh I’ve been to worse, and besides I’m here for you.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I mean as soon as I read what he did I was on a flight… I wasn’t going to stand by and let you be attacked by those assholes.”  
“Michael…. Michael you didn’t need to do that.”  
“But I did, because otherwise I would have been a raging dick around the office… Probably would have bitten somebody.” Michael says with a smile as they cross back into the center, and Iri just bites her lip in apprehension.  
“That’s sweet as dicks, you know that.”  
“I expect at least five bjs in payback, and I want privileges to that wet pussy of yours.” Michael taunts in a loud voices that causes two people to look at them with strange looks, and Iri just blushes before shoving at his shoulder playfully.  
“You're lucky this is a crowded place, or your ass would be grass.”  
“I’d like to see you try.”  
“Fine, but it’s your death.”  
“Mmm I look forward to it…. Now man that booth wench, while I go find FunHaus.”  
“Fuck off… wait why are you going back over there?”  
“Oh I’m going to go punch Kovic right in the dick, that much he deserves and Geoff demands reparations.” Michael says and before she can stop him he disappears off into the crowd.  
“Fuck me.” Iri mutters with a sigh leaving the man to do his own thing… His choice not hers, sure she could stop him, but that seemed excessive and besides Kovic could use a punch to the dick. She should have delivered it herself last night, but then again picking a fight with a larger man was never a good idea. This time she listened to her instincts that told her to run instead of fight, and besides she may be a strong fighter but a lone Omega against a pack is just plain stupid. After her talk with Terrance and she’d seriously considered having kits she was trying to rein in her dumb decisions... then again she was Iri, making dumb decisions was sorta her thing.


	22. The Near Mauling of Adam Kovic by Iridessa Burns

End of the day

With the booth done for that day Iri can’t help, but wonder what’s keeping Michael as Kerry waves goodbye she just waits for her mate. Wandering around the convention she finds him talking quite casually to a boy whom she’d never seen before in her life.  
“Hey Michael who's this?”  
“A Rage Quit fan, he wanted a photo… Here you go Chaz.”  
“Thanks Michael, it was awesome meeting you!”  
“You too man! So you ready for drinks?” Michael asks as he pulls her in for a quick kiss Iri however, leans into his and deepens it. The two pull back breathless after a few minutes and find several pairs of eyes on them.  
“You two are adorable.” James says after a second or two of watching them.  
“She’d be cuter on my knot.” Kovic mutters and this is when Iri’s new found resolve snaps. Michael was about to pull her back and deal with the prick himself, when Iri halls off and decks the man.  
“Apparently no isn’t clear enough for you! I told you to fuck off, so fuck off! Besides Spoole is fucking cute, I wish he would fuck me.” Iri spits at the dazed man as she clutches her hand to her chest... his face was fucking hard. She couldn’t stand Alphas like him, especially if they already had beautiful mates. Spoole on the other hand freezes with a blush burning brightly on his cheeks, and Kovic just laughs at her feisty behavior.  
“Michael she must be a handful… it’s a no wonder Geoff collars her.” He says as he rubs his swelling cheek and James just rolls his eyes at his mate’s stupidity. This was like poking a pair of bears… well actually a bear and a fox. Something in Iri snaps as she tackles the man taking him to the floor, her fist begin flying, and Michael leaps forward to pull the woman off the asshole.  
“Iri stop…. Seriously you are going to…. and you’ve broken his jaw.” Michael growls as they hear his jaw bone snap, and yet Iri still doesn’t stop she beats him till James physically tackles her off leaving Kovic in a sorry state. He had two black eyes, a bleeding nose (probably broken), and a broken jaw.  
“Alright that’s enough!” James shouts angrily as he pins the woman to the ground only to have her snap at him with feral eyes. “Spoole how is he?”  
“I don’t know! I’m not a doctor!”  
“Is he breathing?”  
“Iri what the fuck were you thinking? Look at him, look at what you did to him.” Michael yells at the woman who just snarls at him. This is when he realizes Iri isn’t in control, this was Lexi, and she wasn’t fucking around. ‘Lexi stop. Lexi you will kill this man if you don’t.’  
‘He deserves to die, he is no better than Erik… The world would be better without him.’ Lexi snarls with her teeth lashing at Michael.  
‘Iri you need to wake up right now before he dies… Wake up!’ He snaps at her and the woman seems to shake herself slightly as he stares into her eyes. “Iri?”  
“I.. I didn’t mean to, I can fix it.” Iri tells Michael and she instantly wipes the minds of all the people surrounding them of the memory, and then putting them in a trance like state save for Michael. It wasn’t hard, a little tiring but nothing she couldn’t handle. Now turning to face the wheezing man she curses herself for letting Lexi take her revenge. Healing most of the tissue damage, setting his nose, and then healing that. She finds out that his jaw was merely dislocated. After snapping it back into place she stands up and wakes up the small crowd. While offering the man a hand up he would feel sore in his face, but nothing much really. “Learn how to walk Kovic, come on Michael I need a drink.”  
“Hey you guys want to go out together?” Spoole suggests his mind wiped of the previous fight, and Iri just smiles politely before shaking her head.  
“No thanks, maybe another time.” Iri says with forced politeness as she grabs Michael’s hand, getting away from the man she just assaulted and then healed.  
“I can’t believe that just happened, Iri if I hadn’t stopped her she would have killed him!” Michael nearly yells as he forces Iri to face him outside. “You can’t let that happen again.”  
“It won’t, I promise.”  
“Good, but I must mention that, that was the fiercest I think I’ve ever seen you… Fucking hot… Like MMA fighter, but less manish.” He remarks with a smile as he pulls her in for a deep kiss.  
“I told you. If Erik does one thing it’s train fighters, and that’s what I am… a fighter.”  
“Soon to be mother.”  
“You say that like I’m pregnant already.”  
“Well you could have been, but since you left this week Geoff didn’t have a chance to ask you.”  
“About what?”  
“He and the others thought your next heat might be a good time to… you know conceive. Ryan and Ray have been reading book after book, Geoff too… Gavin and I well we like to watch parenting movies, which are as boring as you would think. But we watch, and learn shit.” Michael explains skittishly and Iri merely mirrors his skittishness. She wanted kits, god did she want kits… but was now really a good time? It’s true that work had slowed way down, and she was rather unnecessary at this point. Mostly just helping Jordan with odds and ends of his own work. She hadn’t said anything as they crossed the street and went into the bar, rather waiting until their drinks had arrived to speak.  
“Michael you have the worst fucking timing ever… I just nearly beat a man to death, and now here we sit in a bar drinking beer… Which I might add I can’t even drink if you five knock me up.”  
“Five?”  
“Yeah I figured if I’m going to do this may as well just get it done the first time, plus this way they can all grow up together… A baby pack.”  
“But won’t that be hard?”  
“Oh god yeah, having one was tremendously difficult. But with you guys by my side and an extra telepath it won’t be ridiculous I think.”  
“Will you have to be a fox the entire time?”  
“No just in the very beginning, and possibly when I give birth… I read about this in Kody’s journals. He says that a mother giving birth to multiple children must be the animal for conception and it is highly recommended for delivery, but it truly only matters for conception. It also says that we will know the animal part of each child as they will be born like that. This is common among multiple births, he also mentioned that this should be a home delivery seeing as animal cubs coming from a woman may cause questions.” Iri explains to the man who is just casually sipping on his beer.  
“Wow… that’s a lot of information. Does Geoff know?”  
“No clue, but knowing him he has already rifled through my notebooks labeled Kits… I left them on the dresser on accident.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah I’ve been thinking about it lately, and I was just wondering what might be helpful to know in case we decided to go ahead soon… Not this soon, but hey sooner rather than later right?”  
“Well what’s in them? You know how much I hate reading.”  
“Mainly just genetic combinations, possible hybrids, and names… plus I doodled a little.”  
“Hybrids?”  
“I figured that it would be helpful to at least try and figure out some of them. Geoff’s kid will be a fox for sure since it is a recessive trait, and we are both foxes. From what Kody’s journals say Gavin’s child and Ryan’s child will be wolves, as those are dominant genes. Ray’s and yours will most likely be feline’s of some sort. Yours will probably end up as a lynx with a solid red coat, and a white under belly. Ray’s will be coated in his spots, but probably a strange color for an ocelot... possibly a blonde or reddish.” She answers while taking a drink of her beer.  
“How can you be sure?”  
“Well I actually can’t… hell they could all end up as wolves except for one, but I only know that because fox genes are notorious for that. Or even a pack of foxes or anything really… Honestly a liter of wolves would be cute, little snouts and fluffy tails.” Iri shrugs as Michael just sits there pondering what she’s just said. “Either way we’ll love them, and that’s all that matters.”  
“So is this a yes?”  
“It’s not a no.”  
“You're being vague, and I don’t like it.”  
“Mmm but that’s the charm of foxes isn’t it, you never quite know what you think you do about us… And suddenly when you think you’ve got us all figured out, we sweep the rug out from under your feet leaving you sprawling on the floor.” Iri murmurs as she sets her beer down and flicks her tail towards the dance floor. “How fast do you want to bet that I can have an Alpha grinding on me out there?”  
“How fast do you think I’ll drag your ass back to the hotel room and make you beg to be mine?”  
“Touche Knight, touche.” Iri mutters as she takes the man’s outstretched hand and they make their way to the dance floor. It wasn’t particularly crowded, so Iri felt a little out of place however when her mate’s hands seem to wander she focused on making them stay in one spot. She twirled and swayed in time with the music making sure to keep Michael moving with her. The night wears on and ends much sooner than she would like it to as the bar flicks on it’s lights. Leaving them both panting and sweating with blushes on their faces, several admiring Alphas with hungry smirks that made Michael's teeth flash in warning.  
“We should go for a swim.”  
“How? The beaches are closed.”  
“No they’re not this is Cali and besides you could just do that mind control thing where you make them forget us.” Michael answers and the woman just smirks at him.  
“You're diabolical you know that?”  
“Hey a guy’s gotta be something right.”  
“So are we going to the beach or what Knight?”  
“Well just let me conjure up a steed.”  
“Hey wait, Lexi can you do the thing we’ve been practicing?” Iri asks as she leads Michael to a nearby parking lot.  
“Yeah I think so Mistress, but I’m not sure if I can with two people.” Lexi answers and the pair watches as the fox appears as a larger scale feathered dragon. It looked big enough to ride on, and Iri knew for a fact one of them could ride on her indefinitely.  
“Worst case scenario I create platforms to keep us from smashing into the ground… Michael you okay?”  
“She’s a fucking dragon.”  
“Yes Michael I am, now get on before someone sees.”  
“Iri there’s a god damn dragon in the parking lot.”  
“Yeah I know, you can slay it later. Get on.” Iri says hurriedly as she feels people starting to exit the bar much quicker than before, however Michael still stands in awe so she hops off and drags him over. She practically tosses the man on, and then jumps on herself. Lexi doesn’t wait for the go ahead rather just using her large wings to push down and lift them high into the air. A wave of car alarms follows them as they shoot up causing Iri to nearly lose her balance, but Michael’s hands wrap around her waist tightly. “Lexi how are you doing?”  
“Fine, easier than I thought it would be Iri… Where am I going?” Lexi answers and Iri looks back to find Michael eyes filled with wonder as they fly through a cloud.  
“This is fucking cooler than hell! God damn how is this even possible?”  
“Simple Jones, Lexi here takes a corporeal form of a dragon and then takes flight.”  
“But how? Like Marcus can form up as well, but only that misty one.”  
“Lexi transcended that one a long time ago, but this is what a caster does. Our animal counterpart is able to become it’s own being, and she can become anything I can imagine as long as I can form a coherent image in my mind… Marie and Rush were able to do it.” Iri explains and Michael just cocks his head or at least that’s what it feels like as he leans his head on her shoulder.  
“Who are Marie and Rush?”  
“My birth parent’s foxes, both Casters by nature. Otto showed me their belongings, and Celeste left me a book she had written on the subject. It depicted flying on Marie, my mother’s fox as a Pegasus on several occasions. However when we first tried it, I discovered that I was able to more clearly picture a dragon than a Pegasus. Rush my father’s fox was more akin to land transformation such as horses or rhinos.” Iri elaborates and without meaning to it brings tears to her eyes, trying to blink them away was useless as they continued to flow. “I never knew them, but they sacrificed themselves to save me from him… Klein my father was shot seven times choosing to shield my mother, as he and Rush attempted to cause a distraction for my mother and I to escape. It proved unsuccessful as she was gun downed blocks later. She cast out Marie with her dying breath, who carried me to the run down house where Kody found me… They sacrificed everything to keep me from Erik and I just gave in.. I let him take her.”  
“Hey you didn’t let him do anything! You said he would have killed her right?”  
“Yes I could hear him debating it in his mind.” Iri replies mournfully as she wipes at the tears quickly willing them to stop, she had cried about this too often.. It was time to grow up, and face the facts. She had a new life and soon new kits to look after; she would never forget her but now was not the time to remember her. Now was the time to have new kits with men that would never hurt her ever… period. Nor would they hurt their kits otherwise they would deal with her and she would rip them apart.  
“Then you did the right thing, at least she’s alive and one day we’ll get her. That man won’t live forever and one day he will meet his end.” Michael tells her and this makes her feel a little bit better.  
“Lexi how are you holding up down there?”  
“I can get us to that cliff over there, but that’s as far as I can go for now.” Lexi answers while tucking her wings in close to her body, shooting like a rocket to the ground. Right before they were going to crash she flares them out, and they rapidly slow down drifting gently to the grass covered hill. Waves were crashing on the shore below, and Iri was positive she could get them down easily.  
“Lexi you did such a great job, why don’t you just rest for now? We are safe, and we’ll take a cab back later.” Iri tells the dragon who just yawned tiredly in response while fading into the night, disappearing back into her mind. She could feel her curling up in the back corner, and slipping down into slumber. “Well you ready to head down?”  
“I don’t think I will ever get over that… she was a fucking dragon Iridessa, a god damn dragon.”  
“She can also turn into a very realistic suicune, our charizard needs work but we’re getting there.” Iri adds with a smirk and she’s pretty sure his mind is blown by the way his mouth seems incapable of closing. Grabbing his hand she walks off the edge onto the platform she’d made, tugging the man hesitantly she watches him place a foot gently on it as if testing it. “Knight do you trust me?”  
“Yes.”  
“Then just follow.” Iri tells him and takes off down her invisible stairs, till she lands safely on the bottom. Michael who had been quite unsure just closes his eyes and sprints after her, Iri tried not to laugh at how scared the man looked. She had half a mind to let him fall, but decided that would be cruel. It isn’t until his shoes sink softly into sand that he opens his eyes to find Iri already shucking her clothes off, and heading towards the water. Michael soon joins her in their skinny dipping as he feels the cold water nip at his ankles.  
“Am I going to get my dick bitten off?”  
“No, I have scared off every creature within three miles, your dick is safe sir!” Iri says with a mock salute before she feels herself tackled into the cool water. “Bastard!” She growls in mock disdain as she rises to the surface.  
“Well it’s true, I was born out of wedlock.” Michael replies and Iri just rolls her eyes while taking revenge, summoning a nearby crab that refused to leave she makes it pinch his ass cheek. The yelp he releases sends her into a fit of laughter that has her nearly falling over.  
“Fear me, for I have dominion over the minds of all!”  
“Douche, I think I’m bleeding… If I get bitten by a shark I’m going to be pissed.”  
“Come here I’ll fix you Red.” Iri mumbles as she catches her breath and is presented by with his ass. It was indeed bleeding and leaning down to lick at the wound she heals it as her tongue swipes over the sensitized skin. She can hear his moan and the first dribble of slick begins to leak from his hole. Smiling Iri places a finger at his puckered entrance and starts to tease it slowly, only working up to another finger when the man begs. As she fingers him she reaches around to play with his hardening dick, and that seems to snap something in him. Iri finds herself suddenly pulled into his arms, as he lowers her onto his throbbing cock. At first the thrusts were slow and uncoordinated so in an attempt to be helpful Iri creates a platform underneath her butt and behind her back.  
“Thanks.”  
“No problem… god right there Michael… mutual benefit really.” Iri pants as his thrusts increase causing her to shout in pleasure and the pair cums faster than they had hoped. “Kinky.”  
“Hard to not be with you, you being a fox all the time.” Michael teases with a sloppy smirk and pulls out, he takes his faded mark on her wrist and starts to nip at it. She watches with lazy eyes, as the man seems to run his tongue over it insistently. “Can I bite you?”  
“Sure.” Iri tells him and she feels his teeth sink deep down into her wrist, bucking up she cums again, and nearly passes out at the sensation of euphoria. “Michael!”  
“What Lass?”  
“I.. I hate you.”  
“Well I hate you more.” He says with a laughs as he carries her back onto the beach where the pair just curls up contently. They fall asleep that night on the beach, with the waves crashing in the background and the sand offering a warming sensation against the cool air. Both oblivious to the fact that this was a public beach, and after all anyone could be there in a minute or the morning. Rather they were too busy sharing breaths and body heat.


	23. Whipped

The morning  
Sunrise

Iri was awoken to the sound of murmuring, and feet shuffling… also lots of sand everywhere.  
“Miss are two all right?” A strange voice asks and blinking into awareness she tries to remember where she was… Oh yeah the beach… beach? Beach! Iri’s eyes widen as uses her hands to shield herself from the woman in uniform standing above her.  
“I’m sorry officer… we…” Iri trails off not really sure how to explain this without getting a ticket.  
“You were just having a midnight swim and you lost your bathing suits.” The woman states with a smirk as Iri stumbles for words.  
“Yeah, the riptide pulled them off.” Iri nods quickly, immediately going with that.  
“Take this towel and get going before you scare some children.” The officer says with a laugh as she tosses towels at them waking up Michael in the process.  
“Huh? What’s… what’s happening?” The feline mumbles out, not even bothering to open his eyes just roll over.  
“We’re naked on a beach, now grab this towel and come on… Good day ma’am.” Iri says while scrambling up to use the towel to cover herself. “Jones, move.” She orders while nudging him with her foot. Everyone knew Michael was a deep sleeper and waking him up was a pain in the ass.  
“Iri go back to bed.”  
“Michael if you don’t wake up now I’m going to punch you in the nuts.”  
“Ugh, what is so! Fuck…” Michael trails off as he realizes their surroundings.  
“Yeah now come on.”  
“How are we going to get back to the hotel?” Michael asks and Iri just shrugs as they snatch up their clothes. Putting them on quickly and then Iri runs the towels back to the officer who was still laughing quietly at them. “Iri ideas?”  
“Lexi?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Do you think you could turn into a Clydesdale, and give us a ride?” Iri asks feeling bad for asking this of her partner, but neither of them had money for a cab.  
“You don’t have money do you?” The fox mutters while glaring up at her from the sand.  
“No… I thought we did last night, and I don’t want to force some cabbie to take us there for free.”  
“Well I can’t, I’m still tired from last night…. Call Kovic, as much as I don’t want to say it.”  
“I’d rather walk.”  
“You do realize that it will take you most of the day to get there that way right?”  
“I’m not calling him, I guess we’re walking.” Iri huffs as Michael just shrugs and they three of them take off in the direction of their hotel. 

3 pm

They finally arrive back at their hotel, both sweaty, and tired as fuck. Opening the door they find the room empty and a note from Miles, thanks, is all it reads. She is about to collapse on the bed when hands work their way around her waist.  
“Michael, no I’m tired.” Iri whines as she tries to pull away and make it to the bed.  
“Shower. Lass, you’ll thank me later.”  
“Fine, and then we’re going to sleep until we’re dead.”  
“Hmm how about almost dead?”  
“I’m comfortable with that.” She murmurs as she let’s him nudge her towards the bathroom. Stepping out of their clothes they can’t help but chuckle when a boat load of sand covers the floor. Iri used her powers to sweep it all up as the other steps into the water, rinsing the sand and surf off. After the sand on the floor was cleaned up she joins him in the shower. At first it was just a normal shower no hanky panky, but Michael being the frisky kitten he was starts to lather her body up with body wash. Rolling her eyes she tries to ignore the man which is easier said than done. It isn’t until he starts playing with her breasts that she gives in and moans quietly against him. Taking this as a good sign he rolls his hips on hers, and let’s his hands trail down to find their way to her pussy. “Don’t start something you're too tired to finish.”  
“I wouldn’t dream of it, now spread your legs a little.” Doing as he said she spreads and arches back a little to provide him ample room to work his fingers in and out of her. “Now this is why I love you… I love you bent over, arching back, and panting for my cock. So willing to take anything I give you, this is why the others love you too.”  
“Make…. me sound like a cock whore.”  
“Oh Lass you are, you love it when we fill all those holes don’t you?”  
“Yes… yes I do.”  
“You love it when Ryan knots your mouth, and Geoff knots your ass while Ray thrusts up into you, tell me how much you love it.”  
“I love it… Ah… Oh god I wish it was happening right now.” Iri pants as Michael slips his fingers out, and runs them over her puckered entrance. “Please…. god Michael don’t tease me.”  
“But that’s the best part.”  
“Michael!” She keens as he inserts two fingers in her ass, and his cock in her dripping pussy.  
“So tight, someone needs to loosen up a bit.”  
“Mi...Mich…. Michael.” She pant over and over again as though it was the only word she knew. He only smiles as he pulls his fingers out and starts to thrust into her wholeheartedly.  
“Good girl.” He whispers as he feels her muscles clamping down around his cock, bringing him closer to the edge faster. However he does something wicked as he pulls out completely and waits for the brunt of the pleasure to subside all the while teasing the length of her tail with his finger tips.  
“Michael what are you… why did you stop?” Iri whines breathlessly as she turns back with her tail sagging at the loss. She was so close, just a little more and she would have been finished.  
“Suck me.”  
“But Michael.”  
“Bad girl! Go to the bed!” Michael snaps and immediately the woman lowers her ears in submission before lowering to her knees in the shower. “NO! I said bed!”  
“Michael I don’t want.”  
“I said bed.”  
“But.”  
“Fifteen.”  
“Mich.”  
“Seventeen.” Michael says and the woman just relents as she exits the shower, drying off briefly before getting on the bed. With a smirk he turns off the water, dries himself off, puts on a pair of boxers, and grabs his phone.  
“Who are you calling?”  
“Did I say you could talk?”  
“Well you didn’t say I couldn’t.” Iri quips and Michael swats her ass once, causing the woman to gasp.  
“If you must know I’m calling Geoff, I think he deserves to see this… Would be rude not to.”  
“No, Michael… Michael don’t call him.” Iri whines, she hated when they did this over facetime. She hated being on camera in the first place, only because she felt awkward. Iri knew she was sexy in person, but on camera was a whole other beast. Like what was she supposed to do with her hands, she never knew what to do with her hands.  
“Are you tell me what to do?” Michael asks drawing her from her thoughts as she tried to hide her face in her arms.  
“More of a strong suggestion.”  
“So mouthy this afternoon, well we can fix that.” Michael mumbles while pushing the call button and places the phone on the table propped up so the other could see them perfectly.  
“Hello?” Geoff’s voice answers as he finds himself staring at Iri’s naked form on a bed. “Iri?”  
“Hi Papa.”  
“What are you doing?”  
“Michael’s being an asshole.”  
“Bad girl!” Michael growls as he uses his belt to whip her ass once. Iri yelps as she buries her face in her arms deeper till Geoff could only see her down turned ears. “We don’t use such fowl language, now do we?”  
“Fuck you.” Iri mutters and she feels another crack of the belt on her ass. “Geoff see he’s being mean.”  
“Hmm I don’t think so, you seem a little mouthy.” Geoff answers and she can hear the voices of the others murmuring in agreement.  
“She seems to be a tad disobedient as well, Michael why don’t you give her a few stripes just to see if she’ll change her tone.” Ryan suggests as he settles down beside Geoff on the couch palming his growing arousal through his jeans, with Ray and Gavin in the background. Ray who had just finished up the bulk of his heat, was still working through the dregs of arousal that rose up instantly when he saw her getting whipped.  
“I hate you… all of you.” Iri pants out as she feels the belt slap against her skin harshly, leaving a raised imprint after the four consecutive strikes. “... Hate… you… the most.”  
“Mmm Faline you just keep begging for it don’t you, you're very lucky Geoff and I aren’t there to do this properly. I guess it will just have to wait till you get home.” Ryan says with an evil smile that Iri didn’t even have to look at the phone to know he wore.  
“I think he’s right, this just doesn’t seem to be enough for her.” Ray says and Iri just glares daggers at him through the phone.  
“I.. Oh fuck Michael!” Iri shouts as he starts up again causing her to arch away from him in pain.  
“Naughty girl, you are supposed to stay still.” Gavin mutters into the phone as he watches her trying to squirm away, but Michael holds her still.  
“No more.”  
“Are you telling him what to do?” Geoff and Ryan ask at the same time causing the two omegas leaning over them to snicker.  
“Gav, go get on the bed.”  
“Ray get on next to him.”  
“What? Why?” They both shout in disappointment, and surprise.  
“Go to the bed.” Geoff warns with a strict tone, and the two disappear from sight leaving the two Alphas alone with the phone. “Omegas these days are so mouthy.”  
“Hmm isn’t that the truth… Michael it seems we’ve got our own pair to discipline, good luck with her.” Ryan bids farewell as he ends the call. 

The others

Gavin and Ray grumble the entire way to the bed, before they kneel on it like they were expected to. Sure they could fight it, but it would only result in a harsher punishment. When Geoff and Ryan came in they stared at them with puppy dog eyes, begging to be spared.  
“Pants off.” Ryan’s voice commands and the pair shucks off their pants leaving their asses bare in the cool afternoon air. “Good boys, now Geoff why don’t you collar them like good pups ought to be.”  
“My pleasure.” Geoff answers as he runs a hand through Gavin’s brown hair before clipping on the man’s dark green collar, he hears the man whine in displeasure. Ray however purrs as he feels Geoff clip his chocolate brown collar on, and scratches his chin lightly. “Good boy Ray.”  
“Oye what about me!” Gavin huffs with indignation, and Ryan just swats his ass causing him to yelp. “Bloody hell Ry, you're going to break my ass like that!”  
“Gav, you are much too talkative for this punishment.” Geoff tells the man in warning as he pulls the man’s face down to his hardening length. “If you don’t be quiet I’ll make you be quiet.”  
“Bugger off…. Bullocks.” Gavin growls as he feels Ryan start to lay into his ass, and Geoff undoes his pants. Presenting his throbbing cock to the Brit who just shies away. Geoff knew he hated taking cock while he was getting spanked, but this was a punishment for teasing their mate over the phone.  
“Open.” Geoff orders and he does so, the gent merely smiles down at the Brit who is quietly mewling on his cock like a good whore should. “There’s a good boy, such a good Pup.” He praises and he laughs when he feels Gavin start to whine around him as Ryan let’s up. Gav would never admit it, but he loved when they did this once he finally gave in enough to enjoy it. He loved having something in his mouth while someone was whipping him black and blue. “Do you need something?”  
“... “ Gavin remains quiet as he continues to bob his head, and Geoff just rolls his eyes at his silent mate. They all knew Gavin wanted Ryan to continue, and he could force him to admit it but it was more fun to watch the lad deny himself. Ryan however never one to disappoint starts up again causing the other to purr happily around Geoff’s cock, bringing him to orgasm with the vibrations. He swallows it down and pulls off with a pop, as he nuzzles the gent’s thigh lovingly. Ray who at this point just waits patiently for his turn; Geoff wormed himself out of his Omega’s nuzzling stands behind Ray with a smirk.  
“So eager, aren’t we?” Geoff teases as Ray just pushes his ass up towards the gent, and it makes him wonder if he wanted this much more often than he got it.  
“Please Geoff, I’ve been bad.” Ray whines needily and the gents smirk at this wondering what the lad had done now.  
“Really? Well tell us what have you done?”  
“I deleted Gav’s recording…. twice.” Ray admits, he had watched the man work tirelessly and felt a little bad after what he’d done… not once but twice. However he wasn’t a complete asshole so he made sure to save it to his flash key, keeping the lad from losing it completely.  
“You did what?” Gavin growls angrily as he glares at the man arching beside him. Ray just shrugs, and that’s when Geoff starts to lay into his ass. “Asshole.”  
“Ray why did you do that?” Ryan asks as he takes his place at the head of his naughty Kitten.  
“Wanted… oh fuck… I wanted this.” Ray admits, he wouldn’t deny himself this as he nuzzled Ryan’s growing bulge. Geoff just chuckles as he stops hitting him for a second and the man let’s out a noise of disappointment. “Geoff… Geoff please.”  
“This is a punishment, you aren’t supposed to like it.” Geoff tells the man who just slumps down onto the bed, sadly. “Ryan, tell me what does our little Ray hate the most?”  
“He certainly doesn’t like cock rings, or being chained to the bed.” Ryan answers, and the other walks over to the closet gathering said objects. Pumping Ray a few times just to get him really close he slips the ring over him right as he was about to cum. Next he lifted up the panting man and deposits him on the blanket at the beginning of the bed. Clipping his leash to the bedpost and then to him they turn back to Gavin who is grumbling on the bed.  
“I ought to bite you Ray.” Gavin growls as he stares down at the man who seems dejected as he lies on the blanket whining. “I thought it was just a computer malfunction. I had Ryan check it four times! You're a real bitch you know that!”  
“Alright Pup he get’s the picture.” Geoff says as he pulls his mate to sit on top of his lap. “Why don’t you take out your frustrations by riding me?”  
“Geoff you don’t get it, that took me forever to edit.”  
“I saved it on a flash key dumbass… I may be a douche, but I’m not that big of a douche.” Ray says as he feels the ring start to vibrate. He couldn’t help himself as he humped the blanket trying to find some sort of release. Only to have it denied by this stupid device. Ray tried to burn it, but Ryan was smart enough to order flame resistant ones.  
“Oh… well in that case Geoff help me lineup.” Gavin mutters changing his tone completely, and the gent helps him down onto his cock. He makes a choked noise as his rim is suddenly stretched wide around his lover’s dick. Ryan who had been watching gets off the bed and walks over to the box of toys where he finds a vibrator that he promptly stuck into Ray causing the man to howl in pleasure. He continues to tease his Kitten with the toys as the man humps against his blanket uselessly. Chuckling to himself he just left the room leaving Ray whining and needy on the blanket. Once Geoff and Gavin finished up they smiled sadly at the man forced to stay on the blanket.  
“Touch him and I’ll take both of you where you stand!” Ryan’s knowing voice answers from down the hall, as he worked on painting a piece of wood at the table. He was going to wait for Iri to come back, but he decided to just do it himself since this didn’t really require much artistic talent. Painting his wood quietly he watches as the other two file out, and begin to make dinner.  
“Do you have to do that at my table?” Geoff asks with mild annoyance, they had an entire back yard. The gent didn’t need to paint in here.  
“Why, does it bother you Geoffrey?”  
“Yes James, it does. So go.” Geoff orders banishing the man who just smiles playfully before getting up and taking his stuff outside. Once he was gone he gives Gavin the go ahead. “Be quick about it.”  
“Okay Geoff.” Gavin nods and starts off towards the room, however he finds himself snagged by the collar around his neck.  
“I told you two not to touch him… If you continue to plot against my wishes I may just be forced to take him outside in his current state.” Ryan warns as he drags Gav back down the hallway and into the kitchen where Geoff stands with widened eyes. “Leave Ray alone, or I will take him outside with me.”  
“Yes Ryan.” Geoff relents obediently as the gent nips his neck threateningly. He hated when Ryan played this game, or when he decided to make the man obey him through sheer force. Geoff was a dominant, not a submissive… so it had only taken a few times before the gent got the point of leaving his Kitten alone. It’s not like they weren’t allowed to touch him, but when he got in trouble Ryan liked to dole out the punishments just like Geoff with his three. It was a silent rule between the two alphas, I’ll punish mine and you punish yours, unless you want to swap. However that rule was often overruled given the fact that the elder gent had three unruly mates who seemed to always get into trouble. Mostly Iri, with Michael as a close second, often the pair got in trouble together, and Gavin was the least troublesome of the three.  
“Good, now I’m going outside.”  
“Can I come with?”  
“Of course Gavin, Geoff if you need us we’ll be in the yard.”  
“Alright dinner will be in an hour or so.” Geoff adds as he watches his companions exit the house to do whatever the Gent was working on. He on the other hand just chops up vegetables, marinated meat, and started on a bread pudding that the lads enjoyed. It took maybe an hour for the food to be ready, but however before he goes and gets the others he heads to the bedroom. He goes to open the closed door, but finds it locked; Geoff can hear Ray panting and a voice egging him on. With a swift snap the lock is opened and he finds Ray cumming harshly to the sound of Iri praising him.  
“Such a good boy Ray, now be a good Kitten and lap up your milk.” Iri orders and Ray obediently starts licking his hand as well as the blanket.  
“Ray what are you doing?” Geoff’s curious voice asks as he watches the spotted man go stark still. Leaning over he picks up the phone and finds that the man has a voice recording playing.  
“I.. She... “  
“What did I tell you Geoffrey?” Ryan growls as he enters the room and slams the door shut startling both of the men.  
“I actually didn’t do this, she did.”  
“Who did?”  
“Seems Iri made him a very interesting recording.” Geoff says as he hits play and the sound of Iri’s sultry tone comes on.  
'Ember why don’t you finger yourself open for me while I get the toys…. yes good, just like that...’  
“She made that for my heat because she knows how easy her voice gets me off when I’m like that.” Ray admits as he stares into his blanket submissively. “Please don’t delete it.”  
“Oh Kitten I wouldn’t dream of it, however next time don’t listen to it when you are supposed to be getting punished… though it has been quite a long time, so this time you are forgiven.” Ryan mumbles with a smile as Ray brightens, and nuzzles the gent’s legs lazily. “Yes I love you too, now get dressed for dinner.”


	24. The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Iri and Michael

“Can we just go home?” Iri asks as they finally settle down for the night.  
“Huh?”  
“This is a lot more boring than I thought it would be and Miles says he will cover for me… We can take the train back, that way we’ll still arrive about the same time. Geoff will never know.”  
“Hmm even after all that you are still such a bad girl.”  
“Michael you know you want to go home, and besides if we take the train we can finally have train sex.” Iri purposes and this seems to sway the man, who just chuckles and agrees.  
“You are insatiable you know that?”  
“Yeah that’s why I miss Gavin and Ray so much, we can fuck like rabbits all night when I get back.” Iri jokes lightly as she pulls out of the man’s grip to pack her stuff. It doesn’t take long and soon Michael has bought the tickets. “Lexi?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Can we get a ride to the train station?”  
“Sure, I’ll shift when we’re outside.” The fox answers as the pair checks out, making sure they have everything before exiting the building. Lexi shifts into a large black Clydesdale that has a white mane and tail. Michael helps Iri onto the tall horse before climbing up himself, and Iri uses her powers to tie the bags to the horses side like mock saddlebags. Once everyone was settled Lexi takes off at a slow trot mindful of her Mistress’ mate who was rather unable to find his seat.  
“Michael are you okay?”  
“Yeah it’s just harder than you make it look.” Michael mutters as he grips his mate’s waist tightly as she grips the horse’s mane lightly.  
“Lexi can you slow down a little, we don’t need to rush our train will wait for us.”  
“How can you know that?”  
“Michael telepathic remember, I can make it wait for us.” Iri tells him with a smile as they slow to a brisk walk, allowing Michael to become steadier in his seat.

Half an hour later

They arrive near enough to walk to the station as Iri lets her companion fade back into her mind after thanking her profusely. The pair board the train for the day and a half journey, settling in their sleeping car for the night. Curling up close to each other they merely listen to the conversations of the other passengers, adding to it when asked. They had been talking for over an hour. Turns out they had been bunked next to a pair of mated omegas who were traveling home to Tucson, Arizona; they had been traveling the USA by train for little over a month and had finally decided to wrap it up. They loved traveling, but a leave of absence was only good for a little while before they lost their jobs. Michael had mentioned how they were just coming home from the convention in LA, and this intrigued the people.  
“You seem familiar… I have heard your voice somewhere but where… Milly you know what I’m talking about right?”  
“Yes Jackson, he’s the Rage Quit man you insist on watching… Michael you swear much too much for my tastes, no offense.”  
“None taken Miss, my mate says the same thing… seems she doesn’t like when her Knight swears like a sailor.”  
“Michael you know I will never understand why the fans enjoy it so much.”  
“Iridessa, I don’t think any woman will ever understand… All I know is that my Jackson loves to watch them.” Milly answers as she kisses her husband happily. “Oh look at the time, Dear we should really catch some sleep before our stop. Jimmy is going to be waiting with our car.”  
“I hope he hasn’t wrecked it like Jared did last time we left… Boys, what will you do?”  
“Yes our two are quite the handful… Do you two have any children?” Milly asks and the others just shake their head.  
“Though we are thinking about trying next time she’s in heat.” Michael answers and Iri just blushes at this.  
“Kids are wonderful, but they can be quite the handful… But I’m sure you six will be able to handle it. The more hands the better.” Jackson says as he pulls his wife closer. “Now good night you two, in case we don’t see you in the morning good luck and it was great to meet you.”  
“Same to you guys, night Iri.” Michael whispers into her ear as she nuzzles into his neck sleepily. They fall down into a slumber that was lulled by the smoothness of the train tracks, and heightened by the darkness of the car. 

A few hours later

Iri awoke with the feeling of suffocating, her eyes wide and breath coming in ragged gasps she pulls out of Michael’s grip carefully making sure not to wake the man. Looking around she can see that their companion’s were gone leaving the bunk empty, and tidy. Grabbing her shoes she makes her way to the caboose where she could sit at a table and watch the world disappear behind them. It was an amazing thing to watch the landscapes slowly fade away in a blur. Bringing out Lexi she places the sleepy fox in her lap and strokes her back into a slumber. It isn’t till her phone buzzes that the silence is broken, checking the screen she notices a missed call from Geoff. She checks the time on her phone to find that it was about four am so the gent was most likely still asleep. Putting her phone back down, she just focuses on the fox in her lap purring contently. She wished she could sleep that well on her own, but without Gavin and Lance it was nearly impossible. Her dreams had a way of turning torturous very quickly, leaving the Iri in tears that burned her face with shame. She was a grown woman who was able to do many amazing things yet, the actions of one man had shattered her mind beyond repair. Tearing her apart piece by piece and expecting her to persevere… yet that’s what she always did wasn’t it? She could have killed herself, and ended her life at the facility it wouldn’t have been hard… even after the birth and she was nursing her kit; she could have easily killed them both, but she didn’t. She chose to live and she chose to fight that man to her last breath even as he broke her bones, snapping them like twigs… Why? Why did she fight to live? What was the point really?  
“Them.” Lexi mumbles as she had been listening to her Mistress’s monologue. “You chose to live for them, and to get back to them… So they wouldn’t have to feel the abandonment you felt as a child.”  
“I hope Serah doesn’t feel abandoned.”  
“She doesn’t, that child will be strong and she’ll fight him when the time comes.”  
“Do you think so?”  
“I know so, just like I know that she’ll will be in your arms again.”  
“I love you Lexi… What kind of life would we have had if my parents had remained at that place?”  
“A horrible one. One filled with pain, strife, and anger… It is a blessing that you are free.”  
“So do you believe Serah will have that life?”  
“No because Harold and Otto will protect her. I doubt they are ever not by her side, those men promised to protect her and they will.”  
“I hope you are right.” Iri mutters while just looking out at the rising sun as she strokes the fox gently. “I hope she’s alright.”  
Michael  
ten am

He awakes to the sun shining into his window, and an eerily empty cabin. Blinking himself awake he finds that Iri is gone as is the couple from last night, and rubbing the sleep from his face he stretches his body slowly. Smiling pleasantly when his muscles crack into place, grabbing his shoes he goes in search of his mate. He starts off by slowly checking the surrounding cars and it is in the middle of that feels his phone vibrate.  
“Hello?” Michael answers quietly while opening the door to the observation deck. He finds Iri sitting slumped over on a table with Lexi as a pillow. “Yeah hey Geoff… Oh it’s good…. She’s fine.”  
“Where are you guys at?” Geoff asks after working through the mundane questions.  
“We’re at the convention Geoff where else would we be?” Michael lies knowing that if his Alpha was upset about one of them going on a three hour plane trip, two of them riding a train for over a day might definitely upset the man.  
“Oh really? I didn’t know the convention was on a fucking train!” Geoff yells and Michael flinches at the harshness of his voice.  
“How’d you know?”  
“Remember that necklace Ray got Iri for her birthday, yeah it doubles as a tracker and right now you're halfway between Tucson Arizona, and the New Mexican stateline. Explain, now.” Geoff orders and Michael just curses under his breath for a few moments. “I’m waiting.”  
“She wanted to come home, so we traded in our plane tickets for train tickets… Geoff I can’t wait to show you some of the memories we made. She’s amazing Geoff.” Michael tells him and the other just cocks his head over the phone, or at least he makes the sound that he normally would when he did.  
“Please tell me she didn’t try to fly again.”  
“Actually we did and then we had sex on the beach, but that’s besides the point. Geoff we literally flew.”  
“How?”  
“I mean Lexi shifted into a god damn dragon, and flew through the sky!” Michael says, listening to the man, who is quietly chattering to someone else near him.  
“Michael I don’t… is that even possible?” Geoff asks and Ryan shakes his head in yes. “Well apparently it is because Ryan’s been reading about a Caster woman who could… Did you know he spoke french?”  
“No, and who is the woman?”  
“Celeste Marseilles, Iri’s real mother… In her journals she wrote about her powers, her family history, her mate, and her hopes for her daughter. She was an incredibly brave woman according to Ryan.”  
“Why what did she do?”  
“I think this is something Iri deserves to hear as well, is she near you?”  
“Yeah, but she’s sleeping… Marcus tells me she has insanely bad insomnia without Gavin.”  
“I knew this trip would be a bad idea. First the thing with Fun Haus, then the Miles catastrophe that she told me about, and now the insomnia.”  
“We should be back in town soon, about nine tonight I think.”  
“I’ll come pick you guys up from the train station, unless you have a better plan?”  
“Nope, we were sorta counting on that… Does she know it’s a tracker?”  
“No and she doesn’t need to does she?”  
“Negatory old man, see you tonight.”  
“Love you guys, be safe, and no flying on anything until we are all together.”  
“Got it, and give the guys our love.”  
“Will do, see you tonight.” Michael says as he clicks off the phone and settles on the chair next to Iri who is murmuring quietly in her sleep. He starts stroking her tail, and watches as the world fades behind him.  
“Mmm Michael where are we?” Iri asks blearily as she nuzzles her fox with her head, causing the other to yawn sleepily while waking up.  
“Mistress?”  
“It’s okay Lexi, why don’t you go for a flight and stretch your muscles?”  
“That sounds fantastic… come with me?” Lexi adds as she shifts into her large dragon and flies lazily next to the train. “Please it’s been so long since it’s just been you and I.”  
“I.. Michael?”  
“Go, just don’t get hurt or do something stupid. If Marcus and I have to come search for your dumbasses we are going to be pissed.” Michael warns and he notices the woman’s happy smile. Iri stands up giddily and takes off her heels, handing them to Michael. He watches as she stands up confidently on the railing and then jumps with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever. She is scooped up immediately by Lexi’s long white tail, and then tossed up onto the dragon’s back. The pair take off into the open desert sky, and Michael with a smirk just snaps a photo. He sends it to Geoff, and he wonders how angry the man is right now.  
‘You just got her in so much trouble Michael.’ Marcus whispers while shaking his head in disapproval at his human’s actions.  
The others

Ryan and the others had been in the middle of filming a Minecraft lets play when Geoff suddenly shouts.  
“For fuck’s sake!”  
“What, did my dog kill you?” Gavin asks as he turns to face the steamy gent who looked so frustrated even Lance was concerned.  
“I’m going to beat her ass when she gets back, and I’m going to collar her as soon as they step off that train.” The gent mutters angrily as he presents his phone to the others.  
“That’s so fucking cool, she’s on a dragon!” Ray says in amazement and Gavin just mirrors his enthusiasm, while Ryan just sighs.  
“Didn’t you tell him not to fly?”  
“You fucking bet your ass I did, she is asking for it with this.”  
“Well maybe Michael never told her.” Gavin suggests, knowing that Michael loved it when Geoff tugged her around on a leash. It wouldn’t surprise him to know that he had sent this picture purposely.  
“Yeah I wouldn’t put that past the lad.” Ryan agrees as he goes back to the game while Geoff quietly simmers at his desk.  
“I specifically told her to stay on the ground before she left, and Michael told me that she flew them to the beach a few nights ago.”  
“Really? So Celeste was right.”  
“About what Ryan?”  
“That a Caster’s animal grows in power along with the caster themselves. If Lexi is improving then that means so is Iri, I wouldn’t doubt that she is able to lift herself indefinitely.” Ryan conjectures as he remembers reading the woman’s journals, which were more like manuals made for their daughter explaining certain parts of her gift. It was common for families to have these, but one so thorough as this was a rarity to say the least.  
“It’s possible, but what does it mean Ryan?”  
“It means that soon they’ll be able to take over the world.” Ryan says with mock seriousness, and the others just roll their eyes while laughing. “You laugh, but one day she will.”  
“I highly doubt she will take over the world Rye-bread… She just doesn’t have the drive.”  
“You know I’m inclined to believe Gavin, besides she would have done it already if she was going to do it.” Geoff answers and this they all agree with. “I’m still collaring her.”  
“She’s not going to like that.” Ray says and the gent just scoffs.  
“I don’t care, maybe next time she won’t go dancing with other packs, and end up at their houses afterwards.”  
“You know to be fair, Kerry and Miles were supposed to be with her… not leaving her to go shag.” Gavin points out and both gents just sigh in frustration.  
“True, but she should have went home with them then.”  
“Can you three stop arguing so we can finish this?” Ray asks as he continues mining in the nether. “Besides Gav, he’ll do what he wants regardless of how fair it is.”  
“Sheesh someone’s grouchy.”  
“Ray didn’t sleep well last night.” Ryan says apologetically while giving his Omega a soft look as he continues his game. “Bad dreams again.”  
“Aw Lad you should’ve come to me, Lance and I would have helped.”  
“No thanks, I’m fine.” Ray lies as he continues on playing. Sure he wasn’t fine, but that was something he’d learnt to deal with. Killing a man did that to a person, even though it’s been many years the guilt still overtook him at times. Iri was the only one of them who truly knew the whole story and he was glad she came home tonight. Perhaps the two of them could talk if the knot heads weren’t too busy fucking her brains out. Maybe they could go wander around in the forest or go flying on Lexi if she was up to it. She’d listen to him ramble while curled up comfortingly on his lap like she always did. The thought of this brings a smile to Ray’s tired mind as well as Flynt’s. The ocelot had been feeling his human’s restlessness.  
‘Ray you know you can always talk to Geoffrey or I.’ Todd’s soothing words say in the Latino’s mind. ‘We.’  
“Get the fuck out Todd.” Ray growls and Geoff immediately turns to face the man who is glaring directly at him. “We don’t need to talk alright.”  
“Sure thing Kiddo.” Geoff says apologetically as he reins the fox back in and they all go back to work.


	25. Fighting the Man.... Well really just Geoff

Michael and Iri… well really just Michael

Michael hops off the train with their luggage, but still no sign of Iri or Lexi. Marcus had begun to pace in his brain and the sound of thunder could be heard off in the distance because of his anxiety when they didn't show up as the train was pulling into the station. In the station he spots Geoff tapping his foot in agitation, waiting for his Omegas. So with a sigh Michael just strolls over to the man who smiles happily at him, but it soon changes to confusion when he notices they’re short one.  
“Where is she?”  
“Uh I have no clue, she left after your call. I was hoping you could tell me.” Michael says and the gent just pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration while taking his phone out. He could hear Geoff muttering curses under his breath as the app loaded, it says that she was about five miles from them. “I should have known she couldn’t keep up, come on let’s go wait outside.”  
“She’s in so much trouble.”  
“Yeah, don’t even get me started on what she did to Kovic.”  
“I know I’m going to regret asking, but show me.” Geoff tells him as Michael let’s Todd into his mind only to find the gruesome beating of Kovic, but he also sees how easily she healed everything as well as made so many people forget. Ryan was definitely right about her getting stronger. “Christ… My face hurts just looking at that.”  
“Fucking brutal to watch, James had to tackle her off before she came back to herself.”  
“Damn he must have really pissed her off.”  
“No he just… uh nevermind.”  
“Michael what did he do?”  
“It’s just going to piss you off.”  
“Try me.” Geoff says tightly and Michael shows him how she told him what happened and how she’d sucked off Lawrence. “....”  
“You're collaring her aren’t you?”  
“Oh yeah, and I’m fucking tieing her to my desk for the next three weeks.” Geoff states, and can't help but notice how Michael smirks happily.  
“Three weeks?”  
“I might make it four if she doesn’t show up soon.” Geoff growls as they exit the building and start walking to the car. It can’t be more than ten minutes later that Iri does actually show up well more like appear. She’d told Lexi to disappear back into her mind, and she figured she could make her way down to the ground safely from the sky. Turns out that she still over estimated her powers as she landed face down on Geoff’s truck bed causing it to bounce slightly.  
“Shit… Hey guys.” Iri groans while rolling over and wrenching herself up. Doing a system’s check she found no broken bones, but a few mild sprains. Healing those quickly she pulls herself out of the bed and lands on the ground with a sheepish smile. Looking up slowly she can feel Geoff’s angry glare before she sees it, and before she can explain anything a collar is clipped around her neck with the leash attached. “I…”  
“Don’t say anything or I’ll get the muzzle.” Geoff warns as he tugs the woman into his arms for a kiss that she could only describe as dominating, however not wholly unpleasant. She pulls back breathing roughly only to be forced back for another round. Once she was dizzy from lack of oxygen and smiling did the gent allow her to talk.  
“Missed you too Geoffrey.”  
“You’ve been a very bad girl and you know why don’t you?”  
“Oh yeah about that… Geoff.”  
“In the car.”  
“But.”  
“Car. Now.” Geoff orders and the lady just relents getting into his vehicle in defeat. It isn’t until they get onto their street that he starts talking to her again. “What have I told you about fighting?”  
“Not to do it.” Iri mumbles while staring at her shoes.  
“And what did you do?”  
“It was less of a fight and more of a beating.”  
“Go ahead and be smart, see how far it gets you.”  
“You know my fathers always taught me it’s better to be smart than pretty.” Iri answers snappily and this is when Geoff just chuckles darkly.  
“Oh Kit, Ry and I are going to make you beg for forgiveness tonight.”  
“Fuck…. Not Ryan, he’s much more creative than you.” Iri says in mock fear and her Alpha just laughs as he drags the woman towards the house by leash. However, she wasn’t having it so with all her might she fought the Alpha. Geoff merely raises his eyebrows as she lifts herself up into the air and creates a platform above him. “No.”  
“Kit you realize that you aren’t the only one who can do that right?” Geoff says as he simply destroys her platform and catches her in his arms right before she hit the ground. “I may not be as good as you, but I can still do it.”  
“Papa please.”  
“Kit you’ve been very bad, and you knew what would be the consequence for bad behavior. Now settle down, and be a good girl.” Geoff scolds and the woman just falls quiet in his arms as they enter the threshold. There Gavin waited with open arms as he scooped her from Geoff’s and into his own. Pulling her close, he kisses her roughly with a passion she’d only seen during his heats.  
“I’m going to tongue fuck you against this wall.”  
“No you aren’t Gav, at least not yet.”  
“Aww but why not Geoff?”  
“She get’s punished first.”  
“Oh… Bollocks, after then.” Gavin promises as she feels herself tugged up the stairs where Ryan waits with Ray at the foot of the bed panting heavily on the dog bed as he humped his hips against a pillow.  
“Fuck that pillow Kitten because that’s all you are getting tonight.” Ryan’s dark voice orders as Ray just whines needily. “Hush now, we have another naughty omega to deal with.”  
“You know I can just… Ow Geoff!” Iri growls as she is tossed onto the bed. “That was unnecessary.”  
“Are you telling Alpha how to do his job?”  
“Well I do have a few suggestions.” Iri quips as she feels her face shoved down onto Ryan’s crotch, which might she add smelled wonderful because it smelled like their fabric softener. She wondered if these jeans had been washed recently; however before her thoughts can continue she feels her dress practically ripped off her body. Leaving her in just her black lacy strapless bra and matching thong, the ones that Geoff absolutely loved. Rubbing her face into the crotch and mouthing against Ryan’s member teasingly. “Geoff if you’ve ripped that dress I’m going to hurt you.”  
“Shouldn’t you be worried a little more about what we’re going to do to you?” Ryan asks and the woman just scoffs only to be silenced by a rough tug of her leash.  
“Your dress is fine, now tell me what did you do to deserve this?” Geoff teases as he starts swatting her ass, she yelps, and attempts to wiggle away only to be held still by Ryan’s strong hands. Iri, the fighter she was says nothing choosing to focus on the man near the edge of the bed panting loudly.  
“What’s his deal?”  
“Iri that is not the question I asked you to answer.” Geoff says in his I mean business tone that normally has Iri rolling over in submissiveness, but now it only served to make her chuckle. She wasn’t sure why, but tonight she didn’t feel like bowing down... so she would fight.  
“Ray why are you on the ground?” Iri asks ignoring the Alphas who were growling angrily at her.  
“I was being an ass… I missed you.”  
“Missed you too… Fuck off Geoff, you hit like my grandma!” Iri growls as the gent starts laying into her ass. At the taunt the gent only snarls and gets off the bed to head into the closet. He comes back with a vibrator, nipple clamps, a gag, and a flogger… plus a blindfold. Ryan wastes no time in slipping the blindfold over the squirming woman, and Geoff works on the other accessories. Once she was properly adorned the elder gent takes his place behind her with the flogger lightly tapping against her bare flesh. She makes a muffled moan against the other’s lap as Geoff begins to whip her. Iri however, just works at Ray’s restraints, working to free his cock from the ring Ryan had probably put on it. This had to be one of the hardest tasks she’d ever attempted seeing as just wrenching the ring off would hurt him, but if she didn’t use any force at all it wouldn’t budge; plus there was the constant onslaught of pain and pleasure thanks to Geoff.  
‘Kit how much trouble do you wish to be in tonight?’ Geoff’s knowing voice interrupted her thoughts as well as concentration. Ignoring the gent’s warning she continues tugging on the ring until it comes off, and Ray comes with a loud shout.  
“Ray?” Ryan says in wonder as he watches the man slump down on the dog bed clearly sated, and the ring is carelessly tossed to the side. “How did you get that off?”  
“Team Stray assemble!” Iri shouts as she forces the gag out of her mouth as well as the other toys save the collar, and rolls of the bed shifting into a fox and then leaping out the window with Ray not far behind. The Alphas watch in literally pure confusion as the pair leaps onto the roof and then down into the back yard. “Viva La Revolution!”  
“What she said!” Ray adds as the pair dash off into the night.  
“Ryan?”  
“Yeah Geoff.”  
“What just happened?”  
“I… I’m not sure… Should we be mad?”  
“Uh… probably?”  
“Huh, all I feel is confusion.”  
“Me too Buddy, me too.” Geoff answers while gathering up the toys and washing them off before putting them back. After they were clean the pair walks down to the living room where Gavin, and Michael were fucking their brains out.  
“Micoo… Oh fuck, harder!” Gavin shouts as his face is pushed into the couch cushions as the man pumps into him at a fierce pace.  
“Gav, I’m almost there…. God I’m so close.”  
“Cum in me Micoo, cum for me!” Gavin commands as he feels the other release inside of him, and the pair cums with a keening sound as they fall forward onto the couch.  
“Please tell me you guys didn’t stain the couch?” Geoff asks hopefully, he really hoped they hadn’t stained the couch. Cum took forever to wash out, and he wasn’t buying another one.  
“No…. No I put a condom on him.” Michael answers breathlessly while pulling out and presenting his cock to the other who licks at it slowly. “Good boy Gav.”  
“Mmm not bad yourself Michael… Where’s Iri and Ray?” Gavin asks as he feels Michael clean him up quickly.  
“Uh, they literally just leapt out a window… I’m still not sure why.”  
“What?”  
“Yeah those two are strange on a good day.” Gavin remarks, and the others nod in agreement. “So are you still punishing her when they turn up again?”  
“Honestly, I think I’ll just make her wear the collar… Michael whipped her good the other night.”  
“I’m sure she won’t rebel against that one too much.” Ryan says and the other nod in agreement.  
“Well I think it’s time for bed given that tomorrow is Friday and still a work day for most of us.” Geoff orders and with smiles they head up the stairs to fall into bed. Ryan who would normally go to his and Ray’s room feels himself tugged down by Gav into the bed.  
“Are you sure?”  
“Of course Rye-bread if we’re going to raise our kids together than I think it’s times we start sharing a bed.”  
“You act like she’s said yes.”  
“She did and her next heat is the one.” Michael tells the group as he is pulled close into Geoff’s arms. “I can’t wait.”  
“Kits... “ Geoff trails off as he turns to the gent with a smile. “You're crib will finally come to use.”  
“How’d you know? It was supposed to be a surprise.” Ryan says and the others just laugh.  
“Dude we figured that out as soon as we wandered into the shed, that thing is huge.”  
“Well it’s supposed to be able to hold four sleeping pups, so it has to be.” Ryan answers and soon they fall asleep to the sound of each other’s breathing.


	26. What he did to deserve my rage.

Ray and Iri

After exiting through the window the pair take off into the woods. Ray jumping from tree to tree, while Iri weaving through the underbrush dodging roots and traps. It isn’t until they come to the river that the pair sit side by side on the bank. Iri the more adventurous of the pair inches her way down to the water, and jumps into the slow moving river. She breaks the surface maybe three seconds later to find Ray delicately dipping his front paws in before wading all the way in.  
“Ray come on, it’s not too bad.” Iri urges while paddling contently with her four legs and her tail trailing behind her, casting a glance to the side she finds Ray very slowly making his way towards her. “Ember, I won’t let you drown.”  
“It’s not that… I was wondering if we could talk?”  
“Sure, is everything alright?” Iri asks with concern while swimming over to the cat who now resides on the bank away from the water. Shaking out her wet fur she stands beside the cat emitting warmth, and begins to dry herself on him. The pair retreat further back to lie in the moonlight, and Ray curls around his wet mate helpfully. After they were settled in a comfortable position she turns to the cat. “Are you okay?”  
“Yeah… No… I don’t know.”  
“What’s wrong?”  
“The usual.”  
“Oh.” Iri answers softly knowing exactly what he wanted to talk about, this topic wasn't something she was unfamiliar with, and each time it came up she felt no more qualified to answer the question than when it had come up the last time.  
“Yeah… I did the right thing right?”  
“Ray, I don’t…. I don’t know. I’ve never killed a man before.”  
“But if you were able to would you kill Erik today?”  
“That’s not fair.”  
“Yeah well life never is.”  
“... I would and I wouldn’t. I would love to drain his body of blood and then rip his corpse to pieces, but I don’t know if I could.”  
“Why not? He killed your parents too.”  
“True, but we also share a child. It wouldn’t be fair to her, even though her father is a lunatic she deserves to decide that for herself, not have the choice made for her.” Iri tells the ocelot who looks at her in surprise. “I hate that man, but I love my daughter and I won’t take that choice away from her.”  
“That… I…”  
“Yeah I know I make myself speechless sometimes too.”  
“You have granted him far too much leniency… I would have killed him.”  
“I have been meaning to ask you, what did he do to you?”  
“He sent a man to rob my house.” Ray answers and at this Iri just stares at him with wide eyes. She'd heard Ray's story about how his parents had been killed, but he had never told her this part... Though she wouldn't have understood the horrors of Erik till now, she wouldn't have truly been able to grasp the evil of the man. “He was the reason my parents were killed that night, and I will not mourn his death.”  
“I’m… I’m sorry.”  
“I hope for your daughter’s sake she never grows to love that man.”  
“She won’t, that man is incapable of love.” Iri adds with surety, and this seems to be the answer to the other's wondering. The pair fall silent in the moonlight, and Ray just keeps them warm against the chilly night air. It isn’t until the moon sinks low in the sky that they decide it was time to go back. Walking lazily through the forest stopping only once to admire a wild rose bush and a patch of wild irises.  
“For you milady.” Ray says as he offers her a iris and Iri just smirks while picking a rose for the lad.  
“And for you my lovely little Lad.”  
“Why thank you madame.” Ray says as he shifts back and picks up the fox whom just curls up into his warm arms with her flower in her mouth. “I love you Iridessa.”  
“I love you too Raymond… Bite me.”  
“Dammit I was going to say that.”  
“We’ll bite each other.” Iri compromises as she shifts back and stands before the man with a sheepish smile. “Where do you want it?”  
“Uh, it’s up to you… just not on the neck.” Ray says and Iri just rolls her eyes at the obvious warning.  
“I was actually planning to just rip out your jugular.”  
“Fucking knew it! So where do you want yours?”  
“Well Geoff’s got my collarbone, Gav has a hip, and Michael’s get my wrist. You are welcome to anywhere else.”  
“Hmm the choices… How about your ass? It is my favorite part of you.”  
“Ray, no.”  
“Fine you ruin all my fun.” Ray pouts as he kneels down to examine the woman’s bare skin. She had forgotten to put on anything more except for what Geoff hadn’t taken off. Mouthing at her pale thigh softly he feels her hands tighten in his hair as he bites down tightly. She lets a gasp fall from her lips that turns into a moan as the man bites the flesh roughly till it is bleeding and the mark will surely scar. Lapping at the bite gently till she releases his hair. “I claim this thigh exclusively.”  
“Mmmk… I claim your heart.” Iri says as she pulls the man up to his knees at lifts up his shirt to reveal his tan chest. While kissing his left pectoral, she bites him deeply a few inches above his nipple so the bite rests right over his heart. The man curses as her teeth sink down into his flesh and leaves a scarring mark. Lowering his shirt and walking side by side they leave the wild flowers to make their way back to the house. They walk past the pool and before Iri can stop him, he pushes her in with a mischievous smile. “Ray!”  
“What? Muscle spasm.”  
“Uh huh, whoops muscle spasm.” Iri jokes as she pulls the man into the pool using her powers and he falls in with a loud splash. He swims to the top with a glare as he rights his glasses.  
“You got me wet.”  
“Hmm it seems I did. What are you going to do about it?” Iri teases as the man just smirks and kisses her while working a finger into her thong. Taunting her with touches that he knew would have the woman dripping in need. “Ray don’t tease.”  
“Oh why not?” Ray purrs, kissing her neck gently and creating tiny little bruises in his wake as he unstraps her bra. He doesn’t bother undressing rather choosing to burn off his clothes which made Iri wonder how that was possible given that they were in water. Noticing her confusion he just chuckles and kisses her now bare chest. Pushing himself close to her against the pool’s steps. She spreads her legs wide and the man takes his place between them, thrusting in causing the woman to arch up in pleasure. The sound of splashing can be heard as he makes love to the woman with more sweetness than she was used to. It takes the pair much longer to climax given how gentle they are, and for the first time Iri truly wishes for it to never end. They were breathless and shouting in pure pleasure when they finally came. Both lay panting heavily as though they’d ran a marathon with closed eyes, and Ray just lies his head on her breast as she holds it there. It isn’t until they open their eyes to find Ryan and Geoff staring at them curiously that they open their eyes and just smile sleepily up at them.  
“Did you two enjoy yourselves?” Geoff asks as he watches the Omegas make no attempt to move.  
“Mmm Ray always was a tender man.” Ryan adds as he stares down at the pair who still lie there with breaths evening out into sleep. “Geoff can you lift them out?”  
“Yeah.” Geoff says as he lifts the pair up easily and Ryan carries Ray while he carries Iri. The pair was so far under that they didn’t even notices the venue change till they’re placed down into soft warm sheets. Ray curls himself contently around Iri as Ryan pulls the blankets over them before leaving their room to go back and lie with the other lads. He would have stayed but the bed was only big enough for two. Geoff pulls him down to give him a few possessive kisses on his neck leaving Ryan with a smile as he just allows him to.  
“Mmm Pack Alpha.”  
“Good boy Alpha.” Geoff praises as he curls his arms around the gent protectively, and the pair falls into a deep sleep with the others.


	27. Coping Mechanisms, and the stress they're supposed to stop

Weeks Later

True to her word Iri had told the group that if they were going to have kits her next heat was going to be the one. She grew tired of waiting, and besides Gavin’s excited smile was more than enough persuasion for her. So as the group planned and Iri was mentally prepared herself as well as painted the Pup’s nursery. At first it wasn’t a big deal and not that it truly was a big deal, but the men had noticed how it had morphed into a major stressor for the woman. 

Pup’s Room

She wasn’t quite sure which color she liked best. The soothing shades of blue or the bright hues of green that Gavin had fallen in love with. Lexi who was currently watching her mistress stare intently at the wall where two patches had been painted couldn’t help but laugh at her indecision.   
“Iri just pick one.”  
“Lexi you can’t just pick one, this is the room where they’ll sleep in every night for years! I can’t just pick one, it has to be perfect.” Iri snaps with a tiny huff. How was she supposed to decide this? Both colors looked great and she just didn’t know which one to choose.   
“Well what if you use both?”  
“I… I could, but then what pattern should I make with them?”  
“Why not a mural?” Lexi suggests and at this the woman’s eyes light up in realization.  
“Alexia you are a genius! Come on we need to get to Menards!” Iri says hurriedly while nearly running down the stairs to grab her purse from the counter and then rushes out the door. 

Outside 

“Hey where’s the fire?” Ryan asks as he stops mowing the lawn to find the woman running towards her car, eyes ablaze with inspiration. “Iridessa?”  
“No time James! Lexi can we fly there faster than the freeway?”  
“Yeah.” Lexi answers while turning into a dragon, right as Iri is about to jump on Ryan tackles the woman to the ground.   
“Where are you going Faline?”  
“Menards.” Iri answers as she rolls over to kiss the sweaty man who just reciprocates gladly.  
“Okay, and don’t call me James.”  
“Why, does it upset you James?”  
“Iridessa don’t you know not to tease a big strong and very horny alpha?”  
“Oh I know, but I do not have time right now Mr. Haywood. I need to get to Menards before the paint people go home.” Iri replies with a smirk, and wiggles out from underneath the sweaty man who as she took a minute to admire how his six pack glimmered in the afternoon sunlight. Her mind is then drawn to the fact that this was all happening. Part of Iri wonders if they had intended for this to happen when they befriended her in the beginning, then again the more she questioned this the more unlikely it seemed to be.   
“You know you could do more than just stare.” Ryan says interrupting her thoughts and casual watching of him.  
“I… I have to go! Maybe later.” Iri says hurriedly as she scrambles onto the dragon’s back who launches them high in the air.   
“Damn I was sure I could get her.” Ryan curses quietly as he just goes back to mowing the lawn, while Ray was cleaning the house with Gavin. Michael and Geoff had been stuck at the office filming a Saints Row. So the rest of them were left to do the chores. Though in reality Ryan didn’t mind mowing the lawn, and usually Iri would help with the weed whipping, but for some reason she needed paint. Probably for the nursery, he hoped the woman had finally decided what to do with it. They had all watched as the woman had slowly started to stress more and more over the room’s color. Geoff had tried to assure her that it would look great with whatever the woman decided, but she hadn’t thought so. Even with Ray and Gavin picking out some paint it still didn’t help the woman who had been rather snappy lately. It could be that in a month and a half she would be pregnant or this paint thing really meant a lot to her. Ryan guessed the first one, but then again it could actually just be this paint situation. So with a shake of his head he just continues on mowing and finishes up a few hours later. Putting the mower away and heading inside he finds Gavin kissing Ray’s neck while the latino played Xbox.  
“You are not as nearly distracting as you think you are.” Ray mumbles while killing several more enemies causing Gavin to huff and bat the controller out of his hand.   
“Play with me.” The brit demands, Geoff hadn’t touched him in a day nor had Michael, Iri was always busy doing something as was Ryan, and it was safe to say he was bored, horny, and snappy. “Now.”  
“But I want to play this game! I’m trying to get my stats up.” Ray argues and at this the other snarls and tackles him to the carpet. “Gav?”  
“Please, please I just need a little something X-ray… Please.” Gavin pleads sweetly as he kisses the man softly and grinds on him insistently.   
“I’ll play with you Pup.” Ryan interjects and at this the brit practically leaps off the man he held captive on the ground who just picks up his controller and starts playing again.  
“Needy bitch.” Ray mumbles while clicking start to unpause the game. Ryan gestures to the pool, and Gavin nods enthusiastically while grabbing his shorts off the shelf by the door. Once both of them were clothed in swimwear Ryan kisses the needy man roughly causing the younger to moan and buck in need.   
“Slow down Gavin, we’ll get to that.” Ryan murmurs into his neck as he tugs them over the edge and Gavin just whines. The pair emerge with water dripping from their hair, and sputtering laughter on their lips. However once the laughter dies down Gavin is back on Ryan like a fly to honey, he’s kissing the Alpha like he hasn’t been touched in weeks when at most it’s only been a day. The gent never one to disappoint, acquiesces and pulls down the lad’s shorts, sitting down on the steps he beckons for the man to come over. Gavin wastes no time and starts to work the alpha with a hand. Ryan purrs happily as the brit pumps his length, and he pulls the man in for a kiss that was mostly teeth as the Gent kissed him roughly. Pulling back Gavin feels himself seated down on the Alpha’s hard cock, and with a content sigh he just sits there. “Hmm someone needed to be filled didn’t they?”  
“Yes Rye, god yes.” He whimpers as the gent switches their position so he is on his hands and knees against the stairs, he’d probably have scrapes on his knees for days after this.   
“Ray was right about you… You are just a needy bitch.” Ryan whispers low in Gavin’s ear causing the man to whine as he feels the man snap his hips in and out swiftly.  
“Fuck me Ryan, please.” Gav begs as he feels the man take an excruciatingly slow pace, and with a predator like grin Ryan leans over him. He buries his teeth down onto the back of his neck where his claiming mark resided. The brit bucks and cums faster than Ryan’s ever seen before, so releasing his neck the alpha starts to fuck him meaningfully. Gavin who was already sated just moans lazily as the gent works himself to completion, he feels his alpha’s knot swell around his rim. Pulling at it gently causing Gavin to hiss in pain, and Ryan to smirk.   
“You came fast Buddy.”  
“What happens... when all I get is my hand.” Gavin pouts as he is shifted onto the gents lap as he takes his cock into his hand. “Rye don’t.”  
“Don’t what? Don’t do this?” Ryan teases as he strokes his moaning mate off swiftly, wrenching another orgasm from the tired man. Swirling his hand in the water, washing away the mess.   
“Knob..” Gavin huffs as he leans into the man, who just chuckles underneath him.   
“Needy bitch.”  
“....” Gavin doesn’t say anything to this because he knows it’s true, his sex drive even scared himself sometimes, and it’s times like these he’s glad he doesn’t have just one mate. Usually Iri’s ran parallel with his, but lately the woman seemed to have slow down… or maybe she was avoiding it altogether. “Ryan when is the last time all six of us had sex?”  
“Hmm like in pairs or orgy style?”  
“Well either really.”  
“This week Geoff fucked Ray, while I fucked Michael… Plus he fucked you Tuesday night I think, and then Ray rode Michael. I sucked Geoff off while he fingered you Wednesday… Why?” Ryan answers trying to remember this weeks carnal acts.  
“What about Iri?” Gav asks and that’s when the gent just screws up his face in thinking.  
“She… well where was she?” Ryan wonders as he rests his head on Gav’s shoulder as the omega rubs his chin in thinking. “Hmm seems strange that she would be absent seeing that she’s usually the first to jump on Geoff’s knot, but she hasn’t been here lately.”  
“Where’d she go?”  
“Monday she worked late, Tuesday night she was practicing with her sword in the garage I remember because I was watching, Wednesday she went to the running with Joel, Thursday she spent the night at Burnie’s house going through some of the journals with him, and Friday night… She went dancing with Miles and Chris.” Ryan answers and it wasn’t until he says it all that he realizes the woman was probably feeling neglected.   
“She went dancing! I wanted to go dancing.” Gavin pouts as Ryan slips out of him, and the gent helps him get his swim trunks back on before lazily floating on his back. “Wait… was that the double date thing she was talking about?”  
“Double date?”  
“Yeah I remember her saying something about Miles wanting to go on a double date with Chris and her, but who’d she take with her?”  
“Maybe it was Ray?”  
“Ray? Really, I doubt she could get him to go even if she wanted to.”  
“Actually no, she and I went dancing Friday night.” Ray answers as he places his glasses on a lounger and dives in. His game had gotten more frustrating than fun so he decided to come cool off, paddling over to Ryan who he dunks. When the gent surfaces again he wears a playful grin and tackles his fiery omega into the water. Gavin just watches with a smile as the pair wrestles for a few minutes before Ray shifts and hisses at him.   
“Kitten what are you doing?” Ryan asks as the cat paddles it’s way over to him and then climbs onto his shoulders where it nips his jugular.   
“Sneak attack!” Ray chimes as he sits proudly on the man’s shoulder.   
“Very good Kitten.” Ryan praises as the cat nuzzles his head. “But where am I?” He asks as he uses his powers to turn invisible causing the cat to lose his balance.   
“Aww no fair Ry, I can’t see you.” Ray complains as he treads the water watching for any ripples or sloshing of waves, but he sees absolutely nothing. Sighing in defeat he shifts back and goes to get out only to feel himself turned around to meet now visible Ryan’s lips.   
“I win.”  
“Fine.”  
“Ryan I always wondered what you meant by camouflage.”  
“Yeah Gav it’s really cool, like you never see his ears because he keeps them hidden.” Ray adds as the gent shows Gav his blonde wolf ears. The lad immediately reaches out to touch them only to see them disappear.   
“Whoa.” Gavin mumbles in surprise at the appendages disappearance. “Rye-bread why do you hide those?”  
“Because it keeps me sharp, and also it’s easier to hide in a crowd without ears.”  
“Poor Iri, she’s like a lightbulb.”  
“Mmm but they do suit her nicely don’t you think? Especially how that tail just seems to sway seductively when she walks.”  
“Or how her ears flick at certain sounds.”  
“I get it guys. I’m fucking adorable.” Iri interjects as she lands on the grass with a loud oomph, Lexi however lands gently as does the bags she is carrying.   
“Mistress you really need to work on your landings.”  
“I’m inclined to agree with her Iri.” Ryan adds as he exits the pool to find Iri already dusting herself off with a smile.  
“But crashing is half the fun, and besides I’m getting better…. that one was almost on my feet.”  
“Sure it was Love, now what’s in the bags?”  
“Oh I went to Menards.”  
“For what?”   
“I bought some paint, and some wood… plus some carving tools since mine were dull.”  
“What’s the wood for?” Gavin inquires and the woman just smirks at him.  
“It’s a surprise, now if you’ll excuse I have walls to paint.” Iri says as she heads towards the door only to feel Ryan spin her around to face him. Before she can question him, he kisses her softly, and without meaning to she let’s out a tiny whimper. “I need to… I need to paint.”  
“Hmm I think you need to relax a little, maybe put on one of those bikinis of yours and come lounge in the pool for a little.” Ryan mutters into her lips as he kisses her again. However Iri just shakes her head and pulls back.  
“Later, I need to paint.”  
“Skye come on, come swim with us.” Ray adds with a pout as he pushes out his bottom lip in a pleading gesture.   
“Yeah come for a swim Love, the water’s nice.” Gav says as he bites his lip with seductive eyes while using his power to sneak a pleasurable feeling into her body.  
“As enticing as you three are, I would very much like to paint.” Iri says before breaking out of Ryan’s grip and entering the house, leaving the men huffing slightly in irritation.  
“Geoff will get her when he gets home.” Ryan assures and the others just nod in agreement, if the eldest gent could do anything it was get her to concede. Then again Geoff was good at that in general. Turning back to his other mates he jumps back into the pool.

Back inside the Pup’s room

Iri felt bad about leaving her mates, but she figured they would still be there later. So setting down her paints and brushes she sits in the middle of the room with and takes a deep breath. Turning her iPod on shuffle, and picking up the blue she starts. Iri paints little by little and works till she sees the sun set low in the sky; she continues painting ignoring her cramping arms and shaking hands. Pausing only twice to go to the bathroom, and take a few quick drinks of water from the faucet… She didn’t have time for a glass… Well she did, but she didn’t want her inspiration to leave her so she got back at it as quickly as possible.

Midnight

Geoff and Michael showed up to Ryan and the boys lounging on the couch watching some b-rated movie that Gavin was adamantly pointing out camera flaws.   
“Gavin just shut up and laugh at this horrible comedy, they probably had like a 10,000 dollar budget.” Ray groans in frustration as the brit complains about the angle for the sixth time.  
“Kitten relax, let the man rant.” Ryan whispers soothingly to his mate who just kneads the gent’s side.  
“Hey guys.” Geoff says with Michael waving as they kick off their shoes, and work their way onto the couch. The elder curling up around Gavin, and the younger around Ray who purrs contently into Michael’s side. “Did you guy’s eat?”  
“Yeah Ryan made chicken tacos, they’re in the fridge.” Ray answers while nuzzling his young mate’s leg. “They’re pretty good.”  
“Aw thanks Kitten.”  
“Where’s Iri?” Michael asks as he pulls out of the other’s grip, and goes to get some food. “She’s not gone tonight is she?”  
“Actually we were talking about that earlier, it seems she’s been avoiding us.”  
“What do you mean?” Geoff asks as he joins Michael in the kitchen getting food.   
“Well it seems every time we have sex she’s gone… She’s either running, or drawing, or working with Lexi.” Ryan explains and the gent just sighs. “Even now she’s working on that nursery, I tried to help her but she pushed me out and won’t let anybody in.”  
“You know how she gets when she’s inspired.” Geoff says defending their passionate mate as he wraps his arms around Michael who just laughs.  
“Yeah, you should go get her though… at least pull her out for dinner.” Michael tells the man who just sighs while nuzzling his neck. “Go pull our Picasso out of her seclusion.”  
“Alright, I’ll go.” Geoff relents after he finishes his last bite and puts his plate in the dishwasher. He heads up the stairs to find light just peaking out from under a door at the far end of the hall. Geoff walks over the door and waits for a few moments to allow Todd to flip open the lock. When he heads in he finds the walls covered in a beautiful mural. Two of the walls were dense forest while the other two were a cascading waterfall with a slim, silver dragon and a proud golden one sitting at the top the falls watching over the others below with a sense of protectiveness. A stocky crimson and a healthy mahogany dragon were lying sleepily on the beach basking in the bright sunshine. The last two dragons, one ice blue much smaller than the others, and a willowy emerald one splashing around playfully in the sparkling turquoise waters below. As Geoff inches his way in he smells something besides paint, looking for the source he finds Iri curled up in the fetal position, her face pointed down towards the ground and her arms shielding her head. He could see blood dripping down her arm and streaks of red staining the drop cloth and her legs. She had clawed long gashes along the entire length of her pale legs. Kneeling beside her with a sad sigh he extends her legs out fully to inspect the damage. Rubbing at her clenched fists he works the sharp razor blade from her hands, and can places it aside. Geoff can tell that the wound on her hand would need stitching. Leaving the room to get a suture needle and thread, plus a bottle of disinfectant he finds the woman awake wearing a scared expression.  
“Geoff I.”  
“It’s okay Kit, give me your hand so I can stitch it.” Geoff soothes as the woman extended her hand to him, and the gent starts by pouring the disinfectant on it. She gasps and bucks up with a moan. “Iri, have you been avoiding us?”  
“Ow… Papa what makes you think that?” Iri mumbles as the gent sutures her hand slowly with practiced ease. She notes that his hands which normally shake are now steadier than she’s ever seen them.   
“Well it just seems that lately whenever we settle down for the night you never seem to be around… The boys are starting to think you’ve got cold feet.” Geoff tells her while finishing up the stitching, he could have healed it fully but Todd told him to just let it heal on its own.   
“I’ve just been busy, and… and I’m tired.”  
“Why are you tired?”  
“I’ve been working my ass off on this room, and then there is the preparations that I need to do physically for this to work out… And my Dad has been more insistent about understanding my condition, and the list goes on and on. Though I can finally check this one off.” Iri says in exhaustion as she leans on the gent heavily. This was the reason she had started cutting herself in the first place. Stress would consume her mind and the only way to break through the cloud was to run a blade over her skin. The crimson that followed grounded her more than even Gavin’s powers… and she hated that it did, but it did so she learned to accept this part of herself. She remembers Geoff ripping the blade from her hand once and making the cuts himself. Iri had screamed and cried for the gent to stop, but he didn’t until Michael knocked him off her. He told her that if she was going to do that, then do it with meaning. Iri had avoided the gent for a week before she finally let him touch her again. She hadn’t cut herself since, but tonight she’s finally broke down. “I’m just so exhausted by the time I get home that I barely have the energy to work a vibrator in and out while watching porn.”  
“You watch porn?”  
“Yeah… You don’t?”  
“Well… I.. Uh.. You..” Geoff stutters bashfully and Iri just laughs tiredly into his shoulder.  
“Everyone does it, Gavin and I have gotten off to listening to needy Omegas ravaged by several horny Alphas… Pornstar moans are the best.” Iri mumbles with a sleepy smile and Geoff just nods in agreement.  
“Mmm they are great, but you four make moans that could put them to shame.”  
“Geoff are you mad?”  
“Why would I be mad?”  
“I know that you aren’t a big fan of my coping mechanism.”  
“Oh those… well I’m not pleased, but I’m not mad… Disappointed to say the least. It’s a shame you feel the need to mark up such pretty skin, though I noticed how you left this entire thigh bare.” Geoff says as he runs his hand over Ray’s mating scar. “Very respectful.”  
“Ray claimed that thigh exclusively, and it would be wrong to mar such a beautiful mark.”  
“So by that logic, we should just scar you everywhere.”  
“I’d prefer if you didn’t, it would make it very hard to wear clothes.”  
“Mmm but imagining you in all those short skirts with claiming marks all over your legs… Iri do Papa a favor and spread your legs nice and wide.” Geoff murmurs with a seductive smirk as he lays the woman down onto the clothed floor. He pulls her dress off, and is pleasantly surprised when he finds her wearing no underwear. “Didn’t you go out today?”  
“I did, but I couldn’t find any panties to wear except for my lacy ones and you know I only wear those on special occasions.” Iri explains and Geoff just growls.  
“So you went out wearing nothing but that skimpy dress, I bet riding on Lexi’s scales was torture.”  
“God it was hard not to grind on them.”  
“I bet… such a long ride with them rubbing up against that sensitive pussy of yours. I bet by the time you got home you were ready to jump on someone’s cock or fingers.”  
“Geoff don’t tease, just fuck me.” Iri begs as the gent works her on his fingers as he talks placing kisses along her jawline. “Papa.”  
“Yes baby girl?”  
“Stick your thick, throbbing cock inside of me.” Iri begs with all the gusto she can and the gent just chuckles while pulling his fingers out. He puts them in his mouth and sucks her slick off causing the woman to buck and nearly scream in need. Her noises had drawn the others who enter the room cautiously to find the woman lying in frustration under their Alpha’s teasing touches. “Stag, come knot me since he won’t.”  
“Faline I believe he is working up to that.” Ryan taunts while coming over to sit at the woman’s head. “So eager for a knot, maybe you shouldn’t turn down your alpha when he offers you one.”  
“Somebody fuck me please!” Iri whines as the man between her legs just chuckles darkly.   
“You know I think we ought to leave her like this.” Geoff says, and the woman’s eyes widen at this. “I think you should get a few toys shoved in your leaking holes and tied to the bed like a good omega ought to be.”  
“Geoffrey.”  
“Hmm?”  
“Please don’t.”  
“Well since you asked so nicely… Lads why don’t you see if you can relax a few of those knots in her shoulders.” Geoff taunts as he pulls back allowing the three younger ones to surge forward onto the woman. Michael is the first one simply because Iri gives the man the come hither look. He settles between her legs and wastes no time in thrusting into her. She bounces on his cock like a pro and soon comes to a climax due to Geoff’s teasing. Crying out his name she arches up bowing her back beautifully in the other’s eyes and pants loudly on the floor. Michael finishes soon after while peppering the woman’s chest with bruising kisses and pulls out to allow another lad a turn. Iri however just rolls over onto her hands and knees presenting her ass to Ray, and her mouth wide open for Gavin. Ray smiles lovingly while running a finger through Michael’s mess and using it to stretch her hole open as she licks at Gavin’s head. Teasing the rim with slicked up fingers he opens her up nice and wide till he hears her moaning wantonly around Gavin’s cock. She pushes her hips back into her lover incessantly and Ray acquiesces, lining himself up and sinking in fully.  
“AAHH!” Iri cries out, pulling off Gavin’s cock trying to free herself, but Geoff just holds her steady.  
“Stay Kit.” He orders as he forces her hips against Ray’s and holds her there. “Shh it’ll get better… You know that.”  
“Hurts… Ray you're too big.”  
“No he’s not, you just haven’t taken anybody like this in a week and a half so you aren’t used to it.” Geoff tells the woman as he gives the go ahead for Ray to move his hips despite the cursing woman, her cursing soon turns to moans, and she goes back to sucking Gavin’s waiting cock. The pair soon gain a rhythm that gently rocks the woman back and forth slowly, Michael who had regained some strength let’s a hand wander down to her clit where he uses his lightning to cause tiny little shocks to rock the woman’s world. Gavin is the first to come, and Iri nearly chokes on the man’s sudden release. She is coughing and sputter on his cum even as the other pumps his hips into her. Ryan who had found his way to the back of Ray and is whispering encouragements into his ears. Ray cums with a loud groan and Iri soon follows as Michael’s shocks finally get to her. He slumps over onto the woman as she falls to the floor in a pool of sweat and cum. The two lads are still panting as Iri lies exhausted on the ground. She was trying to think of something to say, but soon she feels the head of a cock on her soaking pussy. Looking back she finds her alpha lifting her hips gently, and then Ryan helping him prop her up as well. The elder gent slowly starts fucking her, and Ryan presents his cock to her mouth which eagerly sucks him down. It was times like these that Iri made a mental note to be home more often because this is what happened when she disappears from the bed. Even with them fucking each other they all still wanted to fuck her, and god was she glad it was Saturday because she couldn’t imagine going to work the next day. Ryan makes a choked gasp as he clenches a hand in her hair alerting her that he was about to cum; she swallows his load easily as his knot catches on her teeth stretching her mouth painfully wide. Geoff however just keeps rutting into her only this time picking up the pace, so each time he thrusted Ryan’s cock was deep throated. Spurts of cum were shot painfully down her throat and no amount of swallowing would help her already raw throat. Hearing the woman gagging on Ryan’s dick is more than enough to push him over the edge as he knots her pussy. Iri groans painfully around Ryan’s knot, and tries to move but Geoff just growls lowly stilling the tired woman instantly. After about twenty minutes of having her jaw forcibly open the younger gent finally slips out allowing the other to finally relax. Ryan goes to touch her, but she shies away from his touch. Geoff gives her ass a swat and the woman let’s the man take her head into his lap, where he starts to massage her sore jaw much to her displeasure.   
“Stop touching me…” Iri growls again and Geoff just gives her another swat causing a yelp to fall from her lips.  
“Let him, you’ll thank him in the morning when you don’t feel like your mouth was knotted.” Geoff tells her and the ornery omega just falls silent under the man’s touch. “There’s our good girl… Are you going to avoid us again?”  
“No Papa.”  
“Smart girl, now once my knot goes down let’s get you into the bath.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri answers plainly as the gent nips at her back. After about thirty minutes Geoff’s knot finally goes down, and he pulls out slowly.   
“Come on Love bath time.” Gavin chitters as he comes back into the room with Michael who lifts up the dozing woman.  
“No Gav… bed.”  
“Uh uh not yet Love we need to get you cleaned up, now stop squirming.” Gavin orders and the woman falls silent in no mood to fight, she hears water running and the man softly places her into the warm tub scented with their coconut bubble bath. She doesn’t even realize that she was slipping under the water till Michael pulls her up into his arms..  
“When you’d get here?” Iri asks as she curls on her side into him.   
“Lass, I’m the one who got you into the tub.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes Love, now turn over so I can wash you up.”   
“But Pup, I’m clean.” Iri whines and Michael just rolls his eyes while Gavin grabs a washcloth.   
“Spread your cheeks Love.”  
“No.”  
“Lass, do it or I’ll call Geoff to come clean you up and he won’t be as gentle as Gavvers.” Michael warns the woman who just groans tiredly and flops over to lie face down on his chest so Gavin can clean her up. She barely notices the the soft touches and it isn’t until he flicks her ears that she realizes he’s done.   
“Alright Love time to get out.”  
“Pup... “ Iri trails off as the man lifts the unwilling woman out, and wraps her in a soft towel. Michael pulls out the stopper, and the water drains as he takes the woman from Gavin’s arms. Leaving the bathroom they make their way to the bedroom to find Geoff lazily petting Ray’s head with the man curled into Ryan’s side. Geoff perks up when he sees his omegas enter the room, and sits up beckoning for him to put her down by him. Michael sets the woman down, and Geoff uncurls the towel around her, tossing it on the floor. He fishes out one of her night gowns from a nearby drawer using his powers. Dressing her in a slip-like baby blue cotton night dress that fell barely below her butt. It had lace lining the bust line which swooped down into a deep v as well as the bottom of the dress. After dressing her he pulls her into his arms, and kisses her neck gently causing the woman to roll away from him. “No more…” She whines only to feel Geoff pull her back in.  
“You know at this rate I’m just going to make your collar a permanent accessory if you keep acting up.” Geoff warns and Iri just chuckles.  
“Why I already found out about the tracker.” Iri mumbles and the others stiffen at this, even Gavin waits for the impending outrage. “I should be mad… But I won’t deny it’s romantic, in a Godric kinda way.”  
“Really?” Ryan asks and the woman just nods with a smile.  
“It makes me sleep easier knowing that if I’m ever suddenly kidnapped someone will know where I’m at.”  
“Your joking aren’t you?”  
“Nope.” Iri says before finally giving in to exhaustion completely and allowing sleep to overtake her mind. The others listen to her breathing even out in sleep and join her in it.


	28. To tell you my fear would mean making me admit that it's real

two days before her heat

Iri was indescribably anxious. She was flitting around the office with Miles who had just watched his friend slowly deteriorate into a mess of anxiety. He watched how she refused to stay still or hold a normal conversation, and four times he had to grab Gavin because the woman was having a panic attack. Right now he was watching Iri sword fight with Monty, and it was spectacular to watch her fight the man who seemed to be outmatched.  
“Iri you realize this isn’t a real fight?” Miles adds as Monty is knocked flat on his ass and looks up at the woman pointing a nerf blade down at him.  
“Of course I know that.” Iri snaps as she offers the downed man a hand up.   
“Well I think that is all I need, thanks for the help Iri.” Monty says and hands Miles the fake sword. “In case I don’t see you before your heat, good luck.”  
“Thanks.” Iri answers quietly while Miles brandishes the blade. He slashes at her only to feel the toy expertly knocked from his hand in a single motion. Miles withers greatly at how easily he was defeated and Iri just smirks at him.   
“Man… I don’t stand a chance.”  
“Nope, I am way better at this than you… Don’t quit your day job Mr. Luna.”  
“Hey babe you ready to go?” Chris’ bouncy tone asks as he enters the animators area with a smile.   
“Yeah I’m good to go. Iri you going to be okay?” Miles inquires, watching the woman with careful eyes. Iri just sighs and waves the man off.  
“Go, I’ll be okay.” Iri assures the man, who just hesitantly leaves with Chris. Once he’s gone Iri heads back to her office, and upon reaching the threshold she finds a note.  
Hey we went to lunch, we’ll bring you back something.----- Geoff  
After reading it she shrugs while entering the room to find that it was more cluttered than usual, and when she makes her way to the desk she finds that something is missing.  
“Mistress what is it?”  
“Someone was in here.” Iri mutters as she rifles through the scattered artwork, thinking that maybe one of the animators might have been looking for something but it isn’t until she finds a picture of their pack tore in two that she realizes it was someone else entirely.  
“Hello again Daphne.” Erik’s dark tone greets as he steps out from behind the door frame and pushes it shut. He makes his way over to Iri, who remains staring at her desk with a schooled expression.   
“My name is Iridessa, and what do you want?”  
“I was simply curious as to what you were up to… Donaldson tells me you plan to have kits with these men.”  
“What I do is nothing of your concern.” Iri growls while whirling on the man with a chisel in hand, she manages to sink it deep in the man’s shoulder. “I am not your property.”  
“Pet, so feisty… Tell me how do you think they would feel about having kits if they knew the truth.” Erik asks, ripping the tool from his shoulder and licking the blood off it before placing it on her desk.   
“They do know, and they don’t care… I will get her back.”  
“Ha, rather naive of you don’t you think?”  
“She is my daughter, and I will not stop until she’s back in my arms.” Iri promises as she uses her powers to pin the man against the wall, and focuses on crushing his throat. However before she can a force whips her back, and sends her flying into her bookcase filled with paint and other supplies. She grimaces as several paint cans fall on her head, and the room begins to swirl.   
“Seems I win again Pet, I do love this part.” Erik whispers sadistically as he comes over to the dazed woman and picks up her hand. He snaps back her right ring finger, and is surprised when the vixen says nothing choosing to crumple under the weight of the shelf.   
“I’ll kill you.”  
“Hmm, I do look forward to that day. Have a nice heat Pet.” Erik whispers and that is the last thing Iri hears before dropping into unconsciousness.

Four-ish

It was Friday and on Friday the crew took long lunches usually planning out their next week’s let’s plays. So once everything was squared away they all head back to finish up their work. Gavin wanders into the building with a bag of food with Geoff by his side chattering at the Alpha excitedly.  
“Geoff only three more days… God I can’t wait!”   
“Gav, who knows if this will even work. Even with Kody’s work, it’s still mostly conjectures.”  
“Why do you keep saying that? I know it will work, and so does everyone else.”  
“I just don’t want you to be blindsided if it doesn’t.” Geoff tells the man with a helpful smile as he opens the door to the woman’s office. The first thing he notices is the fallen shelf, and then he sees a lifeless body lying underneath it. Rushing over to the body Geoff practically tosses the shelf off her while Gavin pulls the woman free.   
“Iri! Iri! Love wake up!” Gavin shouts worriedly as he shakes the woman’s shoulders, and slowly her eyes flutter open in pain and confusion.  
“What? What happened?” Iri asks, and Geoff just sighs in relief. “Fuck, my head.”   
“Iri are you alright?” Geoff says and the woman just rubs her head with her right hand only to grimace and it comes back bloody.   
“Just... “ Iri starts but when the images flash in her mind she stares away from them. “I tripped over my chair, and toppled into the shelf.”  
“You need to be more careful Love.”  
“I know, first day on new feet… I hope our kids aren’t nearly as clumsy as I am.”  
“Psh it’d be hard.” Geoff grumbles as he heals the wound on her head, and takes her hand in his.  
“Geoff… Geoff I think my finger is broke.” Iri tells the man who just inspects the hand to indeed find a finger out of place. Healing it quickly Iri sighs in relief while staring off into space. Geoff tries to pulls her in for a kiss, but she dodges it. “Thanks my Liege.”  
“Twas nothing fair Lady… We brought you food.” Geoff says as he offers her the bag only to have it refused.  
“I’m not hungry.”  
“Kit you need to eat.”  
“Geoff, I’m…”  
“Please eat.”  
“Papa.”  
“Iridessa, don’t make me get Ryan.”  
“...” Iri says nothing rather pulling out of the man’s grip to stand up, and head towards the door, which Geoff promptly shuts. “Geoff I am not in the mood for this.” She mutters coldly while opening the door easily, and exiting through it.   
“Geoff she didn’t trip over the chair.” Gavin whispers quietly in horror as Lance comes back to him, and he sees the truth, showing their alpha who balks at it.   
“I hate that man.”  
“We all do.”  
“She’s still in the building… come on let’s go find her.” Geoff mumbles as he pulls out his phone and activates the tracker app. The pair follow it to the know set where Meg and Ashley are setting up. “Hey have you guys seen Iri?”  
“Uh no… well yeah a few minutes ago why?” Meg answers helpfully while going through some of her notes.   
“Oh it’s just she said she’d be here so we’re just looking for her.” Gavin says and the woman just shrugs at this.  
“If you see her can you give this to her, I think she dropped it, and before I could give it to her she was gone.” Ashley interjects as she hands the alpha her tracker necklace. “She looked like she was in a hurry.”  
“Fuck.” Geoff groans as he reaches out for Todd who was already on it. “Thanks, Gav go back to work I’ll get her.”   
“You sure?”  
“Yeah it’s fine.” Geoff tells the worried man who heads back towards the office and he heads off in the direction Todd felt Iri heading. Chasing her to the parking lot he feels around yet feels nothing save for… for… Lexi, he feels her nearing the large field behind the building. Racing there he is panting heavily and curses himself for not being in shape. What he finds himself surprises him in the least. He finds Iri cantering around on Lexi up and down the field, jumping over rocks that she’d stacked up. Geoff wanders over and for some reason it doesn’t feel real… it feels fake.  
‘That’s because it is… this is what is really happening.’ Todd says as he tears through the illusion so quickly he can feel Lexi reeling. They were casters, not illusionists, and though they could project images they wouldn’t feel real to another telepath. Even an inexperienced illusionist would have been able to produce a better simulation. What they find saddens them both immensely. Iri sits in the field weeping with Lexi curled around her protectively. She sits clutching her tail close to her mouth in an attempt to muffle her cries of anguish. As Geoff inches closer Lexi raises her hackles, and growls at the Alpha who continues inching forward regardless. It isn’t until he’s about a foot away that Lexi snaps at the man, shifting into the form of a large lioness attempting to scare the man into leaving.  
“Kit talk to me.”  
“Just go away.” Iri sobs quietly, not turning to face her mate.  
“Lexi, calm down.” Geoff tries only to receive a roar from the lioness, and it inches toward the gent threateningly, who backs off a little. “Lexi we’re not here to hurt her, you know that.”  
“She said go away Alpha, so go.”  
“Alexia stand down.” Todd orders as he takes his wispy fox form beside the man.   
“Mistress told you to go, now leave before I make you leave.” Lexi warns as she lunges at the fox causing him to dissipate only to reform seconds later.   
“Lexi make them leave.” Iri whispers brokenly into her arms and the lioness nods forcing her way past Todd’s barriers and shattering any resistance the gent tried to produce. Their battle was over in seconds and the pair was running back to the office against their wills. Once they’re gone Lexi sits back down beside her mistress who weeps bitterly into the lioness’ neck. She does nothing but console the woman by nuzzling her head, and whisper sentiments to her.  
“Iri lay down.” Lexi coaxes gently to the sobbing woman who nods and relaxes onto the dirt. Iri curls into the side of the now lying down lioness, and she draws up the tall grasses over their forms. The lioness let’s her mistress rest her tear streaked face on her body, and Lexi does nothing but listen to the woman’s weeping. Iri cries till she can’t cry anymore and her lips have begun to crack from dehydration, she cries till every absolute feeling of helplessness and pain is gone leaving her eyes raw along with her throat. Lexi watches her pick herself up after a few hours of straight tears, and then dust herself off as if nothing had happened.  
“Mistress?”  
“I’m okay Lexi… I just needed that, I believe Ryan would call that a catharsis… A purging of emotion, and I needed that. Thank you for getting rid of Geoff, I don’t think I could have done that with him here.” Iri explains to the lioness who just nods and smiles when she feels the sense of anxiety gone for the most part.  
“Hey it’s what I’m here for, reminds me of the days where it was just us… None of this persistent Alphas or packs.”  
“You know it was easier then wasn’t it?”  
“Yeah, but not nearly as fulfilling.”  
“True, should we head back?”  
“Well you have three days till you are expected to conceive their offspring… We probably should.”  
“Do you think they’ll be mad?” Iri asks sheepishly as the lioness shifts into a horse and the pair trot off in the opposite direction of the office choosing to head towards home. It would take about fifty minutes to get home at this pace, and Iri is suddenly glad she wore a cross body purse today. Picking up her phone she sends a quick message stating that she was going home, and then puts it on mute knowing that they would try to call her. Leaning in close to the animal’s mane Lexi takes off at a gallop.  
40 minutes later

Lexi and Iri arrive at the house faster than they conjectured, however not fast enough to lock themselves in a room as her mate’s cars sit side by side in the driveway.  
“Iri let’s take a lap around the block.”  
“Okay.” Iri agrees wholeheartedly not particularly excited for this confrontation, and soon one lap turns into about seven before she feels Geoff tug at her mind.   
‘House, now.’  
“He’s upset.” Lexi mutters as they continue to dawdle on the corner of the street.  
“Can we just turn around?”  
“Good idea.” Lexi agrees as they go to take off in the other direction however a swift crack of thunder, and a sudden bolt of lightning that strikes a nearby tree causing the horse to rear in surprise throwing Iri up into the air. Right as she was about to catch herself a strong gust of wind carries her directly into the waiting arms of an angry Geoff with Ryan standing several feet away wearing a not too happy expressions as well.  
“I said house.” Geoff tells the woman who just falls silent in his grip, he could tell she wanted to fight but something in her eyes told him she wouldn’t. Iri wasn’t particularly proud of her actions today, they had been out of fear, grief, and anger so she would take whatever punishment the gent saw fit. He deposits her on the couch where Ryan sits on one side and himself on the other preventing her from getting up. She sat there, smashed in between her mates for maybe a half an hour before Ryan finally speaks.  
“Why?” The blonde asks and Iri stares straight ahead, trying to formulate an answer that would make sense to them and herself. “Answer me.”  
“I was afraid.” Iri responds as she attempts to wiggle out, but Geoff pushes her back down.  
“What were you afraid of?” Geoff asks this time as he holds the woman in place, watching carefully to make sure she wouldn’t escape.   
“I was afraid that you would think me weak for allowing him to win again.” Iri answers only this time she stares at the man with tearful eyes. “I train every night, and he’s still able to beat me. I.. we.. I can’t ever seem to beat him, and it kills me inside… It kills me because my Serah is in the hands of a mad man who could kill her at any moment, and I wouldn’t ever know.”  
“Kit.”  
“I’m afraid that he’ll take our kits, and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to stop him. And I’m afraid that one day he’ll snatch you from me or he’ll take one of the others…. I knew he was there and I still couldn’t do anything to stop him… Geoff do you understand what that is like? I live in the constant fear that one day he’ll decide that Gavin would look good in his breeding stables, or that he thinks Michael’s ears might look cute on a necklace around his neck. I’m terrified that he’ll mutilate each one of you and I’ll be powerless to stop him.” Iri nearly yells at the gent as she forces her way out between the two of them, and the tears begin to fall again. “In short, I’m afraid.”  
“Iri come sit.”  
“Geoff I.”  
“Sit, and let’s talk.” Geoff orders and reluctantly she sits on the man’s lap who strokes her tail soothingly while Ryan lifts her feet up into his lap, and massages them softly. “Erik will never take them, and even if he tried that man would be dropped quicker than he could blink.”  
“Geoff how do you know? What if.”  
“Because I know you, and the way Lexi tore through my mind only proves how strong you two are. My mind is no walk in the park, and breaking through it is a feat worthy of an Olympic metal, but the way you two shattered all that I had in merely seconds was outstanding… I have yet to meet a pair that could rival your skill and finesse. So even if he did come after them he’d be dead in seconds because you may not be able to stop him from hurting you, but you would never let him hurt another that much I know.” Geoff explains to the woman who just curls in closer to the man as Ryan works his way up her legs. “And besides you act as though Michael would just roll over and let him take his ears, that man is a fighter. I doubt Marcus would let him lose.”  
“It’s true, that old cat’s got more fight in him than love.” Michael adds with a smile as he worms his way onto the couch beside Geoff and starts nuzzling her back. “Besides Ray’s the cutest of all of us so if anybody is getting taken it’s him.”  
“Dude did you just sacrifice me?”  
“Damn right, no offense but my Boi has no fighting ability whatsoever so I figured you at least could burn him.”  
“Oye I can fight!” Gavin interjects and all five turn to face the brit who has half a sandwich in hand.   
“You can barely get through a child safe lock, sit down Gavin.” Geoff teases and the lad just opens his mouth before closing it joining them on the already crowded couch. “So as you can see it’s not just you against the world, Iri we’re a pack and we protect each other.”  
“Besides I promised I would never let him take you again, and I don’t break my promises… Latino honor and all.” Ray boasts as he leans down to kiss the woman gently and she leans into the man who tugs her off the gent’s lap. The kissing soon goes from a sweet little kiss to a full on make out with lots of tongue, the pair finally split, spit on their chins and breaths coming quickly.   
“Now if you want to talk about cute Boi, those two would look grand in his breeding stables.”  
“Mmm I could see it, constantly forced to produce kits.”  
“Please don’t joke about that.” Iri interjects pulling back from Ray’s incessant kissing as he moves to her jawline while she talks. “It’s too possible.”  
“However Love, highly improbable.”  
“Though the gentlemen we are, we shall respect the lady’s wishes.” Ryan says with an undertone that leaves no room for questioning as he tugs Ray down into his lap, and Geoff tugs Iri down. The pair resume kissing as their alpha’s strip them of their clothing. Iri would have been content to kiss Ray all night, but the alpha beneath her unbuckled his pants then pulls her down to his hard cock. The pair groans as their alphas fill them and continuing kissing each other, steadied by the hands of the men underneath them. Soon they find a suitable rhythm and the omegas become increasingly more and more breathless with each thrust only parting once the pace picked up. The other two just roll their eyes and went off to swim choosing to leave the foursome to themselves. However Iri didn’t like that plan, her heat was coming and fucking was the only thing on her mind save for some anxiety that always managed to linger. Flipping the lock on the door the men look back to find her giving a come hither sign, and the obedient men they were do just that.   
“I want you two to fuck me after he’s done, and god Geoff..”  
“Actually I’m not a god yet still a normal dude.” Geoff answers punctuating each word with a thrust that sends him over the edge, he pulls out just enough as to not knot the woman seeing as she was beckoning to the others. “Good girl.” He praises as she slides off his lap and then onto her knees to clean up the gent’s cock. Once satisfied she turns to face the lads.  
“Spit roast?” Michael suggests and Iri just scoffs at his brashness.  
“Talk dirty to me boys.” Iri chuckles quietly and the man wastes no time pushing her to the floor, where Gavin takes his place at her head and Michael at her already cum and slick drenched hole.   
“You are positively filthy Love, and I think a bath might be in order after this.”  
“Gav….” Iri starts to complain but the lad just slips his cock into her open mouth and the others just laugh at this.   
“Shh stop arguing and suck.” Gavin orders as he puts a hand to her head, guiding it in a slow rhythm at first and speeding up as Michael does.  
“Hey guys is… IRIDESSA!” Burnie’s horrified tone suddenly fills the ears of all as the man enters through the front door.   
“Burns it’s…”  
“Get out of my daughter!” Burnie screams and watches in fury as Gavin pulls out, but not before he cums all over her face. “You fuckers!”  
“Sorry Love, I.. you know how close I was and.” Gavin stutters as he wipes clumsily at the mess on her face.  
“It’s fine, Michael please either finish up or get out.” Iri whispers calmly to the stunned man who just pulls out quickly and grabs a blanket attempting to cover them both.  
“Iri what is this? Why are you on the floor? Christ you animals at least get her on a bed or something, I raised you better than that!” Burnie shouts as Joel just enters only to notice the state of undress and walk back out pulling his ranting mate with him.  
“We’ll come back later Iri.”  
“No, wait Papa! Just give me a sec!” Iri shouts after the men as she struggles to find her clothes in the mix on the floor. The others who still seem to be starstruck sit there with open mouths and horrified expressions. Grabbing a pair of someone’s boxer, and Ray’s shirt she heads out the front door after her parents. Once the door shuts for a second time they seem jolted back into awareness.  
“At least he didn’t hit anyone.” Geoff offers and they nod in agreement. “Though Gavin cumming all over her face may have not been the greatest course of action.”  
“Let’s agree that we should lock our front door before we have sex.”  
“Agreed.” They all say while breaking apart to clothed themselves.


	29. Acute Organophosphate Poisoning

Outside

Iri rushes out of the house to find Burnie grumbling quietly to Joel as they take several boxes out of the car.  
“Burns you knew this was going to happen when you just decided to storm into the house. I told you to knock.”  
“It was a possibility sure, but I never imagined that! I’m going to punch them in the dicks.”  
“No you won’t, and besides they’re mated. This is what mated couples do.”  
“Yeah but.”  
“No butts, now help me carry these.” Joel says and the man just shuts up, still grumbling angrily.  
“Sorry about that, what did you need?” Iri asks cheerfully as though she wasn’t just being fucked and these two interrupted. “What’s in the boxes?”  
“Some baby stuff to get you started, there’s a car seat, a dismantled high chair, and some clothes… They’re girl clothes, but we figured there’s a 50/50 chance it’s a girl so may as well give them to you.” Joel explains and Iri smiles while taking the items gratefully. She never told them that they would be trying for multiple. “I remember feeding you in that chair when Kody and Margaret went out of town for business trips… And I remember how you would giggle while pulling on Burnie’s beard… and how Burnie accidentally left you in a supermarket, that was a rush.”  
“You left me in a supermarket?”  
“Well it was more of forgot you in a supermarket, I left you for a maximum of like ten minutes before I realized it.”  
“... So many good memories, and now you get to make your own.” Joel says with tearful eyes.  
“Papa don’t cry.”  
“I’m not crying, I just got dust in my eye… It’s windy out here!” Joel snaps as he looks away and Iri just surges forth to hug the man. Burnie smiles at how easily Joel picks the woman up and she just rests her head on his shoulder, wrapping her legs around him. “You grew up too fast.”  
“You guys are going to be great grandparents.” Iri whispers into his shoulder, and they just stay like that for awhile before Geoff and the others peek out the door. “And any child would be lucky to have such amazing men in their lives… And I’m sorry for being such an ass sometimes, and so angry, and.”  
“Iri we wouldn’t have loved you any less if you had been different, and besides you were the best daughter we could have ever asked for.” Burnie tells her and this is when the woman bites her lip trying to hold back tears. “Princess don’t cry.”  
“I’m not crying… It’s just really windy, right Joel?”  
“Of course.” Joel mumbles as he watches the woman hug Burnie, and soon Geoff wanders over with a smile.  
“She deserves a bed Asshole.” Burnie growls when he sees Geoff and the Alpha just nods obediently. He pulls away from Iri to face Geoff and the others who had walked out, the seven men stare at each other for what seems like hours before Burnie speaks. “You be good to her, and I swear to god if you hurt her I’ll decapitate all of you.”  
“Yes sir.” Is echoed by all of them and with a satisfied sigh.  
“Good, now Iri I expect a grandchild so get to work.”  
“Dad stop.”  
“Okay, come on Joel we’ll leave them be… Also Gavin I always knew you were good sized but nice.”  
“Dad go!” Iri shouts in embarrassment and the elder Alphas just laugh before getting into their car to leave. After they had left the group heads back into the house where Geoff starts dinner with the help of the lads, and Iri is left with Ryan. The pair sit resting on the couch till Iri feels a sudden cramp that causes her to grimace in pain. Ryan looks over at the sound finds Iri holding her stomach and curling in on herself.  
“Faline?”  
“Nothing Stag, just nothing.” Iri lies as the pain increases and Lexi starts to soothe it as best as she could. “I’ll be back in a moment.” She says while rushing off the couch to the nearby bathroom, where she heaves her breakfast into the toilet or what was left of the mostly digested meal. Iri pukes until her body feels empty and a cold sweat has broken over her forehead. This wasn’t cause for worry, it usually happened a few days before her heat so she was prepared. However this time she can’t help, but think this is different and even Lexi agrees with her.  
“Should I get Geoff?”  
“No, but…. Am I getting sick?” Iri asks the fox who just shakes her head in no.  
“Physically you are fine, except for the heat part, but no illness that I know of.” Lexi explains and before Iri can answer she dry heaves over the toilet again and this time she feels the burn of stomach acid on it’s way up her esophagus leaving her cringing with each shallow breath.  
“Fucking hurts.”  
“Do you want Geoff?”  
“No….. No he’s busy with the lads. I’m just going to lie here for a little bit.” Iri mumbles while slumping down against the wall and drawing her tail around to her lap.  
“Iri?”  
“Lexi, I’m fine…. just cold.” She assures the fox while shaking against the wall with her eyes still closed, and at this Lexi doesn’t even bother getting her permission. She opens the door, and wanders into the kitchen to find it empty, turning towards the sound of Gavin’s squawking she sees them sitting outside eating burgers from the grill. Slipping out the door she pads over to the group who notices the seriousness in the fox’s walk.  
“Lexi, what’s wrong?” Ray asks while reaching for the fox who just dodges his hands.  
“Iri is sick.”  
“Lex that’s normal for her.” Michael assures the fox who just shakes her head.  
“This is different, I don’t know why but it is. Geoff can you check her over, please?”  
“Sure thing.” Geoff says with a soft smile and he follows the fox to the bathroom. He finds Iri leaning against the wall and shaking… well more like seizing… Oh shit! “Kit!’ Geoff shouts as he rushes to the woman and lays her on her side, as he and Todd search for the ailment. “Todd hurry, her pulse is weak.”  
“Geoffrey this is not as easy as you think!” Todd growls back as he continues searching her body, it isn’t until he’s about to say call poison control that he finds it. He finds the cause.  
“Todd?”  
“Acute organophosphate poisoning, he tried to kill her with a highly concentrated form of insecticide chemicals... “ Todd trails off as he turns to face Geoff. “He knew that Lexi wouldn’t find it, and this was the reason for her break down earlier. Organophosphates have been known for causing anxiety attacks as well as vomiting, but what I don’t understand is why she didn’t just drop after exposure.”  
“I can answer that. I have been fighting against something all day, and it was only now that I finally stopped… I thought it was just her normal symptoms, I didn’t know it was poisoning.”  
“Lexi no one is blaming you, and she will be fine in an hour or two. Geoffrey she needs water, and fresh air to flush out her lungs.” Todd tells the pair and Geoff just nods, then picks her up and take her out back where the others watch in worry as the gent sets the shaking pale unconscious woman on a lounge chair. “Good now we need to get her to drink, before her condition worsens.”  
“What’s going on?” Ray asks as he is the first to come over followed by the rest.  
“She was poisoned by Erik earlier, and we are just dealing with the aftermath.”  
“Poisoned!” Gavin squawks and the gent just nods.  
“He isn’t going to stop until she’s dead is he?” Michael asks and this seems to silence the group. “Or in his facility.”  
“Very good boys.” Erik’s voice praises as he walks through the back gait with a sick smile on his face. “Hmm she seems rather sickly.”  
“Take another step and I’ll fucking kill you.” Ray threatens as he raises a wall of fire, and even Michael was calling storm clouds which crackled with sparks.  
“I see, well then I suppose I should stay put.”  
“What do you want?” Geoff growls as he steps away from the woman whom Lexi was standing in front of protectively.  
“Geoff that’s no way to talk to a fellow solider, and a higher ranking one at that.” Erik adds with a smirk as he steps up to meet the Alpha’s challenge.  
“You lost that title when you tried to kill me.”  
“Still sore over that? It was just a bullet Ramsey, get over it.”  
“Ristau what do you want?”  
“I want what is mine, and she is mine.”  
“She is ours you smug prick, now get off my lawn before he toasts you to a crisp.”  
“See now that’s where you are wrong, I’ve bitten her and she even bore me a beautiful baby girl so I believe I bear more claim than you.”  
“You fucking raped her, and threatened to kill everyone she loved if she didn’t give you a child!” Michael snarls in disgust interrupting the two’s conversation.  
“And we bit her too, so I fail to see why you are here.” Ray adds as he raises the wall of fire, making it burn blue and inch towards the man.  
“Hmm I see you still fail to show your omegas their place… A pack is only strongest as it’s weakest member.”  
“Give me back my daughter you monster!” Iri’s sudden enraged voice orders as she tackles the man through the flame. She wastes no time even in her weakened state forcing the man to the ground with her powers, and ravaging his mind looking for memories of her. Iri finds nothing but blank space and it is then she realizes this wasn’t Erik… This was just a man who looked like him. “Where is he!” She shouts while slamming the man roughly on the ground, Iri didn’t care how bad her head hurt or how her limbs were numb; she wanted answers and hell be damned if she wasn’t going to get some. “Tell me or I will gut you where you lay!”  
“How did you… How did you know?”  
“Because I do, now answer my question!”  
“Iri you won’t.”  
“Shut up Ryan! Tell me where he is now or I will allow my fox to use you like a scratching post!”  
“She’s with him at the facility! Oh god please stop!”  
“Go before I lose my patience.” Iri orders as Lexi releases the man they watch him shift into a hyena and sprint out the way he came. The others rush over, and she stands on shaky legs only to fall, unable to maintain upright position anymore. Iri struggles to her hands and knees only to find Geoff leaning down to grab her. “I… I can… I don’t need your help!”  
“Kit you are sick, and angry. You have never needed my help more.”  
“Fuck… fuck off.”  
“Later, now come on.” Geoff says and the woman just relaxes into his arms as he takes her inside. He places her on the counter, gets a glass of water, and puts it in front of her. “Drink. Todd says you need to hydrate otherwise you’ll pass out.” Iri doesn’t argue rather just accepting it and drinking the water gratefully. It hurt immensely given that she could barely keep her eyes, and without realizing it she falls to the hardwood floor landing with a crash. “Iri!”  
“Just… fell.”  
“Iri let’s get you to a bed before you crack your fucking head open.” Geoff says and the woman doesn’t disagree rather just leaning into his arms. “You're lucky you're light.”  
“It’s cause she fucking eats like a bird on a diet.” Michael comments as he follows them up the stairs and into the room.  
“Not… not hungry.”  
“You never are, and that’s the point.” Michael argues as he lays down next to the woman who has already started to fall asleep. “Maybe you wouldn’t pass out so much if you ate.”  
“Love… you.” Iri mumbles sleepily into the omega’s cinnamony chest. “Sorry.”  
“We know. Go to sleep Kit, and when you wake I’ll make you pancakes.” Geoff promises but I doubt the woman heard him as she was out like a light against the man’s chest. “Michael are you good to stay or do you want me to?”  
“I’m okay, I was going to call it an early one anyways old man.”  
“I’m not old.”  
“Sure you aren’t… Whatever keeps you young Alpha.”  
“Mmm it’s fucking pretty little things like you two, and plus kits my baby boy… kits.”  
“You are so fucking pervy, get out before I claw your ass.”  
“Aww but that’s my best feature.”  
“Go Geoff.” Michael whispers as he pulls Iri close and snuggles down into the sheets with the woman. Geoff leaves with a playful smile on his lips and heads downstairs to find Gavin going through baby clothes with Ray, the pair cooing at little outfits.  
“Oh X-ray imagine Scarlett in that, she’d be adorable.” Gavin says enthusiastically as he admires a cute tiny black ruffled skirt and a blue short sleeve shirt with a pony on it. “She’d be just like her mother.”  
“Iri has a pony shirt?” Geoff asks and the other two just glare at him.  
“No you dolt I meant the skirt, god knows Iri has enough of them.”  
“Oh don’t lie Gavvers you love seeing her in those slim pencil skirts that accentuate that tiny waist of hers.” Ryan teases as he watches the boys rifle through the boxes.  
“Well soon that waist of hers won’t be so slim, and those boobs… God she’s going to be sexy.” Ray mumbles angrily and the gents just raise their eyes at the man. “What?”  
“Ryan I believe our lads have a pregnancy fetish.”  
“No, it’s just it’ll be nice to see her a little thicker than my pinky.” Gavin says taking Ray’s side even though he did have a bit of a thing for pregnancy. “You know it’s not healthy the way she eats… or doesn’t for the fact of it.”  
“I don’t care if I have to force feed that woman, she isn’t going to starve herself during this.” Ryan promises and the others nod in agreement. “She eats about 900 on a good day, and she should be at about 1,200… Plus you add a fetus, well add about four, and she should roughly take in 3,400 calories a day.”  
“Ryan you assume this is going to work at all.”  
“Not this again Geoff.” Gavin groans, as do the others.  
“I’m just saying.”  
“Trust us it’ll work, and I didn’t build a fucking king sized cradle for nothing.”  
“How can you all be so sure?”  
“We just are Geoff, call it Omegan Intuition.”  
“Gav that’s not a thing.”  
“It should be X-ray.”  
“Alright well assuming it does, you all realize that taking care of one baby is hard… How hard do you believe taking care of four will be?” Geoff points out and the others laugh.  
“Darling you are a telepath, you can literally read their thoughts to figure out what’s wrong.” Gavin says and the gent just huffs at this.  
“Good point.”  
“I do have a few of these. Has anyone picked out names yet?”  
“Rye likes Felicia Loralei for a girl and for a boy I was thinking Nicholas Thomas.” Ray answers as he looks to Ryan for approval who just smiles kindly at his mate.  
“Deluxe... Scarlett Daphne and for a boy Daniel Maxwell.” Gavin adds hesitantly.  
“Those are awesome Gav.” Geoff praises as he sits beside his mate on the couch, who curls into him. “For a boy, Dexter Griffon and for a girl Iri really likes Violet Persephone. She and Michael are both on Leonard Augustus for a boy.”  
“Violet Persephone?” Ray says with a raised eyebrow and a shrug.  
“She’s eccentric?” Geoff tries and the men just nod at this.  
“Ain’t that the truth… However we do have about three months to figure this out.”  
“This is true.”  
“So now what?” Ryan asks as they all stare at each other sheepishly. “Netflix?”  
“As long as Gavin doesn’t complain about camera angles.”  
“X-ray some of these shots are terrible!”  
“See what I mean… Geoff reign him in please.”  
“Okay I will.” Geoff assures him as they all snuggle up on the couch to watch whatever movie they would decide on. It took about ten minutes to get Gavin to stop mumbling about cameras before they settled in, but Geoff wasn’t really listening to them rather Todd who was thinking at him. The fox kept showing him little glimpses of what it would be like, and the gent couldn’t help but smile at them. Soon the night wore on and the men unknowingly fell asleep in a heap on the couch all cuddled close to each other and sharing body heat.


	30. The difference between 'daddies' and 'papas'

In the morning

Iri awoke to the feeling of sun on her face, and a hard body beneath her… and a hot sensation that any omega would recognize as heat. Getting up with a groan she heads out of the man’s embrace and towards the bathroom to splash her face. In hopes of cooling down her body, and it isn’t until she feels slick dripping down her thighs that she realizes she’d mixed up her days. Her heat was now, and not tomorrow like she planned. However this wasn’t a big deal.. this was the day… this’ll be the day…   
“Oh my god I’m a fucking nerd.” Iri mumbles to herself as the lyrics to the RWBY theme song play in her head.  
“It’s a good song though.” Lexi points out as she appears as a small dragon and stretches out on the counter. “You should eat.”  
“Yeah… it’s going to be a long day isn’t it.”  
“Well if you count being fucked breathless as a long day, then yes, today will be a tremendously long day.” Lexi purrs as she scales her mistress’ shoulder and starts nuzzling her neck. “I can’t wait till they fuck us as animals… god I’m going to enjoy that so much.”  
“Is that beastiality?”  
“Uh… No as long as you're an animal too, though I think it is when Gav fucks you as a wolf when you are a person.”  
“Puppy play gone too far.”  
“It’s hot though, at least from my perspective. A sexy wolf seducing a tempting human-fox hybrid.” Lexi tells the woman who just chuckles at this.  
“Let’s get some food before the only thing we can think about is cock.”  
“Mistress?”  
“Yes my pervy companion?”  
“We’re going to have kits aren’t we?”  
“That’s the plan… Are you nervous?”  
“A little, will it hurt?”  
“It will, but it’s worth it… There is no better feeling than being a mother.” Iri remarks sadly as she stares into the mirror. “To love something so completely that you would move mountains to save them is a feeling that… that even I have trouble describing.”  
“Then I look forward to experiencing it with you.”  
“Likewise Lex, likewise.” Iri responds as she splashes the water and then dries her face on a nearby towel. Exiting the bathroom she heads toward the kitchen careful of the men sleeping on the couch and just smirks at how happy Geoff looks. He was always meant to be a pack alpha, and soon their pack would get a little bigger. It made Iri smile in excitement as she began gathering the ingredients for breakfast. First she fried bacon, next came the making of hash browns, pancakes soon followed, and with Ryan imaginarily nagging her she cut up a cantaloupe to go with it all. Flitting around the kitchen flipping pancakes and bacon while cutting fruit she hardly notices when a sleepy-eyed Geoff wanders into the room with a tiny smile.  
“Morning Kit.”  
“And to you to Papa.” She nearly chirps as the man wraps his arms around her waist and nuzzles her neck affectionately. He starts to mouth soft kisses into her hot flesh and if the woman wasn’t cooking she would have jumped him, but she refused to burn anything so wiggling away she regains a little composure. “Geoff don’t distract me… there’s bacon.”  
“So you are choosing bacon over me?”  
“Yeah, I meant to get the paperwork to your lawyer but it’s been a busy week.” Iri jokes as she watches the gent nab a piece before encircling the woman again. She ignores his light touches and kisses as he tries to draw her away. It isn’t until he strokes her tail that a tiny puddle of slick forms by her feet, and the gent just laughs quietly.  
“You are making a mess.”  
“Geoff… Geoff please don’t stop.” Iri begs and the man shakes his head before pointing to the spot on the floor.  
“If you keep gushing like that I’m going to have to get a mop, and besides you have the bacon remember.” He teases while walking over to get a few paper towels, he kneels in front of Iri, and starts to wipe at the spot. When he looks up he finds the woman intently staring at the cooking food with anger. The teasing bastard he was Geoff begins trailing his fingers over her uncovered thighs and as he moves up to her heated sex he realizes that the woman wasn’t wearing underwear. Inching closer he lifts her shirt, well really Ray’s but that’s a minor detail, and very gently he places kisses all around her pussy except for where she really wanted them.   
“Geoff… Papa don’t tease.” Iri whines as she flips another set of pancakes with frustration, if he was going to be an ass about this she would just go sit on Gavin’s face. He wouldn't even turn her away either, that man loved giving oral and receiving it as well... Though to be frank, Iri thought Gavin just liked sex in general.  
“So eager, it’s as though your heat has started today.”  
“That’s because it did… I mixed up my days.” Iri answers in a huff before reaching down to flick the man’s ear. “If you keep teasing I’m going to lose my mind, and there is a lot of hot grease up here that I could accidentally spill.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Try me Alpha. I’m a very horny woman and my inhibitions are very low right now.” Iri warns the gent who ignores her with a challenging smirk, and she let’s the man think he’s won for a few moments before splattering his exposed arm with a few drops of bacon grease. He yelps and pulls back with a growl.  
“What the fuck!”  
“I told you, be a good boy Geoffrey and I won’t do that again.” Iri says and before she knows it her exposed back side is up in the air. The gent wastes no time in laying down a few loud slaps that were sure to draw attention. “Geoff!” Iri gasps as each slap is placed upon her sensitive ass. Her tail now attempting to block him, but he just pushes it aside and continues.   
“Who is the Alpha in this relationship?”  
“Fuck… Ow… You… Geoff you are.” Iri cracks much sooner than she normally does only because the food on the stove was more important than her resistance. She feels herself turned over and put back up on her feet while the gent goes back to playing his games. It takes about twenty minutes till every thing was cooked and safely set off the stove. Geoff was still playing his games so Iri just growled and pulled away suddenly causing the alpha to growl. “If you are going to be an ass then so will I.” She mutters noticing how Michael and Gavin were already lingering in the foyer. “They’ll play nicely so I’ll play with them.” Iri huffs as she grabs a large plate of food that Ryan would most likely approve of; the gent was always complaining about how she starved herself. Walking over to the table she goes over to sit on Gavin who had already started eating, sitting on the surprised lad’s lap she starts to eat. Geoff just smirks and gets his own food before sitting kitty corner to her. Gavin who was just quietly eating chuckles at how the woman grinds on his thigh slightly as she ate.   
“Love I’m going to have to shower after this if you keep that up.”  
“Geoff was being an ass, so blame him, and biology.”  
“Maybe if someone wouldn’t have splashed grease then just maybe I wouldn’t have to be an ass.” Geoff quips as the woman nearly growls at him. “If someone wants to keep being naughty I’ll lock her up in the heat room by herself.”  
“But then how will you breed me?” Iri asks and her stomach turns queasily at the thought of being locked away. She was supposed to be bred, he promised, and she promised. They promised. Quickly a desperate whimper falls from her lips and anxiety causes her posture to go rigid.  
“Wait a go Geoff, Love he’s just kidding… Love if he won’t then Michael and I will, we'll breed you till it’s dripping out of you. And Ryan will knot you so long that your pussy aches around his knot.” Gavin reassures the woman who seems to relax at this and Geoff where an expression of genuine sorriness.  
“Lass we’ll fuck you so hard your voice will be wrecked for weeks after.”  
“Mmm pancakes and fucking… Hell I’ll fuck you while I’m eating this plate of pancakes.” Ryan adds as he comes over to the table and gestures for Iri to come hither. She slips off Gavin’s thigh and saunters over to the Alpha with a hesitant smile. “Come sit down.” Iri obeys him completely as he gestures to his hard cock and she wonders if it was from the smell of heat or just morning wood. As if reading her thoughts he just whispers. “A little of both.” She lowers herself down onto the gent’s cock with a tiny groan that makes the man beneath her smile.   
“So big… Ry fuck… Daddy.” She begs and the gent cocks his eyebrow at this.  
“I thought Geoff was your Daddy.”  
“No he’s Papa… It’s different.” Iri explains while working herself up and down on the man as he ate a stack of pancakes with a bowl of fruit. “Daddy’s take care of you while Papa’s just discipline.”  
“What are you talking about?” Geoff asks the woman who was fucking herself at an increasingly faster and faster pace.   
“Daddy’s are tender while Papa’s are rough and… yes! Papa’s make you beg while Daddy’s just please, not tease… Daddy I’m going to… Oh fuck!” Iri cries as she cums swiftly and the man who was mid bite just smiles down at her.   
“Better?”  
“A little, but you didn’t… I got this.” Iri assures the man who just quirks a brow as she sinks to her knees and begins licking at his head. She can taste herself on him, and the only rational thought is how hot that is. Continuing her ministrations she feels someone start to rub something through her soaking pussy and is surprised when she pulls off to look back to find Michael dipping a pancake in her. Laughing quietly she watches as he suddenly disappears and heads out of the dining area and towards the living room. Finishing up Ryan quickly she swallows his load and gets up to see what Michael was doing. When she enters the room she finds him dangling the slick soaked cake over Ray’s nose, and the lad makes little whimper noises as his cock gets hard. It doesn’t take much as she looks back to find Gavin smirking knowing Lance was most likely giving the man a wet dream.  
“Fuck!” Ray awakes with a shout as he cums in his shorts with a grinning Michael standing over him. He snatches the pancake and takes a bite. “Dude what is this? Did you rub this on Iri’s pussy?”  
“Fuck off, I make great syrup!” Iri growls playfully as she gives the man a quick kiss before grabbing the pancake and taking a bite.   
“You know I don’t think I ever need to hear that sentence again.”  
“Aw Ember I’m sure you’d make great syrup too.”   
“Please stop talking about syrup… Don’t want to make Aunt Jemima jealous.” Ray grimaces as and he soon finds himself with a lap full of Iri. “Hey there Sexy come here often.”  
“Only to fuck you, Gorgeous.” Iri drawls lustily in his ear as she starts trailing her hands over the man’s naked chest and placing bruising kisses along his jawline. “And I’m going to fuck you so good Sweetheart.”  
“If you didn’t I might need to take revenge.”  
“Oh and how might you do that Ember?”  
“I’ll tie you to the bed, grab a few toys, and then leave. I might come back in a few hours or a few days, just depends on how mean I feel.” Ray husks in a low tone that makes the woman shiver beneath him, she wastes no time in working him out of his boxers, and he gestures to the couch with a nod. “On your knees Omega.”  
“Yes sir.” Iri says and scrambles off his lap to the couch where Michael already stands waiting with his cock out like he knew she was going to suck it.  
“You going to be a good girl and let him fuck your mouth while I fuck that tight little asshole of yours?”  
“Yes sir.” She responds as she opens her mouth for Michael who immediately draws her forwards gently by her hair, just enough to show her who's boss. Ray gathers up a generous amount of slick and starts working his fingers in her ass. He starts off with one and soon moves up to three before he pulls out, the woman whines under him, pulling off Michael’s cock with a pop.  
“Settle Omega, and did he cum yet?” Ray orders in a strict tone that makes the woman’s submissive urge kick into overdrive. She shakes her head no and the man just clicks his tongue at her. “Then don’t stop till he does.”  
“God Ray, you sound like one of those Omegan BDSM Masters.” Michael groans as Iri dives back onto him with renewed vigor. “Slow down Iri, don’t forget to! Ah, fuck I’m sorry. Shoulda warned you.”  
“It’s okay Michael.” Iri mumbles while swallowing his load and nuzzling his thighs affectionately. Ray who finally manages to line himself up sinks down in one thrust causing the woman to cry out in pain and surprise. “Ray!”  
“Shush, and relax. You know this will hurt more if you tense up.”  
“Hurts.” Iri whimpers even though heat had her body begging for it, still didn’t mean she didn’t feel it. “Slow… Slow down.”  
“No, you will take what I give you and you’ll scream for more. Now relax.” Ray commands and it’s at this Iri feels her body loosen a little allowing the man to thrust at a faster pace. Soon Iri finds herself bouncing roughly on him, and her face being shoved down into the cushions as he stops. Expecting him to cum she waits for the inevitable feeling of filling yet it doesn’t come, and Ray just stays like that panting till she turns to face him.  
“Ember?” Iri inquires quietly to find the man just staring at her with a wolfish grin. “Ember move.”  
“I remember saying to scream for more, not quietly ask… Show me how much you love it Skye, I want the neighbors calling the cops to complain.” Ray orders as he waits for the woman who just looks down sheepishly and begins moaning quietly. “Louder.” He orders with a thrust of his hips.  
“Ray.”  
“Louder!”  
“Ray.” Iri says a little louder and the man just stops completely again, pulling out and then flipping her over to face him. He pushes her legs up and teases the head of his cock on the rim of her ass, rubbing it with a drawled out motion.   
“Scream.”  
“No.”  
“No? Then I’ll stop.”  
“Please don’t!” Iri shouts and the man smiles while thrusting himself back in. She arches and let’s loud moans fall heavily from her lips as the man picks up his pace.   
“I’m not like your precious Daddy or Papa. I will not be persuaded by kind eyes and pouted lips, give me what I want or I’ll stop.” Ray commands and the woman nods while getting louder as he picked up the pace. It isn’t until he’s slamming into her for about ten minutes that the woman finally screams his name, cumming harshly, and Ray soon follows filling her tight ass till it’s leaking out around his cock.   
“Ray…. so…. so hot.” Iri pants as she comes back down and the other just nods in agreement as he pulls out gently causing her to hiss.  
“Hold that in, Geoff will be mad if we stain the couch.” Ray orders and the woman blinks in understanding, clenching her muscles tightly. “Good girl.”  
“Not bad yourself champ.” Iri adds as she stands up only to be pulled down into his lap to be kissed much more fragility than he had previously had. “Dominant you is scary.”  
“Scary?” Ray asks with fear that he’d hurt the woman or their relationship in someway. It isn’t until he hears her scoff that he looks up to find her smiling.  
“Not scary like Godric, but scary as in how natural it seems… It’s like you were getting back at every bully who’d ever tortured you, and I won’t lie it’s hot.” Iri explains as she sits on him and wraps her arms around his neck lazily.   
“I was worried that maybe I took it too far.”  
“No, that screaming part was great… It’s a damn shame I didn’t have my collar on, or my leash you could have tugged it a few times…” Iri trails off with a shiver and a light kiss to his lips.  
“Maybe later.”  
“I’d like that.” Iri mumbles sleepily as she feels his arms wrap around her tightly, and she nuzzles his neck contently inhaling his intoxicating rose-scent. She lulls herself to sleep from his warmth and the potency of his scent. Ray merely sighs as he feels the woman’s breathing evens out to indicate slumber, which would have been cool and all if his stomach wasn’t growling hungrily. Geoff who had been quietly watching from the recliner stands up to unwrap the woman from him. Iri makes a quiet growl before Geoff places her nose nears his neck, and she takes a deep breath, purring sleepily when the Alpha’s scent invades her mind.   
“There’s a good Kit, now sleep for Papa.” Geoff whispers as he heads up the stairs with her in his arms and he notices Lexi lingering downstairs before flying up to where he was placing her in the heat room. He watches as the dragon shifts into a fox and curls up beside a sleeping Iri who nuzzles closer to the warm body. Geoff leaves the room with silent footsteps as he finds the men finishing up breakfast and his boys doing the dishes while Ray ate.  
“So….Kitten what was that about?” Ryan asks as he stands behind the feline.  
“Uh… You know I just wanted to try something, she seemed to be into it.” Ray answers nervously through a mouthful of hash browns. “I would have stopped if she hadn’t been.”  
“No, it’s not that… We just wonder where that came from, like you have some serious inner-Alpha instincts.” Geoff adds and the omega just shrugs nonchalantly.  
“You two aren’t the only ones who like to dominate.” Michael interjects in the other’s defense. Sure he didn’t do it often, but occasionally he liked to be the one issuing commands.  
“Kitten we just didn’t think you had it in you.” Ryan simplifies and the omegas just burst into laughter. “What?”  
“Rye-bread he fucks her like that all the time, maybe you just never noticed because honestly X-ray, I don’t think you’ve ever been that strict. Lance likes to snoop.”  
“So that’s who Flynt feels every time we fuck in the office, I thought it was just Lexi but no it’s you and that nosy wolf of yours.” Ray huffs with more bark than actual bite.  
“We were curious… and it’s top watching you two go at it. Even better when she dominates you.” Gavin mumbles and the Latino blushes at that.  
“What we do in the sanctity of her office is our business.”  
“Ray you do realize you are in a pack relationship… Privacy is a hard thing to come by here.” Michael chimes in as he puts the last of the dishes in the dishwasher with a grin. The other just sticks his tongue out and places his plate in the dishwasher. “Mmm someone’s pouty for having just had an orgasm.”  
“I’ll burn you.”  
“Sheesh, alright I’m done.” Michael curses as he feels Ray’s hot fingertips brush against his side.   
“Okay well now that the mystery of dominant Ray has been solved should we talk about tonight?” Geoff inquires and the men all nod in agreement. “So when she wakes up we’ll all shift down and… and uh.”  
“Geoff are you okay?”  
“Yeah… is it hot in here?” The man asks as feels a wave of anxiety hit him, and Gavin places a calming hand on his shoulder. He tugs at his shirt before pushing his way out of his pack’s curious stares, and he exits out to the backyard to get some fresh air. They don’t follow him out rather just let the gent have his moment alone. Even a man as strong as Geoff needed moments to himself.


	31. Tremors

Outside 

It starts off with a few minor tremors in his hands and murmurs in his mind, and then it morphs into a full blown flashback of Griffon. She was pregnant, and going to her mother’s funeral with their friends. He hadn’t been able to go seeing as work wouldn’t let him. Images flash in his mind how happy she had been to find out they were going to be a family after so many years of trying. And then the accident happened… the accident that would ruin everything. The blood splashed onto smoldering upholstery, leaving the scene drenched in the smell of fire and copper. He remembers her eyes, he remembers the terror they held, and he remembers Todd forcing him to walk away. Todd had taken control the second he saw the state of their mate, and even in the present; he could feel the fox lurking on the edge of their mind.   
“Geoffrey please stop, please don’t make us remember.” Todd begs as the man stands rigidly in the yard, staring straight ahead, and his expression is slowly deteriorating to sadness.   
“I can’t… I don’t know if I can do this... Not again.”  
“Geoff this will be different.. She isn’t Griffon.”  
“She… She.”  
“Geoffrey, Gavin is coming.” Todd alerts him and the gent is jolted to reality. “Should I send him away?”  
“No… no I’m okay… I’ll just, I’m getting it together.” Geoff mutters as he crosses his arms in an attempt to calm his shaking hands.   
“Lance knows.” Todd says trying to ease the memory out of his mind, and it takes a little while but soon Geoff feels it gone though his tremors remain. “That one is getting harder and harder to keep out.”  
“I know and I’m sorry, it’s just… It.”  
“Geoffrey I know what you are feeling, and I know exactly why you don’t think this will work.”  
“Why what won’t work?” Gavin asks as he comes up beside the man, who is taking a few calming breaths. “Geoff it’s literally game time… You aren’t back out are you?”  
“NO! No it’s just, I’m nervous alright… it’s been a long time since the thought of babies has been just that… more than a thought.” Geoff explains to the man who nods with a sympathetic smile. He pulls the nervous man down for a kiss, and the other pulls back to take a breath.   
“It’s okay to be scared… You don’t always need to be our fearless Alpha, it’s alright to take a step back, and catch your breath.” Gavin assures the man with a smile and nuzzles his neck, scenting lightly while taking his shaking hands into his own steady ones to still them. “She was a lovely woman, but now isn’t the time to mourn her.”  
“When is the right time?” Geoff asks the brit who looks down, and then nips at his lover’s lips.  
“I suppose there isn’t really one, and maybe there never will be… But Geoff, Iri needs you now, and what would Griffon tell you to do?”   
“She’d tell me to get my ass in there and breed that girl senseless.. Also that I’m being a fucking child about this whole situation.”  
“Griffon was a smart woman, and so go get in there.”  
“Geoff are you done freaking out yet!” Michael shouts out the back door bluntly, bringing the tender moment to a stand still. “Ow Ryan, don’t punch me!”  
“Sorry Geoff!” Ryan shouts out as he shuts the door quickly, the other two are left quietly chuckling in each other’s embrace.   
“We need to get in there before someone breaks something.” Gavin tells him as he pulls the gent towards the house by the hand.   
“I bet something has already been broken.”  
“You are probably right…” Gavin mumbles as the pair head inside.

Inside

“Ryan I’ll get the broom.” Michael mutters as he leaves the kitchen to head for the broom in the hall closet. He and Ray might have been play fighting, and they may or may not have knocked a bottle of vodka off the bar.   
“I’ll get the mop.” Ray says as he heads to the laundry room for the mop.   
“You two are not allowed to fight in the house.” Ryan scolds as the two slinks off to get the cleaning supplies.   
“Yes Ryan…” They trail off.   
“See I told you they would break something.” Geoff mumbles as he smells the alcohol and sees the shattered glass on the ground. “Michael what happened?”  
“He pushed me.”  
“I did not. You pushed me!”  
“Fuck off, I did not!”   
“Uh I’m pretty sure you did you egotistical jerk!”  
“Fucking Pussy!”   
“Yeah well at least I’m not an.”  
“Don’t fucking finish that sentence, I will skin you alive!”  
“Alright boys just calm down.” Geoff says calmly to the fighting men, who were snarling at each other.   
“He started it!”  
“And I will finish it.” Geoff threatens and Ryan tugs Ray away from Michael as Gavin nudges his boy towards the stairs.  
“Why don’t you go see how Iri is doing Boi?” Gavin suggests and the other just huffs before heading upstairs.   
“Ray why don’t we go for a run?” Ryan proposes as he leads the other out the backyard, leaving Gavin and Geoff alone with the mess. Plan G now left to clean up the mess, it takes them only minutes to clean up the spilled vodka; however, the sound of snarling reaches their ears. Turning to the towards the sound they find it coming from the heat room, and it isn’t twenty seconds later that the growling turns into yelling.   
“Michael Jones you are going to fuck me into next week! Get your ass back in here!” Iri’s angry voice shouts as she tackles the man to the ground.   
“Iri later… Iri stop… Geoff she’s trying to rape me!” Michael yells in the middle of bouts of laughter, he couldn't help but laugh at the woman's furious hands trying to unbuckle his pants. “Geoff!”  
“Michael lose the pants!” Iri snarls as she tugs insistently at the man’s clothing, while the other merely shifts and dashes from the room. “I will not be denied.” Iri yells as she shifts and follows the feline down the stairs. Following the scent she tracks the cat to basement where he is hiding beneath a pile of laundry. “Michael you are going to… Hey let go!”   
“Nope this is for your own good.” Geoff says as he slips a collar and leash around her slender furry neck. He watches as the cat shifts back, but the fox remains just that a fox.   
“Geoffrey please.” Iri whines as she switches tactics, choosing to rub her body against his legs affectionately. However, this does nothing to persuade the man who just sighs at her antics.   
“Iri not right now, wait until the others come back.”  
“No, I want it now!” Iri commands as she tugs at the leash, and tries to get away from him. The gent however holds the leash firmly in his grasp, and forces her to his side.   
“You will wait like a good little omega should, or you will not get it at all. Your heat is at least three days, so if you want to be bad then I can wait.”  
“Geoff no!” Iri nearly wails in pain, all she wanted was for someone to fuck her, was that too much to ask? She just needs a cock in her nearly dripping pussy, that’s all she needs right now, and she doesn’t care whose it is.   
“Then be a good girl.” Geoff adds with a smirk as the fox continues to tug at the leash. “Iridessa enough.”  
“Geoffrey….”  
“Enough!” Geoff growls in frustration as he shifts down and tackles the vixen. He pins her swiftly to the ground with his teeth near her throat. “Omega bow.”  
“No!” Iri snaps in resistance as she kicks the fox off. “You will mount me Geoffrey or I will make you.”  
“Bow.”  
“Fuck off.”  
“I said bow!” Geoff commands and it takes merely minutes to break through her mental barriers and make the woman bend to his will. Usually Geoff wouldn’t be able to break through at all but heat had weakened her resistance. The vixen feels her head bow and her ass arched up. He walks around to where her tail is batting the air playfully, despite the severity of his tone. Geoff knew she was just desperate like all omegas were in heat, but for some reason her antics had turned from needy to violent. It was most likely the promise of pups that drove her to this level of insanity. He allows his fox to take control and start the mating process. From what they had read at least two alphas needed to be present to keep the heat going, and she needed to be knotted once before the omegas took a turn. He figured that since he was here and the others were rapidly approaching, no shame in getting started now. 

Hours later

Iri is smiling sleepily, or at least the closest thing to smiling that a fox face could portray. Her heat now over and the need to be breed was sated by a thick overwhelming sense of fullness. This is what she had begged for and her body was made for. She was bred.   
‘Iri, can you feel it?’  
‘Yeah... Isn’t it wonderful?’  
‘God yes, and I didn’t think it would feel like this… it’s fantastic.’  
‘Mmhm.. Lex, I’m calling it a night… Feel free to wander if want.’ Iri whispers to the fox as she splits their connection. Lexi nods as she makes her way out of the basement, and towards the back door. The dragon pads outside, and settles on the side of the pool with a full moon bathing her in pale light. Lexi wastes no time in slipping into the calm waters, illuminated by the moon… She couldn’t help but smile, what a fitting night for her mistress to conceive. The moon was the fox’s natural ally as it hid her from the prying eyes of others, and assisting her in the ways of stealth. It was by the moon that Lexi was first drawn to Iridessa, and now it was by this moon that her mistress had conceived. Breaking the surface of the water she finds herself greeted by the faces of Todd, Lance, Godric, Flynt, and Marcus.  
“Can I help you?”  
“We have questions.” Godric states as the dragon lifts herself from the water.  
“What Godric means is that we want to know if everything went as planned.” Todd interjects as the dragon shakes her wings out, and flaps up into the air. Not only dodging the question, but the others as well. She flew high into the sky and over the forest; the wind whipped through her feathers as she soared through the cool night air. It isn’t until a gust of wind forces her straight to the ground. From there she feels an unseen force take her back to the pool, and there she is presented with the wispy forms of her Apex mate’s predators.   
“Do not run from us Caster.” Godric says in a low tone that makes the dragon shift down to her normal fox form.   
“Why is it so important to you to know?” Lexi counters as she sits in front of the others with her head held high in challenge. “And besides her heat was ended by Ryan’s knot, not before so that is proof enough that this worked.”  
“Lex can you at least offer us a little more than that? Todd isn’t able to feel anything otherwise we wouldn’t be asking.” Flynt tries in a much softer tone that the fox seems to respond to as her posture softens slightly. “It would be a great reassurance.” He adds with a purr as he nuzzles her side affectionately.  
“It’s too soon for consciousness to be formed, and I won’t know details until the end of the first trimester. A fox, much like a normal human has three trimesters, but the difference between the two is that a fox only has four weeks for each trimester. Thusly this makes the gestation period much shorter than a human.” Lexi explains to the others who seem to deflate at this. “However, the good news is that we know at least one child has been conceived given that her heat has ended.”   
“So you can’t feel anything either?” Marcus inquires and Lexi nods.   
“Give it four weeks and we’ll know for sure… Now can I fly in peace or will you pursue me?”  
“Go and fly Caster, but remember where you belong.” Godric threatens possessively before he dissipates completely.  
“He makes me just as nervous as he does you Lex, but he does have a point… We haven’t forgotten the Funhaus incident.” Lance warns as he watches the fox just chuckles.   
“Gods forbid you Predators ever forget.” She mutters under her breath, and turning away from the others.   
“They just get worried Alexia, but have a good flight. We’ll see you in the morning.” Todd says pleasantly as the dragon takes flight into the night.


	32. Gestation

Two Months Later

In the last few weeks Iri had gone from a petite woman, to basically feeling like a blimp… She could feel the tiny consciousnesses forming in her womb, and more often than not her mates would ask her. Iri hadn’t been sure of how many until late one night around the fourth week of the pregnancy. Immediately she had told the group, and they were elated to know that they were going to have quadruplets. It was from there on that Ryan had begun his nutritional warfare in earnest, and that brings us to this current fight. She was two months pregnant and all the symptoms were hitting her hard. Iri was nausea, moody, and her feet felt like they would be better if they were cut off.   
“Stag leave me alone!” Iri growls as she lies on the couch in her office facing away from the persistent gent; her feet hurt, and the overwhelming sense of nausea was threatening to make her vomit constantly. “If you don’t leave right now, I’m going to bite you.”  
“Faline, you need to eat this… Come on just a little.” Ryan tries as he trails his fingers over her lazy tail. “Just a few bites.”  
“No… I don’t feel good, just leave me alone.” Iri snaps as she tries to curl away from the man, and his persistent touches.  
“Iri.”  
“No.”  
“Iridessa.”  
“No, now leave me alone.” Iri commands and she uses her powers to force the man out, she wasn’t sure why but this pregnancy had seemed to amplify her powers, making it much easier for her to get her mates to leave her alone. Once the gent was gone she locks the door, and shuts the blinds. Instead of letting her self slip into sleep she chooses to work with the children in her womb, picking up where they left off earlier about letters. After about an hour she feels the kits start to gravitate towards sleep so levitating a blanket over she lays it lazily over herself. Slipping into a state of unconsciousness that is at first filled with nothing but pleasant dreams; however, it soon becomes dragged down by nightmares of Erik and the horrors of him. 

AH Office Hours later

‘Lance will you settle down.’ Gavin asks, but the wolf just continues to pace back and forth in his mind. ‘Lance enough!’  
‘I’m sorry, but she is upset and the kits are upset as well… I’m trying to help her but she’s pushing me out!’ Lance snaps at the man who balks at this.  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘She’s having nightmares, and it’s making the kits cry… Gavin go wake her up, I know she’s tired but just wake her up and move her into here.’ Lance begs as he continues to pace the lad's mind anxiously.   
“Gavvers, you alright over there?” Geoff asks as he watches his mate fiddle with his desktop for the umpteenth time.  
“I just need to use the bathroom, I’ll be back.”   
“Okay, well just hurry back we have a Go to film.” Geoff tells his omega who just nods and heads out of the office. Gavin just trots off to Iri’s nearby office. He tries the door, but it’s locked. So he fishes out the key above the door-frame and swiftly opens it.   
“Love?”  
“No… No please… Please don’t!” Iri mumbles frantically as she curls up tighter and tighter as though trying to escape something.  
“Iri wake up… Love you're having a nightmare.”   
“Mmm… Gavin?” Iri says sleepily while blinking slowly. Gavin just smiles kindly at her and strokes her ears soothingly. “What’s up?”  
“Lance tells me the kits are upset.”  
“They’ve been kicking all day, and they won’t be persuaded to stop.”  
“Can I try?”  
“Please, it feels like I have a womb full of David Beckhams.” Iri tells the man who nods and lifts up her shirt gently. He grimaces in sympathy when he spies the bruising on her stomach.  
“Love why didn’t you heal this?”  
“It takes so much, and the pain isn’t as bad as it looks.”  
“Geoff, could heal this.”  
“No I don’t want to bother him, he’s busy.”  
“Iri, we’re your mates this is sort of like our job.”  
“Gavin, if you can get them to stop kicking that would be amazing… and I can handle it from there… Ow you fuckers!” Iri yelps in pain as she feels tiny little claws lashing out. “Little bastards.”  
“Claws again?” Gavin asks, while making a mental note to tell Geoff about the internal injuries.  
“Please Gav.” Iri begs and the man nods quickly placing his hands to her stomach. He sends calming waves to the beings residing there, and at first they try to resist but soon they succumb to the man’s soothing hands. She sighs in relief and nuzzles the man’s neck thankfully, “I thought they were trying to claw their way out.”  
“Why don’t you come sleep in our office?”  
“Gav, I don’t want to be a bother.”  
“It’s okay, now come on.”  
“Are you sure? I know Geoff and Jack were talking about filming today.. Gavin just leave me here, I’ll call you if I have anymore trouble.” Iri says as she pulls back, she felt troublesome, and she didn’t want to be troublesome.  
“Iri come… Love just come with me.”  
“Gavin…” Iri trails off, but it’s cut off by the purr that he draws from her. He starts off by kissing her gently, and the man soon deepens it. She leans into it and pulls him as close as possible, her tail flicking playfully.   
“You aren’t a bother, and we like having you around.” Gavin purrs into her ear, while nipping at her neck, and he tweaks her sensitive chest. “You keep us on task.”  
“I hardly see… how that is possible.” Iri pants heavily as she moves away from the horny man.   
“Well follow me and I’ll show you.” Gavin teases as he trails his hands around her exposed shoulders, and kissing bruises into her neck. He moans with a growl at the end as she pushes back and flicks his nose; however before she can say anything a sharp pain drives it’s way up her back. Iri bites her lip and looks away quickly, hoping to keep Gavin from seeing her pain. The closer she got to birth the worse these pains got, and the more insistent as well. “Love?”  
“Nothing Gav, just go on back to your work… I’ll come in when you're done.”  
“Sure, and Love don’t hesitate to come to us.”  
“Of course Gavin, now go you worry too much.” Iri says with the most believable fake smile she can put on, and if Gavin couldn’t feel her pain then he would have believed it… but if she wished to suffer through this then he would let her though Geoff would know. So with a soothing smile and a gentle kiss he departs from her office leaving the woman alone. Once he was far enough away she heads to Joel’s office to tell him she’s going home, and then heads outside. Shifting down she makes her way home… She remembers Geoff and Ryan warning her that running wouldn’t be good for the kits, but as a fox running felt natural so she did it. Also in nature foxes would run pregnant anyways so how bad could it be. It takes her little over an hour to get home, and after getting inside she heads to the basement. There her instincts tell her to nest, so pushing the piles of dirty clothes together, and making a den of sorts in the furthest corner of the dark laundry room.   
“Mistress are you going into labor?” Lexi asks worriedly after watching the woman create a den of sorts out of the clothing, they still had four weeks to go but her actions now were that of a vixen in labor. Iri just shakes her head in no.   
“Lex…. Lex just… AHHH!” Iri cries in pain as she feels the first set of contractions. “Too early…. Lexi it’s too early.”  
“Mistress the kits are grown, I don’t know how but I can feel it.” Lexi assures the woman as she takes a corporeal form by her friend. “Just relax and let this happen.”  
“NO! NO! It’s too, god dammit! Not here, I can’t have them here…. Help me to the bathtub.” Iri pleads and the fox just agrees helping her with their powers. She manages to get her into the large tub connected to the heat room.   
“Iri let me put this comforter in first.” Lexi says and the woman just rests on the floor.  
“Hurry!” She cries as the pain increases, but the contractions remain few and far in between. This was going to last for about twelve hours so there was no real reason to hurry, but for some reason she wants to hurry. After Lexi drags the blanket into the tub she goes to get a bowl for water. It was very important to stay hydrated during this process. Lexi comes back with a deep metal dish, and fills it up promptly before placing it in the tub beside her. “Lex?”  
“Yeah Iri?”  
“Don’t… Don’t let anyone take my kits… keep them safe.” Iri pants as she closes her eyes against the pain.  
“I will protect them with my life.” Lexi vows as she watches the exhaustion overtake her mistress. “Sleep now, Skye.”  
“Protect….” Iri trails off fallen into a slumber while Lexi curls into her side comfortingly. 

8 pm

The men had just finished up today’s work and were currently scouring the office for their missing mate.   
“You don’t think she’s been taken again?” Gavin suggests worriedly as they regroup outside her office.   
“No, we would know… I would smell it.” Geoff tells them, out of all of them he was the best tracker and he would smell Erik’s scent. The only thing this room smelled of was pregnancy, and Iri’s smoky scent. However it was the potency of the scent that worried him, it was almost as though she was… “Oh god… She’s in labor, we need to find her!”  
“Geoff wait, slow down, and explain.” Ryan orders and the gent’s wide eyes just calm rapidly.   
“Ryan she is in labor, and we need to find her… Foxes hide away when they go into labor, and she’s probably holed up somewhere.” Geoff explains and the rest of them narrow their eyes in anxiety.   
“Where… where would she go?” Ray asks, and they all shrug.  
“Oh if you guys are looking for Iri she told Joel that she was going home.” Burnie interjects as he notices all of them lingering worriedly in his daughter’s office. “She said something about pain.”  
“Alright everyone in a car!” Geoff orders and they all rush towards the door, however Burnie snags the pack Alpha’s arm.  
“What’s going on?” Burnie asks as he notices the sense of urgency in the packs gait.   
“We think Iri has gone into labor, and Burns we really need to get home if that is the case.” Geoff says as he and the others race towards the exit.   
“It’s too early!”  
“We know, and this is the reason we need to get home now.”   
“Go man, and call me after she’s done.”  
“Of course… We’re going to be dads!” Geoff mumbles with a newfound excitement as they sprint to their car. The sense of fear had turned to excited smiles and anxious yips; the car ride was quick most likely because Geoff wasn’t even doing near the speed limit. They pile out of the car, and rush into the house.  
“She’s upstairs.” Lexi tells the group as she pads down the stairs, upon their arrival. “She’s resting.”  
“How long?” Ryan asks and the fox just shrugs.  
“I’m not sure, but she’s been like this since we got home… frankly I didn’t think we were going to make it.” Lexi says as they all head up to the bathroom. When they entered the room they find her pacing the length of the tub anxiously.  
“Hey Iri, how’s it going?” Michael greets her pleasantly, but the fox just snarls at him.  
“How do you think it’s going Michael? I’m fucking in labor you idiotic bobcat!” She snaps at him as a contraction causes her to yowl in pain. “Geoff this hurts.”   
“I know Kit, but you’ve been through worse… Just think of the pay off.”  
“Four screaming mouths that will want all our love and devotion?”  
“Alright smartass, I meant think of their smiles and the feeling of finally being a true pack.” Geoff quips as he strokes at the fox’s head, they watch her nod briskly before screaming. She screams as the first kit is pushed out, and they watch the curious creature quietly yips. It was a reddish brown fox kit with strikingly blue eyes, and subconsciously it shifts back to reveal that it was a baby boy. Geoff leans in to pick up the crying infant, and wash it off. The gent swaddled the boy in a soft blanket handed to him by Ryan, the only other person in the room. The lads were waiting in the heat room, and talking in hushed tones.   
“Dexter Griffon Ramsey.” Ryan murmurs with a smile and the elder gent nods enthusiastically before handing the child to him. However before they can say more a pair of kittens appear. The breed wasn’t distinct besides that they were kittens, and twins. Both bore similarly brown fur flecked with black spots, almost like an ocelot but mixed with a lynx’s as well. They shifted back and revealed that they were fraternal. One boy and the other a girl. The girl had one eye that was reminiscent of Ray’s brown while the other an ice blue similar to Iri’s. The boy had two eyes colored the same as Michael’s own amber ones.   
“Felicity Loralei Haywood, and Leonard Augustus Jones.” Iri pants as she feels the pressure subside for a moment. She watches carefully as the two men pick up the children gently, and take the three out to the lads who waited patiently.   
‘Iri there is one more.’ Lexi warns her and the fox nods.  
‘I know, but she is being stubborn…. like her mother.’ Iri replies as she grabs a few mouthfuls of water, and grits her teeth as the baby finally to decides to come out. It was a wolf pup, and when it shifts back it reveals itself as a girl. She had an interesting pair of dark turquoise eyes that bore nothing but curiosity, and Iri thanks god that she had her nose.   
“Scarlett Daphne Free.” Iri mumbles as she shifts back and washes the baby off. She wraps the baby in a nearby towel, and leans back. “Welcome to the world, my little kit….” Iri trails off as she feels sleep pulling her down. Cradling Scarlett carefully she let’s her body fade into sleep. When Geoff and the others finally head back into the bathroom, they find the woman sleeping peacefully with a baby girl resting on her chest.   
“Scarlett Daphne Free.” Lexi tells them as she rests beside her exhausted mistress. “Also Iri was very glad she doesn’t have your nose.”   
“Well it would be shame for such a beautiful baby to be cursed with this atrocity.” Gavin mumbles in agreement as he lifts the baby up gently. She blinks awake and giggles knowingly at her father. “Aren’t you just a happy little thing.”   
“She’s beautiful Gav.” Michael tells his boi as he holds Leo tightly against his chest, the boy was already sleeping contently in his arms.   
“Let’s get them to bed.” Geoff suggests as he holds Dexter, and the lads just nod while following the gent to the nursery. After changing them into diapers, and onesies they set them down in the large crib. Leo and Felicity immediately whimper until they’re placed near each other, Dexter and Scarlett however just stay asleep. Turning on a baby monitor, they head back to the bathroom to find Ryan attempting to wash the sleeping mother off.  
“Need help?”   
“She won’t sit up.”  
“Well Ry she is asleep.” Ray interjects and the gent just glares at him.  
“Mmm not asleep… you are too loud.” Iri grumbles against Ryan’s touches as she pushes his hands away. “Go away… where are my kits… My kits!” Iri nearly shouts as she remembers the situation. Her movements turn frantic, and before anyone can explain she forces her way out of the bathroom. Streaking off towards where she smells their scents, she dashes to the nursery, and sighs in relief when she spies all four of them sleeping contently in the crib. The relief that washes over her is enough to make her muscles give in and her legs let her fall to the floor. Soon the others rush in to find her kneeling on the floor breathing heavily.   
“Iri let’s get you into bed… Kit come on.” Geoff whispers as he picks up the tired woman, who just nods sleepily.  
“Geoff I just had to see… I had to make sure.” Iri mumbles into his shoulder, and the gent just soothes her with a quiet noise.  
“It’s alright Kit, we know.”  
“Wake me up if they need something.”   
“Iri we are five very capable men, and that one is even a telepath… Just rest Love.” Gavin adds and she just chuckles as Geoff tucks her into the bed.   
“Mmmk Gav.” Iri mutters into the pillow as she finally gives in, knowing for sure that her children were safe… or at least safe enough. The gents exit and let the woman sleep, while the lads merely pile into the bed. Once the omegas were all settled in they nod off into a doze. In a quiet fashion Ryan and Geoff go to clean up the bathroom.   
“Ryan?”  
“Yes Geoff.”  
“I’m glad you and Ray joined our pack.”  
“So am I… Did you see the way Ray held Felicia? The boy’s a natural born mother.”  
“He is, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Michael smile so wide… Or Gavin so speechless.”  
“Mmm he was quiet… Though I must say I’m surprised there is only one wolf, usually they dominate the gene pool.”  
“Yeah, especially given that there were two of you in there at once.”  
“You know I am a man of science and all, but even that sounds disgusting.”  
“Can you imagine how Iri felt?... Gross.”  
“On another note, shouldn’t you call Burnie?”  
“Uh yeah, I suppose we should let him know he’s a grandpa.” Geoff mumbles as they finish bleaching the bathtub, and toss the comforter out into the trash. He wastes no time in telling Burnie what happened, and the pair talks for about an hour before Geoff tells him that he needs to go. When he comes back in the house he finds Ryan sitting at a computer, and talking to someone on the phone.   
“Yeah and the last one is Scarlett Daphne Free… Okay thanks… It was good talking to you Marty, and I hope your father gets better soon.” Ryan says as he finishes up his phone call. “Birth certificates, and social security cards.”  
“Thanks man, I was going to get them but Burnie wouldn’t stop talking.”  
“No problem, let’s go to bed.” Ryan tells the gent who just nods tiredly. While Iri didn’t have work tomorrow they did, and even then he wondered if someone should stay with her. One child was a lot, but four was like an army… he sighs thinking about how they still needed to baby proof the house; luckily they still had a few months before they started to crawl. Normal children would crawl at around seven or so months, but Apexes were accelerated by the animal DNA they bore. So at the very earliest the pups would start at around month four maybe five, walking most likely by around their first birthday, and talking fluently, not gibberish by about the same time.The gibberish would most likely start at about month seven.


	33. A madman's motives are madness itself

Next morning

The lads got up, and got ready. Next came the gents, Iri awoke to the sight of Gavin holding Scarlett and cooing at the still sleepy girl. Rubbing her eyes sleepily Iri smiled brightly at the baby girl who quietly cooed at her father.   
“Gav, we need to go.”  
“But Geoff.” Gavin whines as he watches the gent reach for his child, the lad instantly raises his hackles, and the baby in his arms starts to cry. “Oh Scar I didn’t mean it, don’t cry.”   
“Gav give her to me.” Iri says gently as the man nods sadly at the crying child. “We’ll be here when you get home tonight.” She adds and takes the baby into her arms, Scarlett quiets instantly as she lies on Iri’s chest. “Shh.. Let’s get you back into bed.” Iri murmurs to the baby as she heads back to the nursery where Michael and Ray are holding the twins. The only baby still in the crib is Dexter, however he looks quite content to stay there, wearing a curious look as he stares at the walls around him. “Morning Dex.” She whispers while setting a sleeping Scarlett down beside him. The baby boy just stares at her with wide eyes, and waves his arms wildly. Iri reaches down and picks up the baby who continues flailing his arms as if he was surprised he could.   
‘Momma!’ Iri hears yelled in his mind, and she just smiles down at the boy.  
‘Yes Dex?’  
‘Momma!’ He just repeats, and Iri just giggles at the smiling child as she lifts him high into the air. She remembered communicating with her children while they were still in her womb, teaching them words, and they had just gotten to colors before yesterday. Dexter had been particularly vocal when she’d been teaching them names. ‘Ray! Michael!’  
“Very good Dex, that’s Michael and Ray.” Iri says aloud accidentally, causing the men to face her in confusion.   
“What?”  
“Oh Dex is just very excited about seeing you two, it’s one thing to see my memories of you but he is simply amazed at seeing you.” Iri explains and the men just continue to cock their heads.   
“Huh?”  
“Telepathy my dear Ray.” Iri adds and the two just wear twin expressions of realization while gesturing to the pups.  
“So do they know all of us?”  
“Yeah, it took Leo awhile to understand who Ryan was but he knows, and Felicity is still a bit unsure of Gavin however she knows you two well… She is very excited to meet you Ray, and Leo hasn’t stopped whispering Daddy since you first held him. Scarlett is still tired though, but Dex is awake and anxious to see the world.” She tells the lads who just smile at the new information. “Don’t you two need to get going?”  
“Yeah… We’ll see you later.” Michael says as they reluctantly put their children down and Iri just waves them off.  
“Go, and tell Miles that I won’t be back for a few weeks… Also tell him to come by whenever if he needs help.” Iri tells them before they exit the room, and then another this time muffled by distance. “Well Dex what now?”  
‘Outside.’ Dex suggests however Iri just shakes her head.  
“Not yet Dex, maybe later.”  
‘Momma outside!’  
“Dex I said no, and besides we would have to leave your brother and your sisters.” Iri tries and at this the baby just freezes.  
‘NO! Stay!’  
“That’s what I thought now go back to bed.” Iri tells the baby who just yawns sleepily. She places him back down in the cradle, and makes sure the others are alright before heading out of the room. Iri slipped off to the kitchen where she scrounged through the fridge for the makings of a sandwich. After taking a few bites she heads to the couch, and flips the tv on watching some reruns of something. She lets her thoughts wander and soon they wander to the upstairs where Iri listens in, only to hear quiet dreams of her slumbering pups. Grabbing a baby monitor she heads out back, and strips down to just her sports bra and underwear. Diving into the pool, Iri starts taking laps knowing that she wouldn’t be able to just sit on the couch and wait… it would drive her insane, not that she wasn’t already but at least this way she could be nearby and still active. 

Hours Later

Iri who had been levitating over the pool about twenty feet is suddenly startled by the loud crying from the nearby baby monitor. In her surprise her powers give out, and she starts to drop towards the water; she barely gains control at the last second, allowing her to land safely on her feet half a foot from the water’s surface. Grabbing the monitor she heads into the house, and then to the nursery. Entering the room filled with her pups crying she immediately reached out to discover their needs. Dexter and Felicity needed a diaper change, Leo was crying because Felicity was, and Scarlett was crying because she wanted Gavin. Also they were all hungry so she sets upon the task of caring for them. Diapers were easy, and once Felicity was just whimpering in hunger Leo mimicked his sister. Scarlett was harder to comfort so thinking quickly she leaves, grabs a shirt that smelled heavily like Gavin, and put it on. Next task was feeding, and that is when an interesting thought occurs in her mind.  
“Lexi if I shift do you think I could feed them all at once?” She asks the fox who appears next to her wearing a thoughtful look.   
“Iri, I honestly couldn’t tell you… Try it and see what happens.” Lexi suggests with a shrug as the dragon sits on a corner of the crib. So Iri shifts down, and the damnedest thing happens… the kids shift as well. “Iri, I don’t think that’s normal.”  
“Uh…. Neither do I.” Iri mumbles as she watches the kits eagerly scramble to her teats. The little mouths latch on and begin to nurse.   
“It is for your situation.” A voice that she would know anywhere says, and with her hackles raised the man slinks in through the doorway.  
“How did you get in here? Get out!” Iri growls causing the kits to stop and cower behind their mother.   
“Apexes birthed from pack situations are more attune to their predator-side given that they are conceived that way. They will develop quicker even by normal Apex standards, and their powers will show much quicker as well. They however will not present truly till around age ten or so, and their predators will not make themselves known completely till then either.” Erik explains as he sits down in the rocker with a child in his hands. Iri didn’t even have to guess to know that he was holding Serah. Part of her wanted to leap from that cradle and rip his throat out, but the logical part told her not to.   
“Serah… Erik please give her to me.” Iri begs as she jumps out of the bed and shifts back, her kits shift as well and whimper from their bed. “Serah.”  
“She cries for you at night, and Otto refuses to use his powers on a mind so young… I... “ Erik trails off as he hands the woman their daughter, the blue eyed baby girl instantly smiles happily, and she purrs contently in her mother’s arms. “She has that same defiant nature, and I… I can’t bring myself to break it.”  
“You said… You promised you would never hurt her, and as evil as you may be I doubt even you could hurt her… At least not now.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“In the beginning you could have killed her, but now she is yours that makes all the difference.” Iri tells the man as the baby in her arms giggles, and to her surprise begins to speak.  
“Mommy are you coming home with us?” Serah asks with big eyes that wrench Iri’s heart as she starts to cry. “Mommy don’t cry.”  
“Serah, my precious baby girl….” Iri trails off and her kits howl mournfully in the crib; she wipes her eyes quickly before gesturing to the crib. “Would you like to meet your half brothers and sisters?” The toddler cocks her head in confusion, but nods hesitantly. She brings Serah over to where the pups are now staring with tearful eyes at their big sister. “This is Leo and Felicity, that is Dexter and this is Scarlett.”  
“Hello.” Serah whispers and that is when Iri looks back to find Erik grinding his teeth while staring out the window, his body language screamed indecision. “Daddy look! I have brothers and sisters!” The toddler says with excitement that draws the Alpha’s attention, his clenched jaw turns into a large smile.   
“Yes Princess, aren’t they wonderful.” Erik says as he reaches down to pick up the twins. Iri immediately growls, but soon relaxes when the man just shakes his head. “I may not believe in much, but I would never hurt something that Geoff truly loved… I am a monster, but even monsters have hearts.”  
“Then why did you hurt me?” Iri asks as she holds her firstborn close, and kisses her forehead. She watches Erik bounce the twins gently and the babies giggle loudly. Lexi shifts uncomfortably on the post before sinking into the crib, and cuddling with the other two who watch with caution. “Or are you telling me that Geoff doesn’t love me?”  
“I simply wanted what was owed to me.” Erik answers after a few moments of silence, and Iri just growls in frustration at him. “Please, I didn’t come here to fight… I came so she could see you, and she deserves to know her mother.”  
“Erik, I don’t… I don’t understand you.”  
“Have you never heard the saying, children make you soft?”  
“You… a person like you will never really change. You are still that monster who… “ Iri pauses as she watches their daughter stare at them with curious eyes. “You need to leave.”  
“Mommy?” Serah interjects as she watches her father put her brother and sister down gently in the bed.   
“Princess, Mommy needs to get ready for work… Come here, we can play with Uncle Otto at home.”  
“But I want to stay with Mommy!” Serah cries as she is passed into her father’s arms. Iri wants to take her back, and she wants to kill that man but she won’t… never in front of Serah.   
“Serah, maybe you can come back another time… and we can go play at the park.” Iri says quickly placating the child who just wipes the tears quickly and nods swiftly. “We’ll go when your brothers and sisters are bigger, so we can all play.” Iri promises and she looks to find Erik nodding as well.   
“I look forward to it… If it means anything I am sorry it turned out this way.”  
“Save your breath for someone who cares.” Iri mutters brokenly as she watches the man look away from her before heading out the door. “Serah be a good girl for your father.”  
“Okay Mommy! See you soon!” Serah says cheerfully as they disappear out the front door, and before Iri knows it she’s back upstairs tending to her kits. Feeding was simple as a fox, and once they were full she and Lexi carry them to master bedroom. Iri makes sure to curl the blankets around them in a makeshift nest, and then places them down in the middle. The kits fall asleep swiftly, and Iri lays there quietly till her exhaustion soon overcomes her. She wasn’t tired physically but mentally she was spent, and she silently prayed that Todd nor Lance ever became curious about today… The wolf had a way of worming his way in even when she threw up barriers that would stop Todd. 

At the Office

It was mid-afternoon and the AH office was abuzz with worry chatter that Gavin seemed to continue to spew. Jack had been very excited to find out their mate had finally given birth, and the building itself seemed to be consumed with the excitement. Burnie and Joel were on top of the world knowing that they were grandfathers. Geoff couldn’t help the smile that seemed to be permanently plastered on his face despite all of Gavin’s what ifs.  
“What if she.”  
“Gavvers shut up, for the love of god I’m going to knock you out if you don’t shut the fuck up! I would love to go home, but we have shit to do… So focus.” Michael snaps having finally had enough of his boi’s chittering, he would love nothing more than to go home and spend the day with Leo but he knew they needed to put out something… He could tell that amongst all of them Geoff seemed to be the calmest of the group, probably just age.  
“Actually if you must know it is because I trust Iri with my life literally, and I know that she would never let anything happen to them… She’d rip a dude’s throat out if it came down to it.” Geoff tells the man and the rest just murmur in agreement. “And besides I doubt Erik would try anything now.”  
“You know if you guys want I can finish this up.” Jack says and the lads nearly jump up and out of their seats towards the door. The gents however just stop them for a moment.  
“Jack are you sure?” Ryan asks and the lion Apex just smiles.  
“Go, if I had cubs born yesterday I wouldn’t even fathom coming into work the next day.”  
“I wanted to stay, but Geoff made us.” Gavin pipes up as they all gather their stuff, and shut down their computers. From there it was a lot of hurrying and begging Geoff to drive faster.

Home

They step into the threshold of the house quietly as to not wake the sleeping pups, or at least they hoped they wouldn’t. However the sound of whimpering draws their attention instantly. The group heads to the sound as it leads to the master bedroom where the children in predator form lay curled into fox Iri’s side nudging at her teats. Iri doesn’t say anything other than allow the group to feed, though at Geoff’s quiet knocking she looks up to see the group staring with confusion.  
“How is that possible?” Ray asks and Iri just smiles at him.  
“I was reading through the journals again and it turns out that Apexes born of animal birth are more in tune with their predator side allowing them to shift at a younger age. It also said they’ll develop faster than normal Apexes… So we need to baby proof in the next few weeks.” Iri explains to the men, and they just stare at them. “They shift when I do.”  
“So if you turn back so do they.” Gavin inquires and she shakes her head.  
“It’s easier to feed them like this, and it’s more efficient… plus it hurts less.”  
“Makes sense, so what have you done all day?” Geoff asks casually as he sits down on the bed beside her and strokes her head softly.   
“Swam, and took care of them mostly… We napped a lot today.” Iri tells the gent with a purr as she pushes up into the soft touches, after her roller coaster of feeling she definitely could use some comfort. As they spoke the kits slowly finished and pulled off to snuggle into her side, save for Scarlett who made a beeline for her father. Gavin scoops up the pup quickly as she shifts in his arms. He cuddles the child with a low purr that causes her to purr back. “She missed you.”   
“And he missed her… Immensely.” Ryan says as he reaches for Felicity who whimpers at the loss of her brother. Michael instantly picks up Leo to soothe the nearly crying kitten. Geoff reaches for Dexter, but he finds the boy just curling in closer to his mother. The gent smiles at this and still picks him up however the fox kit bites his hand causing the gent to yip in surprise.  
“Dex don’t bite your father.” Iri scolds quietly and the kit just shifts back to stare at them with irritated eyes. ‘Dex be nice.’  
‘Momma, snuggle.’  
‘Dexter, snuggle with Papa.’ Geoff whispers in the boy’s mind and watches as his son faces him with a curious look.  
‘Papa too?’  
‘Yes Dex, your father and I can do this, but no one else can.’ Iri tells their son who just blinks in understanding.   
‘Papa, snuggle.’ Dex says confidently as he reaches for Geoff, the gent takes him and holds him close to his chest. Iri smiles at them before looking up to find the others sleeping casually in the arms of their fathers. So shifting back she slips from the room, and then she slips out the front door. Masking her mind she runs on the sidewalk, and at a fairly brisk place she runs till she hits the nearby park where Terrance often visited. Iri scanned the inhabitants quickly only to see that he wasn’t there so she just continued on with her run. It isn’t until she’s been gone for about a half an hour that she realizes that Erik’s scent is still heavy in the nursery… she’d opened the window, but an alpha’s scent had a tendency to stick around. Iri curses herself for forgetting to neutralize the room completely, but hopefully they wouldn’t smell it… and maybe, just maybe she would get lucky… Then again when was she ever lucky? Lexi too scoffs at this knowing that they would know someone was there, maybe they wouldn’t realize it was Erik. She prays desperately to whatever god could hear her that the men would be so enamored by their children that they wouldn’t smell it. After about an hour she makes it back to the house drenched in sweat, and doing her best to mask the fear her mind was feeling. As she enters the house she finds Gavin playing with Scarlett on the floor, and Dexter gnawing happily on a toy that Ryan was dangling in front of him. Leo and Felicity were knocking over the block towers that Ray and Michael were building, filling the air with loud cries of joy as though this were the greatest thing on the entire planet. However the lack of Geoff makes her incredibly nervous, but before she can even get through the living room the kits whine at her. She makes a soothing chitter that calms them instantly, and the fathers just smirk.  
“Damn Skye, you're good.”   
“I must say that is quite impressive.”  
“Thanks, it just come naturally… like an instinct. Where’s Geoff?” Iri asks and they just shrug.  
“Last I saw he was upstairs in the nursery, why?” Michael answers as he watches his son destroy a newly built tower.   
“No reason just curious… So how were they?”  
“Good, really well behaved for newborns… it’s a little freaky.”  
“Hey they’re just like their mother.” Iri jokes as she feels Geoff tugging at her mind angrily. The others scoff at this with laughs, and it isn’t until Geoff curses upstairs that the men turn to see her staring in that direction.   
“Geoff what’s wrong?” Ryan shouts, and the only sound he receives in response is a furious growl. “I wonder what’s got him so angry.”  
“Iri, up here now!” Geoff’s yell is heard causing the men to stare at her with wide eyes.  
“What did.” Michael starts, but is cut off by their pack Alpha’s sharp snarl.  
“I said now!”  
“Coming.” Iri mumbles as she tips an imaginary hat to the gents. “Duty calls.” She adds and ascends the stairs, they hear the sound of a slamming door and then yelling… They can’t make out about what, only that Geoff is furious and Iri isn’t really fighting him. After several minutes of screaming and slamming of something against a wall the pair descends the stairs. Iri says nothing but offers them a smile that masks her true feelings, and Geoff is still growling angrily.  
“Guys is everything okay?” Ray asks hesitantly and the pair instantly brighten.  
“Yeah just a disagreement, nothing to get worked up over… Right Geoff?”  
“Of course, just a bit of confusion.” Geoff adds as he leans to pick up Dexter who is reaching for him. “Hey there Buddy… Did you have fun with Ryan?”  
‘Don’t yell at Momma.’  
‘Dex it’s fine, and besides it’s okay.’  
‘Erik didn’t hurt us, or Momma, and Serah was nice.’ Dex argues in his mother’s defense however it only seems to make Geoff angry again. ‘Don’t hit Momma.’  
“Geoff?” Gavin asks as he watches the gent grind his teeth as he stares at Iri hatefully, the vixen offers nothing only turning to leave the house. “Iri? Someone tell us what’s going on.”  
“Give me Dexter.” Iri orders and the gent passes their son over as she heads outside to the backyard. The door shuts with a slam and Iri cries quietly outside; Dexter tries to be strong, but he soon breaks down and his purrs turn to cries in tune with Iri’s.   
‘Momma… Momma, Papa hates us.’  
“No Dex… no he doesn’t.” Iri whispers into her son’s head with a sad smile. “He loves us.”  
‘Why did he yell?’  
“Because I make bad choices, and it scares him… Papa’s just scared.” Iri tells the boy who stares at her with confusion, she didn’t expect him to understand… hell she didn’t even understand why it had happened… To question a madman’s motives was madness itself.   
‘Love you…. Always.’ Dex whispers into her brain and she just kisses his head while holding him close.  
“Always, I will always love you no matter what.” Iri agrees and before she can say anything else Geoff opens the door, exiting the house by himself.   
“They said I overreacted, and I should apologize.”  
“For what Geoffrey?”  
“Ryan suggested for being a complete ass, and also a little insensitive… You don’t trust him do you?”  
“Never, but he has Serah and he could have hurt us today… He didn’t though and I don’t understand why not.”  
“Because he’s a fucking lunatic.”  
“Don’t curse in front of them, they’re impressionable right now, and I don’t want him to swear like you.” Iri says strictly as the gent comes closer, he leans in for a soft kiss but he feels Dexter growl underneath him. “Dex what have I told you about growling at Papa?”  
‘Mean.’  
“Dexter, I am not mean.”  
‘You don’t love her, and you yell, and… and you're mean to Momma.’ Dexter thinks accusatorily at his father who just listens patiently before responding.  
“I love your mother very much, but I do not love when she takes risks. And I do not love when she lets a very bad man hurt her feelings over and over again.. But never say that I don’t love her because I do. We all do, that is why we yell because it concerns us when she does such reckless things.” Geoff explains to the boy who just watches him warily, but doesn’t growl when he kisses her.  
“Be.” He manages to stutter out and they both stare at the boy in shock. “Nice… to… Momma.”  
“Geoff, he just… Geoff.”  
“I.. how is this possible?” Geoff asks and Iri just shrugs.  
“Maybe it’s because I taught them so many words in the womb, and his advanced development; plus the need to communicate pushed him over the edge?” Iri suggests and just stares in amazement at their baby boy. “Such a smart boy.” She praises and the boy purrs in her arms. To be fair the kids did seem to have grown since last night, Iri wondered how fast they would truly grow.


	34. Developmental Milestones

Two Months

By now the children had grown hair and were starting to display characteristics of their parents. Dexter had brown hair that was tinted red in the sunlight, and his personality was the controlling calm of Geoff while he had cold glares that Iri would often throw in a bad mood. Leo was much like his father in appearance, and demeanor. The boy liked to laugh, but he would snap at the crack of a whip and turn vicious; however never to his twin sister. Felicity who at birth had shared her appearance with her brother had now changed dramatically. Her hair had turned blonde but hers was a shade lighter than Ryan’s and her eyes had shifted as well. They believed it was due to Ryan’s power. Her eyes had a tendency to match her moods: light blue when she was happy, a dark stormy gray in anger, and a dull green when she was sad. Felicity was much like Ray in the way she would happily follow her fraternal twin brother, but of the pair she was clearly the leader. Now Scarlett was mostly her father, she had rich brown hair, and emerald eyes that were more often than not lit up in happiness. Though Iri came out occasionally when Scarlett didn’t want to do something and her mother’s stubbornness would rear it’s head.

Five Months 

The expression kids grow like weeds was absolutely true for these children. Every week they seemed to be growing an inch, and by month five they were walking easily. Dexter had been the first to talk, but Scarlett was the first to run… and that was only to catch her father who had been playing tag with her. She was fast, and more times than not Iri had to use her powers to snag the little speed racer before she fell or smashed into a wall. 

Seven Months

Leo and Felicity had been the first to form coherent sentences; sure they could all talk, but it was more often in broken sentences. Now the twins had learned to speak fluently and Iri wouldn’t lie if she thought it was brought on by sibling rivalry. It just seemed that they wanted to be the first to do something, and it was around this time that potty training had begun. Believe it or not when you can influence your child to use the bathroom it was quite simple, and to be fair Iri didn’t even feel bad about helping her children to understand how it worked…. Geoff told her it was lazy parenting, while Iri just bargained that this would save them a lot in cost seeing as diapers weren’t cheap. After that no one had really disagreed with her, but Iri still couldn’t help though feel as though she might have cheated them of something…. But soiled sheets wasn’t what she meant, and honestly she didn’t know what she meant either.


	35. Why you shouldn't teach young children mythology

Two Years

Iri had been working on baking a cake for the party that they were getting ready for. It was their birthday and the pups grew more excited as it drew closer and closer. At first they had been worried about how advanced the kids would be for two years, but people only commended them on how smart their children were and everyone wanted to know their secret. Iri would just smile and say good genetics causing chuckles to be had by her mates. Speaking of her mates: Geoff, Gavin, Michael, and Ray were at the store getting gifts while her and Ryan were in the kitchen. Leave it to them to wait till the last minute to get gifts, Ryan and Iri had nagged for weeks to go to the store but they had assured them they had it covered.   
“Ryan how’s the cake looking?” Iri asks as she was mixing up some dark blue frosting for the ocean of the cake. Felicity and Scarlett had begged for a Little Mermaid cake, while the boys had decided on a Batman and Flash superhero cake. Dexter was particularly fond of the caped crusader, and Leo would often dash around the house in his little flash shirt with matching shoes. So here Iri stood stenciling out drawings of the symbols and mermaids; she also was making little models of her girls favorite characters: Arista and Attina. Scarlett thought Ariel was too forgetful, and Felicity thought she was just too irresponsible.   
“Faline, I believe it’s done.” Ryan answers as he checks it, and then takes it out.   
“Okay can you set it by the window so it can cool.”  
“Momma, Felicity and Dexter are fighting again!” Leo shouts as he runs into the kitchen. “She’s bleeding.”   
“What have I told those two..” Iri mutters as she follows Leo upstairs to the nursery where Dexter was whispering sorry over and over again to his crying sister. Scarlett was at her sister’s side cooing softly to the girl. “Felicity come here.” Iri says as she watches the girl make her way over to her drying her eyes on the way. The wound wasn’t deep and with a quick use of her powers the wound was healed in an instant. “There you go Sweetheart, now what have I told you all about fighting?”  
“Not to do it…” They answer quietly all except for Scarlett who seems to be staring off out the open window.  
“Scar are you alright?” Iri asks her distracted daughter who just shakes her head and then smiles.   
“Sorry Lance was showing me something.” Scarlett replies as she turns back to see her mother rolling her eyes.   
“I thought your father was at the store?”  
“Oh they’ve been home for like an hour, and they’re in the shed playing games.” Scarlett says helpfully.  
“Oh really.” Iri answers in a deadpan tone as she turns to leave. “No more fighting.”  
“Yes Momma!” They reply and Iri heads back downstairs where Ryan is starting the next cake.   
“What happened?”  
“Ehh just the normal, Felicity is fine… Scar told me that our mates have been home for awhile now, and they are hiding out in the shed.” Iri tells the alpha who just rolls his eyes.  
“Slackers.”  
“I know right, I ought to go out there and kick their asses.” Iri mumbles, but Ryan just wraps his arms around her waist as she turns back to her frosting. He starts kissing her neck slowly, and his teeth barely nip at the surface of her skin but it causes her to moan loudly.   
“Hush Faline the pups are still here.”  
“Stag…” Iri whines, it had been awhile since they’d been able to do more than quick and quiet sex seeing as the children would often crawl into their bed at night. Ryan just smiles into her neck as he lets a hand wander around her dampening sex as he continues to tease her neck. He slips two fingers into her dripping pussy and at a teasingly slow pace he fucks her with them. She can hear herself quietly begging, and part of her wishes that he could just fuck her till she came screaming on his knot in this kitchen but that might scar their children for life. “Ry… Please Ry.”  
“Are you going to be quiet?”  
“I make no promises.” Iri taunts and the gent just smirks before sliding his fingers out causing the woman to whine at the loss.  
“Shush, I’ll give you a thick knot for that wet hole of yours.” Ryan whispers in her ear as he pulls her lacy thong aside and slips into her. The woman moans into the hand that the Alpha had smartly pressed over her mouth. “I told you to be quiet.” Ryan orders and he feels the woman kiss at his hand in apology. He snaps his hips swiftly and makes sure to keep the hand plastered over her lips; Ryan is very glad that he did as the noises she makes goes straight to his cock. Listening carefully he hears the children playing upstairs, and the sound of Iri’s iPod in the background so he figures it’s safe to go a little harder. The gent works his hips faster and faster bringing the woman beneath him to a complete mess as he uses his other hand to work her clit. They sound of the glass door sliding open has them both cumming like teenagers, and the sound of snickering is heard as well. Ryan’s knot locks itself snugly in Iri’s pussy, and with a lazy smile he kisses at the woman’s bared neck.   
“It seems we weren’t invited to this little get together.” Michael says with mock hurt as he slaps Ryan’s ass playfully causing the gent to hiss at him.   
“Oooo someone’s testy.” Ray teases as he pulls a panting Iri in for a deep kiss causing the woman to be tugged in his direction; the alpha growls possessively as his knot is tugged on roughly.   
“Leave them be, and besides you two had Gavin and I fucking you breathless a few minutes ago.” Geoff snaps at the lads who just sigh before leaving the connected pair alone. The pack alpha dips his finger in the frosting and offers Iri the finger which she takes gladly swirling her tongue all over it. Once it was clean she pulls off with a pop that makes the alpha feel the need to bend her over to give him the real thing. “That mouth may be the death of you one day.”  
“Mmm I don’t doubt it… Did you get the gifts?”  
“Yeah, and we wrapped them as well.” Gavin answers cheerily as he too snags a bit of the confectioner’s product.   
“Knock it off you two, I need that for the cake!” Iri growls with a little venom, however it was rough considering Ryan was working his hips gently bringing her slowly to another orgasm.   
“If you don’t stop moaning like that I’m going to have to get a muzzle.” Ryan threatens playfully as he strokes the woman’s chest while the others watch. “Hmm seems like the pack wants a show, what do you say we give them one?”  
“Ry… No.” Iri blatantly refuses, not that she didn’t love this but there was a difference between careless and reckless. She did not want to have to explain this to them. “Get out of me.”  
“Geoff, I think we’ve got a disobedient kit here. What’s her punishment?” Ryan asks turning to the gent who already had the collar in hand.  
“Naughty kits get collars.”  
“Geoffrey don’t you dare.”  
“Oh? Are you challenging me Omega?”  
“Damn right I am, and Ryan will you… shit.” Iri swears as she feels Geoff work the blue leather around her neck and snap it shut swiftly before she can undo it Michael uses his powers to magnetize the metal. “You bastard.”  
“I am, my parents weren’t married when they had me.” Michael adds with a smirk as the feline feels Iri glare at him.   
“You are lucky I just don’t enslave you all with my mind.”  
“Can you even do that?” Gavin asks with a degree of worry.  
“If she could do it then she would have already… I don’t think Skye’s got it in her.” Ray mumbles and the vixen merely snaps her fingers. Soon the men find themselves kneeling on the ground before her.   
“Au contraire boys, I believe I could and would.” Iri says with a smile as she let's them up and releases them. She turns back to the cakes leaving the men in mild… well really a lot of shock.  
“How?”  
“Seriously, Todd couldn’t even stop you.”  
“A magician never reveals her tricks, now tell me is everything set up for tomorrow?”  
“Yes Love, now stop worrying… It is a party after all, and Geoff is a god at throwing those.”  
“Gavin, I wouldn’t say I’m that good… more like a demi-god.”  
“Vain!” Ray yells and it’s at this moment Dexter comes storming into the kitchen with a glare on his face, and a quivering lip. Not far behind him is Scarlett who ambles over to her father with a remorseful look on her face.   
“I didn’t mean it.” Scarlett mutters regretfully, but Dexter wastes no time in clinging to his mother’s leg. “He… Poppa I said sorry.”  
“Darling what did you say?” Gavin asks but Scarlett just shakes her head.  
“Dexy, I’m sorry.” Scarlett pleads with the boy who just continues to ignore his sister’s apologies.”See Poppa he won’t even talk to me!”  
“Go to hell!” Dexter suddenly shouts and Iri immediately growls.  
“Dexter Griffon Ramsey where did you hear that!”   
“....”  
“Dexter answer your father.”  
“....” Dexter refuses to answer and Geoff just takes him from Iri’s side by the hand; he swats the boy twice, but he still keeps his lips locked.   
“Dexter, if you don’t answer me you won’t go home with grandpa next week.”  
“I heard it on tv.” Dexter mumbles in defeat as he feels his father lift him up, and he just stares defiantly at his father. “She told me I was a monster!”  
“Yeah because you bit me!”  
“I did not! You punched Leo, and I was only protecting him!”  
“Alright enough!” Geoff shouts causing the two to quiet instantly. “I do not care who did what we do not hit in this house nor name-call… Do you two understand?”  
“Yes Papa.” They both mutter before Geoff kisses Dexter’s forehead who just squirms out of his grasp, and Gavin stares sternly at his daughter.  
“Scarlett we do not hit, understand?”   
“But Poppa he.”  
“I don’t care what he did, we do not hit.”  
“Yes Poppa.” Scarlett whispers before sliding off her father’s knee and heading up the stairs after Dexter who glared at his sister. They watch them go with a sigh.   
“He doesn’t seem to like you very much Geoff.” Ray comments after the pair disappear to their room, the gent just shrugs.  
“I’m not here to be his friend… But I will admit he’s defiant like his mother.”   
“Hey I resent that!”  
“It’s true though, you are more stubborn than a jackass.” Geoff says and Iri just mutters quietly to herself, the gent however stares her down. “What was that?”  
“...” Iri says nothing choosing to go back to her cakes.  
“Iri answer me.”  
“....” Still nothing as she begins carving up the cooled cake, looking down at her sketch she ignores the Alpha who just crosses his arms, and stares briskly at her. She makes no movement to change her current silence until a song comes on. “Black dress with the tights underneath, I got the breath of a last cigarette on my teeth.”  
“Shut up Burns.” Geoff teases as he watches the fox smirk at him while pointing the knife at him.   
“Tttell your boyfriend if he says he’s got beef that I’m a vegetarian and I ain’t fucking scared of him.”  
“Wooooah!” Ray suddenly shouts joining in and the pair dance badly, which includes what they believe to be an attempt at the dougey… but they're not really sure.  
“Don’t trust a hoe, never trust a hoe, won’t trust a hoe… Won’t trust me.” Iri sings loudly while giving their Alpha the come hither sign.   
“I’m not dancing with you.” Geoff says in a deadpan voice trying to keep a straight face, it was hard to keep being angry as he watched them attempt to dance with each other.  
“I’m not your boyfriend baby, I’m not your cute little sex toy, I’m not you're lion or you're tiger… won’t be you're nasty little boy… I’m not you're knight in shining armor, so I’ll just leave you with this kiss.” Iri taunts while placing the knife on the counter and dancing toward the gent, who just continues to glare at her. Michael and Gavin who have now grabbed the iPod and are shifting through her music, looking for a song that they had dubbed the pairs song. Meanwhile Ray continues his flailing which Ryan just smiles at and joins him. It isn’t until the opening melody for Rent, light my candle that Geoff’s ears prick up. Sure he was a hardcore dude, but even he enjoyed a musical or two.  
“What’d you forget?” Geoff starts off with Roger’s part and Iri takes up Meme’s.  
“Got a light?”  
“I know you.. you're shivering.”  
“It’s nothing they turned off my heat, and I’m just a little weak on my feet. Will you light my candle? What are you staring at?” Iri sings to the man who just pulls her close to him.  
“Nothing, your hair in the moonlight… You look familiar…. Can you make it?” Geoff adds with mock concern as Iri pretends to faint.  
“Just having eaten much today, at least the room stop spinning anyway… What?”  
“Nothing… Your smile reminded me of.”  
“I always remind people of, who is she?”  
“She died, her name was Griffon.” Geoff sings tweaking the lyrics a bit.  
“It’s out again…. Sorry about your friend. Would you light my candle?”   
“You know that I will, but I don’t support this drug addiction of yours.” Geoff says with a smirk as he places a kiss on her lips. It isn’t until they hear a giggle that they realize they have an audience. Looking up the stairs they find the kits watching them with curious smiles, however when they see that they’ve been seen the group splits.  
“I need to get back to work on those cakes so stop distracting me.” Iri mutters playfully as she nips his neck, and the Alpha just chuckles with a smug look.   
“But distracting you is so much fun.”  
“Hmm it is isn’t it?”  
“Should we give you two a minute?”  
“Boi shut up, that was a lovely duet… It get’s better and better each time.” Gavin praises causing the others to nod in agreement.  
“Well my mother was a musician...and my father was a mercenary.” Iri says with a smile while parting from Geoff and going back to work on the cake.  
“So when we enter America’s Got Talent you’ll kill all our competition right?” The pack alpha asks however for the answer he receives a knife thrown at his head, which Todd deflects easily.  
“You tell me… Now will you guys leave so I can finish this?”  
“Why should I leave? This is my kitchen.”  
“Come on let’s take the kids swimming.” Michael suggests and at that they hear squeals of excitement then a few minutes later the children run down the stairs in their bathing suits.   
“Hurry!” Felicity begs them as she and the others nearly burst through the door to wait by the pool.  
“Slow down you guys, and wait until we get out there!” Ryan warns as he and the others go to put their trunks on, leaving Iri alone in the kitchen to finish the cakes as well as get supper ready.   
“Mistress?”  
“Yes Lexi?”  
“Can you believe it’s been two years already?” Lexi asks and Iri just shakes her head in mild disbelief.  
“No… They’ve grown up so much, and so quickly.” Iri tells the fox as she finishes up carving the superhero logos out of cake, and begins to coat them in colored frosting. First she does Dexter’s Batman cake which is easier, given that it’s just two colors. Once it was done she puts it aside and starts on Leo’s. It takes a little bit longer, but that is due to Iri’s shaking hands.   
“Iri are you alright?” The fox inquires worriedly as her mistress just nods, and places her piping bag down. “Are you sure?”  
“Lex why don’t you go out and play with the others?” Iri suggests with a brevity that the fox doesn’t dare question. She watches as her predator exits through the sliding door; she can see her shift into small dragon and then dive into the pool. The sound of children’s laughter can be heard, and at this Iri exits through the front of the house. Iri needed a walk… well more of a run as the woman takes off down the street. Now don’t think for a minute that she was running away, rather she was just running around. Getting onto the path that ran through the woods behind their house, she just runs. Iri doesn’t run to get away. No she runs to relax, she runs to let her mind process. The last two years had passed so quickly, and the pups grew up so fast. They’d went from crying, to talking, and then from crawling to walking to running… so very fast. And to think they were born a month early, science said they should have been underdeveloped, but they were anything but…. Hell what would they do about school? Those kids will be like geniuses compared to the others. Gavin and Ryan had already started teaching them basic mathematics. Felicity could already talk you to death with all the mythological knowledge she had, though that was mostly Iri’s fault. She had chosen bedtime stories that weren’t really made for children, and the kids loved them. Dexter was a big fan of Hercules and not Disney’s portrayal of him. Scarlett adored the Odyssey as did Leo. Felicity not only enjoyed myths, but Iri had caught Ryan reading Machiavelli’s The Prince to her as well. Which personally Iri found a bit unsettling given that the book was talking mostly of how to gain and maintain political power. However, she would not interfere with his parenting. This was something that they had agreed upon in the beginning. Ray and Ryan would discipline Felicity; Iri could as well but she rarely felt the need to. While Geoff, Gavin, Iri, and Michael would discipline the other three. Also no one would undermine one another, and everyone was to respect each other. That rule was a given, but Iri put it out there just to make sure everyone heard.   
“Help!” A voice yells and this drags Iri from her thoughts as she runs towards it. Upon approaching she finds a woman being beaten by a man. Iri wastes no time in jumping at the man, she knew it was an alpha and this woman was an omega… or maybe a beta… Her scent was faint, just like the fading light of the sun. She wrenches the man off of the bleeding woman who is crying profusely.   
“Are you okay?”  
“He has a knife!” She screams and before Iri can move out of the way the man stabs her. The knife finds it’s way into her back just below her right shoulder blade. Her mind lights up with pain, and she whirls on the man punching him swiftly in the throat. He staggers back several steps, and Iri rips the knife from her back healing what she could. Taking the blade in hand she throws it straight down at the man’s thigh aiming for his femoral artery. He screams as he falls to the ground, Iri walks over, and presses firmly into the man’s carotid artery. They watch as he drops completely.   
“Call the police.” Iri orders while ripping a piece of cloth from his shirt, and pulling the knife out. She makes a quick tourniquet ignoring the bleeding wound on her back. The police arrive with an ambulance in less than three minutes to arrest the man. Iri starts to run again, but the sound of a gun cocking stops her.  
“Miss, I need you to stop.” An officer says, but the woman from earlier shouts at him.  
“Stop that was the woman who saved me! I was just running when this lunatic attacked me, and she.. I don’t know how she heard me but she saved me!” The woman explains, and the officer lowers his gun.   
“I still need you to come give a statement, and are you aware of that you are bleeding?” He asks and Iri just nods in understanding. “Let’s get you checked out.”  
“No I’m okay, and I need to get home my kits.” Iri starts, but is cut off by the look she receives.  
“Sit down Miss, are you aware of who that man is?”  
“Not a damn clue.” Iri growls in frustration as she feels the paramedics pull her purple v-neck over her head.  
“Ma’am this is deep, it’s going to need stitches.”  
“Whatever, just do it.” Iri grumbles and the officer just continues to explain who the man was.  
“His name is Jackson Perts. He is wanted for the murder of six female omegas, five counts of rape, and twelve counts of arson around the state.”   
“Okay.” Iri says nonchalantly, she didn’t stop him because he was a serial killer she stopped him because he was attacking that woman. “Sir I really need to get home.”  
“Ma’am you are a hero, you do realize that right?” The paramedic asks and Iri just shrugs however regrets it instantly as she tears the stitches. “Please don’t move.”  
“Thanks to you this man won’t be able to hurt anyone else.”  
“Awesome, again I need to get home... So for your statement bit: I was running, heard her scream help, and then went to help.” Iri explains quickly, hopefully that was enough for him.  
“That’ll do Miss, and I’ll give you a ride.” The officer says giving up on trying to get her to stay. Behind her the paramedic was just finishing up, and he helps her slip her shirt back over her head. She follows the officer to his patrol car, he opens the door for her, and she thanks him with a nod. They drive in silence, and arrive at Geoff’s house where Geoff and Gavin are playing in the front with Dexter and Scarlett. Once he sees the car he picks up Dexter with a tired sigh and heads towards it.  
“Are you her mate?” The officer asks and at this Gavin comes over as well. “Are you…”  
“We’re a pack, but I’m pack Alpha. What did she do this time?” Geoff asks with a disappointed tone, Iri hadn’t made a habit of getting pick uped by Police however she had been several times. Though the officer just shakes his head, signalling that this wasn’t something bad.   
“Nothing bad, in fact she did something great.”  
“Love what did you do?” Gavin inquires as the pups listen carefully.  
“She took down Jackson Perts a wanted serial killer, and saved a woman from becoming another one of his victims… She’s a hero.”  
“Ehh don’t blow it out of proportion I just did what anyone would do.” Iri says humbly as she takes Dexter into her arms, with a smile. “I didn’t even know who the guy was.”  
“She’s a brave woman this one, also he stabbed her in the back but the paramedics stitched it up fine.” The officer adds, and Geoff nods while give her a worried look. “Good work Miss, and goodnight to y'all.”  
“And to you as well… Iri?”  
“Yes Geoff?”  
“So you hunt serial killers now?”  
“Uhh no, I found some woman being beaten by an alpha on my run and just stopped it.” Iri explains while purring softly at the child in her arms who purrs back sleepily. “Someone’s tired.”  
“Momma you're like Antigone, but you didn’t die.” Dexter says and Iri just smiles at his reference.  
“Antigone?” Gavin asks and Scarlett just huffs at him.  
“The daughter of Oedipus, Poppa she was the one who sacrificed herself for justice and honor… She hung herself in the cave she was imprisoned unjustly in.” Scarlett explains and Gavin just beams down at her.  
“You are brilliant you know that Darling?”  
“Well one of us has to be.” Scarlett adds with a smirk as he just pouts playfully at her. “Aww don’t cry Poppa, I love you.”  
“And I love you too my Sweet.” Gavin says in agreement as they head to the house where Ray is play fighting with Michael while the twins watch and cheer for their fathers.  
“Get him Dad!”  
“Rip his fur out!” Felicity says with a little more zeal that make Godric chuckle quietly.  
“That’s my girl.” Godric whispers through Ryan’s lips, and Felicity just laughs. “Now you see how.”  
“Ric go away!” Ray shouts as he pins Michael to the ground and the other two just pile on top. Ryan comes back to himself still wearing a playful smile as he shifts down and jumps in too. Dexter says nothing, content to lie on his mother, but Scarlett squirms away from Gavin to jump in as well.   
“Dex go play.” Iri whispers to him, but he just whines as she goes to set him down. “Dexter I have to make dinner, and finish up the cakes.”  
“Can I help?” He asks hesitantly and Iri just nods while starting towards the kitchen, making sure to be careful of the pile of people in the middle of the walkway. She sets Dexter down on top of the counter and begins carving again. The boy watches with curious eyes as his mother works on his sister's’ cake. It isn’t until she finishes that he realizes what it was. “Momma how do you know how to do that?”  
“I… I suppose the easiest way to explain it would be to say that I think of an image in my mind, and I use my hands to create it.” Iri answers before offering him a little piece of cut up cake.  
“But how?”  
“Dex… Dex I’m not really sure, I just do.”   
“Like how you know to fight?”  
“..... Uh… No, Dex that is different.”  
“How?”  
“Dex, it just is.”  
“Momma, but how?”  
“It just is!” She shouts harshly and the boy flinches at the sound. He looks down at the floor, and Iri scrubs her face in frustration. She wasn’t mad at him she was mad at herself for yelling. “Dex I’m sorry… I learned to fight a long time ago.” Iri tells the boy doing her best to keep a straight face, she wouldn’t let the memories overtake her.   
“Yeah?”  
“Yes, long before you were born and right before your eldest sister was born…. Erik taught me.”  
“But Papa says Erik is bad… why did you.”  
“Dex how many letters are in the alphabet.” Geoff says suddenly interrupting his son as his mother struggled to maintain composure. He could feel that she was going for another run tonight, and he didn’t blame her. The boy just turns to his father with a thinking face.  
“Twenty-six, I think.”  
“That’s right, now tell me what comes after 24 but before 26?”  
“Twenty-five.” Dex says with surety, he was better with numbers than he was with letters. Geoff smiles and nods softly.  
“Good job Dexter… Now why don’t you go play with Leo, he looks lonely.”   
“Okay Papa.” Dex concedes as the gent lowers him from the counter-top, and he purrs at his mother who just remains frozen at the counter gripping it tightly. “Momma?”  
“Dex just go.” Geoff tells him as the boy exits the kitchen with a concerned expression, but the gent just shoos him off. Once he was gone he turns back to watch Iri who is staring blankly at the mixer sitting in front of her. “Kit?”  
“I’m fine.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yeah… They are simple questions with simple answers, and nothing more.” Iri says but the way her tone cracks gives her away as she turns to the man. “Simple… It was supposed to be so simple.”  
“What was?”  
“I was supposed to give him a child, and leave… So simple.” Iri tells the man with a distraught expression. “I… He… a business arrangement, nothing more.”  
“Kit nothing about that sounds simple… Kit it’s alright, Baby breathe, easy breaths.” Geoff coaches as he notices how she starts to panic. Her heart rate rises and a tightening in her chest leaves gasping for air. She can barely hear Geoff and before she can get ahold of her fear the room fades to black. “God dammit!” Geoff curses as he watches the woman crumple, he leans forward to grab her right before she met the floor. “Iri, Iri come on baby girl… Don’t do this right now.”   
“Papa what’s wrong? Momma!” Dex cries in fear as he sees his mother lying limply against his father, and at the sound of Geoff’s cursing the other children come to see what’s wrong.  
“Mommy!” They shout in unison as they race over to find Geoff trying to soothe them, but it doesn’t work instead they break into tears. The fathers watch as the children coo softly at their mother, to which she doesn’t respond.   
“I didn’t mean it Momma, Momma please wake up.” Dexter urges as he remembers how this had began when he had started asking questions. “Momma.”  
“Guys it’s alright, she’s just sleeping.” Geoff tells the distraught children who are now listening to the alpha. “She’s just tired.”  
“Papa I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry.”   
“Dex it’s not your fault, she’s just had a long day.” Geoff assures the child who just nods as he steps back slowly. The alpha didn’t need telepathy to know that the boy felt guilty, and Geoff looks to Gavin who nods while using his powers to settle the pups.   
“Come on pups your mother just needs to nap.” Gavin urges as he ushers the pups to the living room where Ray had already turned on Balto, one of the groups favorite movies in hopes of distracting them. Michael picks up Leo, and Felicity reaches out for Ryan who picks her up. They settle down on the couch, all except Scarlett and Dexter who sit staring at Geoff who has their mother in his arms. Ray notices them and picks up Scarlett who growls at him, but Gavin shushes her as he grabs Dexter.   
“Let’s watch the movie, she should be up by then.” Ray tells the two who reluctantly sit down beside each other. .

About an hour later

Dexter turns to face Scarlett who is discreetly gesturing for his attention. Once she has it she crosses her legs real tightly together in a sign that they both knew was bathroom.  
“Poppa I have to go to the bathroom.”  
“Alright Darling, should we pause it?”  
“No, I’ll be right back.” Scarlett says as she leaps off her father’s lap and heads upstairs. Dexter waits about ten minutes before he says he’s going to go play and heads up the stairs. However instead of heading to the playroom he heads straight to his parent’s bedroom where he finds Scarlett lingering outside the cracked door. She waits for Dex before opening it quietly and sneaking up onto the bed where their mother lies whimpering quietly.  
“Momma, Momma it’s okay we’re here.” Dex says soothingly as he strokes her soft ears like he’s seen his fathers do lots of times, and smiles when he hears her whimpering stop, evening out into an easy rhythm of quiet breaths. Scarlett purrs quietly and the pair snuggles into her sides. At first the pups just lie there, but soon the sound of her heartbeat lulls them to sleep. 

Outside

Geoff was in the middle of picking up pool toys that the kids had left strewn about, and the others forgot to pick up. He is joined by Lexi who is flying after a representation of Todd, they were chasing each other.   
“I’m going to get you vixen.” Todd threatens playfully as he attempts to tag the swift creature.   
“I doubt it Todd, I’m much faster than you.” Lexi teases, however she wasn’t looking where she was going and crashes straight into Geoff who had been near the edge of the water. Without even blinking she creates a wall to keep the Alpha from falling into the water below. It takes a few minutes but Geoff rights himself. “I’m sorry Geoff, I wasn’t watching.”  
“It’s alright Lex, and thanks for that.”  
“No problem, hey that’s not fair I was talking.” Lexi growls as the fox nips her tail, effectively winning.   
“Life’s not fair.”  
“Ain’t that the truth.” Geoff mutters as he finishes picking up the toys, and putting them away. Normally he would have made the kids come help, but they were all settled on the couch so he figured he would just do it.   
“Hey Alpha?”  
“Yes Omega.”  
“I have a name.”  
“So do I, now what was your question?” Geoff answers with a smirk and the dragon just shifts down to her normal fox form.   
“What happened to Iri?”  
“She had a panic attack.”  
“I know that, but why? We’re still disconnected so I don’t have a clue what’s going on.” Lexi explains and the man nods.  
“Dex was asking questions again, and she tried to answer them... “  
“Again?”   
“Yeah, this is the sixth time this week… I wonder why he wants to know so bad.”  
“Why don’t you just look in his mind?”  
“Iri won’t let me, every time I go to she forces me away.”  
“Wait why?”  
“She said something about curiosity is natural and it shouldn’t be discouraged.”  
“Even though it causes her a lot of pain when she answers his questions.”  
“Yeah, and you know the boy won’t tell me on his own… I love him to death, but he acts like he hates me.” Geoff says in exasperation, there were points in time that the man truly believed that the boy hated him.  
“He doesn’t hate you.. He is just… He distrusts you.” Lexi tells the man who just cocks his head at this. “He sees your bite marks on her, and the bruises frighten him… I don’t think Dexter understands that those are claiming marks, he believes you are hurting her.”  
“What?”  
“Yeah or at least that what his mind shows me… Geoff he portrays you as a monster, here look.” Lexi says as she links the man in only to discover that when the word Geoff shows up the boy tenses and growls angrily. Geoff in Dexter’s mind is about seven feet tall with fangs similar to a snake, and he imagines his mother screaming painfully while staring into his yellow slitted eyes.   
“God damn no wonder he hates me, I would hate me.” Geoff mutters in surprise, but he wonders where he got these ideas from and that’s when it dawns on him. “He thinks I’m a basilisk…. My son thinks I’m a fucking basilisk.”  
“No… Oh my god he does.” Lexi says in disbelief as she and Todd break down into breathy chuckles.  
“No more mythological bedtime stories we’re done with those.” Geoff nearly growls as he enters the house disrupting the quiet calm, and at the sound of his angry voice the others pause the movie.  
“What?” Gavin asks as Geoff stares them down.  
“We are done reading from your mother’s books.” Geoff demands and the twins just open their mouths in what.  
“But Geoff!”  
“No more, I don’t care what else you read but no more of those stories about mythical creatures…. Read them the newspaper for all that I care, but no more from those books.”   
“Geoff what’s happened?” Ray asks curious as to what would make the gent make this sudden declaration.  
“Dexter thinks I’m a god damn basilisk Ray, he thinks I’m slowly sucking out his mother’s soul.”  
“Is that why he hates you?” Ryan inquires having noticed how lately the boy seemed rather perturbed with his father.   
“Yes Ryan, so no more of those… speaking of Dex where is he?” Geoff asks noticing they were missing two children.  
“He’s upstairs playing, and Scarlett is in the bathroom.” Gavin answers, but then it dawns on him Scarlett’s been gone for like an hour and a half. “Then again… Scar!” He shouts, but receives no answer.  
“Dexter!” Geoff tries, but receives no answer either. The pair head upstairs quickly only to find the playroom door shut and upon opening it they find it empty. Panic begins to set in when Gavin finds the bathroom empty however the sound of giggling draws them to the master bedroom where Iri is pretending to be a monster and chasing the pair around the room.   
“I’m going to get you and eat you my little pretties!” Iri says in a mock witches tone. Scarlett laughs as her mother scoops her up onto the bed and begins to tickle her while lifting the other high above the bed. Dexter just laughs heartily until he sees Geoff and Gavin standing in the doorway.  
“Momma.” Dex says fearfully and she just lowers the boy into her arms.  
“Dexy don’t worry I would never drop you.” Iri says still oblivious to the pair.  
“No it’s not that…”  
“Then what’s wrong?”  
“Basilisk.”  
“Basilisk?” Iri mumbles in confusion as she turns to see Geoff staring at them and Gavin watching with a smile. “Oh that basilisk…”  
“I am not a basilisk! I hate snakes.” Geoff shouts angrily and Iri just stares at him before turning to the kits.  
“That sounds like something a basilisk might say.” Iri challenges playfully only to find the alpha growling darkly at her. “Woah alright Geoff calm down we were just kidding.”  
“No he really believes me to be a basilisk.” Geoff says urgently and Iri just turns to Dexter who is shaking like a leaf.  
“Dexter do you really?” Iri inquires and the boy nods quickly while hiding his head in Iri’s shirt.   
“He has to be.”  
“Oh and why is that?”  
“He has fangs, and after you come back from being alone with him you're tired.. plus you have bruises and bites along your neck.”  
“Your father is not a basilisk Dexter, and those are just kisses.”  
“But.”  
“If he was a basilisk we would be turned to stone already because they say a single gaze from one can petrify you.”  
“Scarlett do you think Daddy Geoff is a basilisk?”  
“No.. I thought he was a vampire for a little bit, but he doesn’t turn to ash in the sunlight.” Scarlett tells her father who just laughs at this.  
“I am not a mythical creature!” Geoff says with a huff, and they just laugh at him. “Besides if I was anything I’d be a werewolf.” Geoff howls at the children who just smile with wide eyes before hiding behind their mother teasingly. “Oh you think that she can save you?”  
“Momma is unstoppable!” Dexter cheers and Iri just shrugs while facing Geoff.  
“Come at me wolf man!”  
“Alright you two no fighting in the bedroom.” Gavin scolds as he stands between the pair who were posed to tackle each other.   
“Aww Gavvers you ruin everything.” Iri says with a mock pout before being tackled backwards by said man who begins to kiss her roughly. “Run kits, Michael will save you!” Iri says but is mildly surprised when Scarlett just runs up and bites her father’s hand meanwhile Dexter flicks his nose.  
“Ouch, Scarlett what have I told you about biting!”  
“Not to…. But we were just protecting Mommy.” Scarlett challenges with a smirk and the man just scoops her up into his arms before kissing her forehead.  
“Fine but only because you were protecting Mommy.” Gavin says as he heads downstairs with her in his arms.   
“Now you Mister Dexter, your father is not a mythical monster, none of your fathers are got it?”  
“Yes Momma, but Papa shouldn’t kiss so rough.”   
“Mmhmm.” Iri agrees as the pair stare at the gent who just chuckles quietly.  
“Papa only kisses like that so the world know who your Momma belongs to.”  
“Papa the world doesn’t need to know, just Momma.” Dexter tells him as he crawls over to him and grabs his hand. He tugs his father over and places his hand on his mother’s chest. “And Momma knows.” Dexter says confidently, and lies down between the two who were just beaming at him. “I’m glad you aren’t a monster.”  
“Me too Dexter, me too.” Geoff whispers in agreement as he kisses Iri softly on the lips, and then ruffles Dexter’s hair.   
“Now Dexy what would you like for dinner?”  
“The hearts of my fallen enemies!” Dexter shouts as he surges up and shifts down into his fox form, then jumps on Iri’s chest.   
“Uh..you know maybe we should switch bedtime stories.” Iri mumbles quietly as she picks up the roaring fox kit, and heads out towards the kitchen where the pack has spoons and blue smiles. “So what’s going on here?”  
“No… nothing.” Gavin stutters as they all look guiltily and the omega attempts to hide the empty bowl of frosting.  
“Did you eat my frosting?” Iri asks with a knowing smile, however the others still remain silent.   
“Momma they ate the frosting.” Dexter whispers helpfully in her arms.   
“Oh I know, but I was hoping they would admit it… So onto other news what should we have for dinner?”  
“The body of a virgin!” Felicity growls as she raises her spoon high, and the adults stare at her in shock.  
“Alright we are definitely getting real stories.” Iri says with surety, and the kids just groan in disappointment. “Or actually you know I think I’m just going to go get them baptized Wednesday.”  
“Jesus can not stop us now!” Leo says in a devilish tone that makes the adults go wide eyed in mild fear. “We are the spawns of a Styx and the prince of darkness himself!”  
“.....” Iri nor none of the other adults knew what to say to that.  
“Mom we’re just kidding.” Leo mumbles as he looks to his father who was also speechless.  
“....”  
“Mommy come on it was a joke… Poppa?” Scarlett whispers as she stares worriedly at her father a quiet whimper already forming in the back of her throat.   
“You guys realize that those stories aren’t real right?” Michael asks and the kids just stare at him. “Seriously Pups we are getting you some new books for your birthday.”  
“But no, those books are amazing… They’re filled with fighting, adventures, and life goals!” Leo argues as he pouts on his father’s lap. “I don’t want to listen to about some stupid train that could…. We all knew he could.” Leo mumbles bitterly as though they were taking away something he loved dearly.  
“Leo what are your life goals?” Iri inquires curious as to what this two year old could possibly garner from those stories.  
“Stop injustice and save people, like you did today Mommy with the lady.” Leo says and Michael, Ray, and Ryan turn to her in confusion. Geoff had forgotten to tell them. “Scarlett told me that she stopped a serial killer.”  
“A serial killer!” They shout and Iri just sighs.  
“I didn’t know he was a serial killer at the time, and besides I still would have helped the woman.”  
“A serial killer though?”  
“So do you work with Dog now?” Ray asks and she just glares at him.   
“Just come eat dinner.” Iri orders as she turns off the stove, and places the kids plates on the table. “Here’s the body you requested.. couldn’t find a heart though.” She jokes as sets down the left over roast beef, salad, and some macaroni and cheese.  
“It’s okay… heart sounds gross anyways.” Dexter comments as they tuck into dinner.


	36. No more

Next Morning

Iri was awoken to the feeling of tugging on her tail.  
“Momma… Momma… Mom!” Dexter says sharply as he jerks her tail roughly.  
“Dex… Dexter what’s going on?” Iri asks hazily as her son just grabs her hand and pulls her to her feet. He tugs her out of Gavin’s warm embrace however the man doesn’t wake. She follows him all the way downstairs to the living room where he gestures to the front door. “Dex?”  
“Momma, there is a man outside and he wants you.”  
“Dex how do you know?”  
“I opened the door.”  
“What have I told you about talking to strangers?”  
“I know but he’s a police officer, and he has a woman with him.” Dexter explain and she just scrubs her face in frustration while opening the door to see what was happening. Upon opening the door she finds the people Dex was talking about, and then a pair with a news camera.  
“Miss Burns do you have a moment?” A woman dressed like a new anchor asks.  
“Uh… What’s going on?”  
“We’re here with Miss Iridessa Burns the brave woman who fearlessly saved Jessica Monroe from becoming the next victim of the notorious serial killer Jackson Perts. Miss Burns please tell.”  
“Ma’am this isn’t really the time.” Iri says as she shies away from the crew, and backs towards the house. She was dressed in her pajamas for christ sake, and she had a cake to decorate.   
“Momma what was that about?” Dexter asks as he squirms out of her arms.  
“Nothing Dex... I said leave me alone.” Iri starts to mumble as she opens the door only to be pulled into a tight hug by a police man.  
“You saved my wife, and I can’t thank you enough! Please if you ever need anything don’t hesitate to ask my name is Terry Monroe, Captain of the APD.” Terry tells her gratefully as he releases the surprised fox, and she just nods.  
“Not only a talented artist working at Austin's very own Rooster Teeth Studios, but also a true hometown hero…. Alright Will back to you.” She signs off and her camera man heads back to the truck. “That should air later today probably about 10 am if you're curious.”  
“Uh.. thanks I guess.”  
“Iri who is at the door it’s eight in the… Oh.” Ryan mutters as he sees the news van.   
“Mr. Haywood, I was merely thanking your mate for saving my wife.” Terry says and Ryan just cocks his head at the police captain.   
“Uh how do you know my name?”  
“I am required by the law to know all the Apex Predators in my jurisdiction, and your pack are the only ones in the state as of now… We had a few, but they’ve moved on.”  
“How do you know it’s us though?”  
“Well we have a few trackers down at the precinct who shift down once a month and sniff out Apexes... But we never approach them unless they’ve become a danger to themselves or society.” Terry explains and he beams at Iri. “Or do something extraordinary. Thanks again, but I’m sure you have other things to do today… Come on Jess.”  
“Coming Terr-bear.” Jess says cheerily but not before giving Iri a quick hug. “I truly can’t thank you enough.”  
“It was nothing, just doing my civic duty.” Iri tells her humbly and the woman nods before dashing off to meet her husband at his patrol car. The news van had long gone, and now left Ryan and her staring after them.   
“I never knew that they had trackers… I mean I wondered, but I never thought they would use them.” Ryan says with surprise, and Iri nods in agreement.  
“You know how that explains how Erik discovered who I was so quickly… All he had to do was influence the man, and I was discovered easily… Geoff said it was a dream walker, but I bet it was this.”  
“Big brother in action.”  
“Ryan now you sound paranoid.”  
“Not paranoid Faline, just concerned.”  
“Well would you help me hang decorations my concerned Stag?”  
“I would be delighted.” Ryan murmurs with a quick kiss to her lips that has Dexter gagging.  
“Gross!”  
“Why is it gross when I kiss Papa Ryan, but you coo when I kiss your Papa.” Iri asks her son who just shrugs. “I will never understand you.”  
“It’s okay Momma I’ll never understand you either.”  
“Well said Dex, well said.” Ryan mumbles in agreement as he kisses her again. “Now would you like to help decorate?”  
“Yeah!”  
The Party

It was about two thirty on a Sunday afternoon, the sun was shining, and the Ramsey household was filled with laughter. Iri had turned on music and Geoff was grilling outside while their kids were swimming with the guests. It isn’t until later that night once the party quiets down that Gavin brings out a few bottles of liquor for the remaining guests. Iri and Joel were in the kitchen cleaning up while the others were sharing drinks outside. The kids had tuckered themselves out and were now sleeping fitfully in their beds.   
“So do you still want us to take them at the end of next week?” Joel asks, they had been talking about letting the kids stay the weekend with them.   
“As far as I know we’re still on… Scarlett is very excited to go to the zoo, and Leo roars every time we mention it. The kits can’t wait.” Iri tells the man who smiles happily, Burnie had told her many times how excited the man was… She couldn’t help, but think that it was a shame Joel couldn’t conceive.  
“Good, I fixed up the guest bedroom and it’s all ready for next week. Now what are you six going to do without them.”  
“Sleep.” Iri answers without any hesitation. “I’ll probably catch up on my work.”  
“Work? Shouldn’t you… well you know.”  
“Sex?” Iri says stopping the stuttering man. “No thanks, I might go running all day though.”  
“Iridessa you know I don’t say this often, but you are boring.”  
“Psh, you’d be boring too if you were tired all the time. Papa it is a lot more difficult raising four kids than one might think… Even with telepathy.” Iri comments and the man just sighs at this as he wipes down the counters.   
“You act like I’m a young man, I’m forty-six years old.”  
“And yet barely legal teens would love nothing more than to rip off your pants and let you fuck them till they scream.”   
“Who wants to fuck Joel till they scream?” Burnie interjects as he enters through the sliding glass door.   
“Barely legal teens Dad.” Iri answers and her father just rolls his eyes at the comment.   
“Sucks for them because I’m the only one who gets to fuck that tight ass of his… Don’t you ever stop running.” Burnie murmurs seductively into his ear as he gropes his mate, and Iri just gags.  
“Please not in my kitchen… I eat in here.”  
“You act like your mates aren’t blathering about how hard they're going to fuck you when we take the kids.” Burnie adds and Iri just balks at this.   
“They had better not be, and as I was telling Papa here sex is the last thing on my mind… Also I’m your daughter shouldn’t you be telling me to become abstinent or something?”  
“Technically adopted daughter, and besides it’s not like you're sleeping with strangers these men are some of my closest friends.” Burnie explains and Iri just sighs.  
“Fair enough… Are you heading out?”   
“Yeah we’re going to go before he gets drunk.” Joel mutters as he grabs Burnie’s hand and heads towards the door. “Goodbye Iri, see you Monday.”  
“Bye guys and thanks for coming.” Iri says as she bids them goodbye. After the pair exits she looks out back to find her pack by the bonfire with Chris, Miles, Barbara, Lindsay, Meg, Ashley, and Blaine. Touching the mind of Ryan she sees them playing a drinking game that involved trying to piss Michael off. A deadly combination, but she was sure Geoff could reign them in if need be or she would go do it herself. However before she heads out to join them she turns to the mess that is the living room. It was filled with tore up wrapping paper, new toys, and the packaging the toys themselves came in. So she sets upon the task of cleaning it all up. It takes her about half an hour to pick up the trash, and sort through the toys, books, stuffed animals. Looking at the titles she smiles when she sees more child friendly titles such as My friend Flicka, the Percy Jackson series, Warriors, and of course Harry Potter. Iri sighs in relief at the new books, knowing that she could put her classic literature away and mythical creature encyclopedias. Gathering up the toys she heads upstairs to the playroom, which Ryan and Geoff had connected to their bedroom. It had been a weekend project that had involved a lot of swearing, trips to Menards, and the use of powers… Plus not one but two fire extinguishers, Ray had accidentally started an electrically fire. Placing the toys in the toy boxes, she peaks in the bedroom to find it empty. Her instincts immediately flare up and she reaches out with her powers to touch any consciousness she could. “Lexi shift and see if you can spot them anywhere, however don’t tell the others yet. I don’t want them to panic.” She orders as the pair splits up, Lexi heads out over the forest in search, and Iri heads out the front towards the park. It was maybe a block from their house and the kids had often went there to play, but never without one of them. Sprinting to the park she finds it empty, and that is when the fear truly sets in. Heading onto the trails where she ran, she picks up a scent that was Felicity when she was scared. Not only were her kids gone, they were scared… this just kept getting worse and worse. However Iri doesn’t let this slow her as she puts her snout to the ground and begins tracking the scent. She tracks it all the way to nearby river where the sound of laughter catches her attention. Iri runs towards the sound at record speed where she finds her children splashing in the moon lit water.   
“Kits!” Iri shouts sharply and the children all stop with wide eyes. Their mother was a kind woman with a soft tone, but every once in awhile they would hear her bell-like voice darken with an intensity that sent shivers of fear down their spines. Even Leo the bravest of them would shake in fear. It isn’t until Iri gets closer that she realizes there is one too many children.  
“Mommy what’s wrong?” Serah’s confused tone asks sending the woman into overdrive.  
“Kits come here now!” She bellows her anger turning to fear, the kits shift swiftly, and then sprint quickly to their mother’s side. Serah too comes over, but stops when her father whistles and runs to him instead.   
“Iri relax I was only taking them for a midnight swim.”  
“No! I will not relax! You are not their father, their uncle, or even related to them in any way possible that would make this okay! You are not our friend or our neighbor! You are nothing to us, and you need to leave us alone!” Iri snarls at the man as she shifts back and pins the man roughly to a tree, she uses her powers to hold him there, and begins to strangle him. “You are a monster that deserves to be tortured, beaten, and then left to die a slow painful death… You do not deserve any of the mercy I have shown you and I will not show it to you again… I am done with you Erik, now take Serah and go.” She whispers so quietly that none of the children will hear her, and Iri releases the man who pulls her back to face him.   
“I will not deny her a family.”  
“Then you should have thought of that before you kidnapped, raped, and tortured me.” Iri growls as she wrenches out of the man’s hold. “Kits you are grounded when we get home, and I will be telling your fathers of this.” The children immediately deflate and Iri gestures for Lexi to take them home. She waits until it is just her, Erik, and Serah who is quietly whimpering. Turning to her distraught daughter she picks her up, and then kisses her forehead. “I love you Serah, and I will always love you, but your father is a terrible man who has done many awful things to a lot of good people and that is why I will never go with you. You will always be welcomed in my house, but he will never be so if you wish to visit us you can… but without him.”   
“Mommy, don’t say that… He loves you, and he loves me.”  
“... “ Iri just shakes her head at a crying Serah. “No Baby, he doesn’t love me.”   
“Mommy… Mommy no!” Serah yells at her and Iri just passes the crying girl to Erik.   
“Iri you can’t… You can’t…”  
“I can and I will! I have let you break me for the last time, and I won’t let you do it anymore… Take her and go.”   
“Iri.”  
“Go before I truly lose my patience.”  
“Running away again like always.” Erik says as one last slap to the face causing Iri to see nothing but red. Iri refuses to stand for this and she whirls on the man ripping the child from his arms and placing her safely out of the way. She shifts down and tackles the man as a fox; he shifts as well and they begin circling each other. Iri didn’t care that her daughter was watching several feet away crying loudly in fear, Iri was furious. They pair snap, and bite at each other viciously. It isn’t until Iri feels his claws slice down her back that the man breaks away from her. The fox yowls in pain, but retaliates by sinking her teeth deep into the panther’s side. In a moment of pure instinctual movement the panther lunges for her exposed throat. His claws connect and Iri feels the blood rush out of the wound on her throat. It was like flipping a switch as Erik watched in horror as the fox crumple to the ground her eyes wide. Serah screams in terror and Erik shifts back instantly. “I’m sorry, I… Serah follow me, and keep up.” He shouts at the crying girl who shies away from him. “Serah!”  
“She’s dead… You’ve killed her.” She shouts in dismay, and her father shakes his head.   
“She isn’t… I’ve used my abilities to force her blood to clot, but I need to get her to Geoff. Now follow.” Erik explains as he picks up the fox who lies limply in his arms, her eyes still wide wide. Serah shakes her head fearfully and refuses to move from the spot. “Lexi!”  
“What have you done to her?” The dragon growls angrily as she swoops down after having led the kits home she came back to see how her Mistress was. Upon seeing her being held by man, and blood soaking her neck she snaps. Shifting into her most fearsome form, a large pitch black dragon that had teeth sharper than razors.   
“Lexi stop, I need you take Serah… Please I need to concentrate on keeping her wound clotted, and I can’t carry both of them.” Erik begs and the dragon nods reluctantly. She shifts down to the size of small pony, levitating the girl on, and then Lexi takes off to the house. He runs as quickly as he can making sure to maintain the clots integrity as he ran. They make it to the house in record time where only her pack remains, and his daughter sits crying on Ray’s lap whispering something to him, presumably what had happened. Upon noticing her arrival the pack raises their hackles and growls are sounded by all even Serah who stopped crying to growl quietly.  
“Ristau, what did you do?”  
“Geoff it’s just a flesh wound… You can heal it very easily.” Erik assures the Alpha as he holds the woman still while Geoff uses his abilities. It takes merely moments before the wound closes up and it leaves nothing but a large scar that takes up most of her neck… In other words it looks like a panther clawed her throat. “I....I didn’t mean to, we got into a fight and Geoffrey you know how.”  
“What are you doing here Ristau?” Geoff asks, his tone deadly and his eyes narrowed.   
“I came to let Serah see her siblings.” Erik tells him calmly. “It isn’t fair that she be denied a family.”  
“Then leave her with us.” Ray says suddenly breaking the uneasy silence. “She would be taken care of and loved… And we would never have to deal with you again.”  
“She is mine, and you cannot have her.” Erik snarls at the omega who stands up with the girl in his arms and forms a ring of fire around them. “Give her to me Raymond.”  
“No, she deserves to be raised in a house that isn’t home to a lunatic.” Ray challenges and the alpha merely raises a hand, clotting the blood in the other’s arteries causing him to drop.   
“Ray!” Ryan shouts as he races to his fallen mate. Serah who had scrambled away from them now runs from the adults too busy with each other to notice… or at least that’s what she thinks until the shape of her father’s sleek panther form appears in front of her.   
“Serah get on, it’s time to go home.”  
“But Daddy, I.”  
“No, now get on.”  
“Yes Daddy.” Serah mumbles sadly as she drags herself on top of her father’s sleek back. The slip off into the night, leaving the pack staring after them.

Twenty minutes later

“... Where am I?” Iri grumbles from where she rests on the ground beside Gavin.   
“Love are you.”  
“Where is he?” She growls as she shifts down and narrows her eyes in anger. Before they can stop her the fox takes off in the direction her mind tugs her. Slipping into Erik’s mind was child’s play in her angered state, nothing could stop her from reaching the man. Using her anger she crushes the man’s resistance. “You won’t get away from me this time.” Iri snarls as she pushes her paws faster and faster.


	37. The Injustice of Revenge

Erik/ Serah

“Daddy what’s wrong?” Serah is shouting as she watches her father frozen at the wheel the car still speeding along. She shakes him roughly trying to get him to move but the man remains deathly still.  
Iri 

She is horrified by the scene before her… It was so familiar, yet terribly unfamiliar at the same time. A car smashed into a tree, metal crunched in an unnatural way. Iri shifts back and sprints towards the burning wreck, she could smell gasoline.   
“Serah! Serah!” Iri screams as she searches the wreckage, but in a twist of fate she sees exactly what she hadn’t wished to. She finds Serah’s little body mangled in a way that can only be described as horrendous. Blood was everywhere and Erik had a piece of metal running through his head, effectively impaling him, and even with his powers she knew he couldn’t survive this. It isn’t until she sees headlights behind her, and the sound of doors shutting that Iri hears the gas tank ignite. The force should have sent her flying with second degree burns at the very least, but the fire is instantly redirected around her.   
“Iri!” Geoff shouts worriedly as he watches the flames consume everything but her, and once Ray had managed to subdue them the group rushes over. “Kit are they?”  
“I… I killed them.” Iri whispers, and the others immediately shake their heads.  
“No Kit.”  
“Geoff, I did… I didn’t mean to… I didn’t.” Iri stutters as she feels a wave of nausea overtake her, and she falls to her knees throwing up. Her head hurt, and she felt like her heart was going to give out… and the air in her lungs seemed to be nonexistent. The world seemed to spin, and she watched with a sense of distance as Geoff lifts her up slowly. Her mind was racing as was her heart, and she watched without really watching as Ray was calling someone. She felt herself being set down in the backseat of a truck, but her brain wasn’t really registering much other than that. Geoff is trying to talk to her, but she understands nothing other than what she’d done. She’d killed Erik that much she knew… She didn’t realize it at the time, but her powers had stopped his heart… now that alone hadn’t been good enough for her angered mind, she had frozen his muscles in the exact position they had been in at his time of death, and that brought her to how Serah died… Serah had been in the car next to him… without meaning too, she’d killed her as well… Iri can’t help the wails that escape her. Geoff says nothing only holds his crying mate who sobbing brokenly into his chest. The Alpha said nothing because what do you tell the mother who inadvertently killed her child? He knew she hadn’t meant for it to turn out like this, she had merely wanted the justice that was owed to her… but what injustice was this… The police arrive and Ryan handles it quickly explaining how they’d been following their friend to a nearby party when he had suddenly veered off the road… Geoff listens as the man calmly lies, and the police accept it easily. He was half tempted to let Todd truly influence the man but the fox assured him there was no need.   
‘He believes Ryan because they do not see any obvious signs of foul play.’ Todd whispers quietly as he works his way gently into Iri’s mind. He finds Lexi attempting to comfort her, but the woman shuts her mind off to the fox. Todd however very softly slips underneath her guard to ease her into sleep. She tries to fight him at first but the fox is insistent, and much sooner than normal she gives him. Geoff listens as the loud sobbing soon quiets to nothing more than even breaths of sleep. ‘We need to get her home so Lance can keep her under.’ Todd tells his human who nods in understanding.   
“Do what you can, but don’t force her if you can... Lexi, I need you to head back and tell the others what’s happened.” Geoff says softly to the dragon who leaps dutifully out car’s window and takes flight into the night air. She could still smell burning flesh, and to think that it was sweet little Serah’s nearly causes her to drop from the sky in mourning. Lexi however had a job to do, and she would do it. Getting to the house is a quick affair and then getting in she explains what happened to the two Omegas who instantly share distraught expressions.  
“... She didn’t mean to kill Serah… The anger was just…” Lexi trails off, and Michael just stares at her in understanding… He knew how much anger influenced his powers, and he could imagine how it would influence hers.  
“It’s overwhelming, but how is she doing?” Michael asks and Lexi just shakes her head.  
“Todd had to put her to sleep, and Geoff… Geoff doesn’t know what to do.”  
“Alright Lancelot will do what he can.” Gavin assures the small dragon who sits on the couch, and curls up on herself. The brit picks up the quietly sobbing creature and strokes her soothingly.  
“How could she… She’s never that reckless.”  
“Lexi, we all have blind spots in our anger… And Erik is a very large blind spot, I would have done worse in my rage.” Michael explains and Gavin nods his head in agreement.  
“I wouldn’t have been any better… I would have consumed his mind with so much depression that he slit his own throat.” Gavin adds sadly. “And I hate that I would, but I will never forget what he’s done.”  
“Nor will I, and frankly no one blames her Lexi… How can you blame her for killing a monster?”  
“But Serah!”  
“Lexi, he has killed some many innocent children in his life that the streets could run red with blood… One more means nothing to the hundreds more who won’t die.”  
“Lex, it’s tragic… but the world is better without him.” Gavin comments and the dragon just settles back down, as the man uses his powers to calm her. “He didn’t deserve the life he had.” Is the last thing Lexi hears before she is whisked away under the vale of sleep.


	38. Sponsored by the letter D for depression

The Next Few Months 

Geoff watched over the course of weeks as the woman he once called mate withered to a husk of her former self. She wasn’t vibrant, she wasn’t rebellious, and she wasn’t Iri… The pups would coo at her and she would break down into tears. Miles had commented worriedly to him that her work was nothing it used to be… It was like the vivaciousness had been wrenched out of her, and no amount of anything seemed to bring it back. Even Lexi was different, the fox would no longer shift forms other than her fox one and more often than not she wouldn’t leave Iri’s mind. The pack had tried to cheer her up, but nothing seemed to work and they watched in distress as she pulled farther and farther away from them. Gavin would try to use Lance to help her out, but the woman would put up a wall so thick that even the wily wolf couldn’t break through. Next Todd had tried to coax her out of the depression, but he had felt himself beaten down so fast that Geoff didn’t dare let him try again. The kits as well seemed to be discouraged by their mother’s sadness. Leo and Felicia refused to read anything that wasn’t happy, and the other two had taken to purring uselessly at their empty mother. Her body was there, but her mind wasn’t. The loss of her first born child had destroyed her mentally, and Geoff had caught her slipping out of the house at nights. He would follow her only to see her running to the old apartment she and Michael still technically owned; this went on for about four months before Geoff questioned her about and she would merely shrug, providing him with no answer other than that. Around the seventh consecutive month of her depression they noticed something strange as though someone had flipped a switch on her… Iri started singing on this rainy Tuesday evening. She was singing to the kits quietly, and at the sound they all fell silent instantly. Their mother hadn’t said anything to them other than what was strictly necessary in over half a year. The melody was quiet, and the refrain came straight from their mother's bleak heart, even the kits knew this.  
“I'm going away for awhile, but I'll be back don't try and follow me... Cause I'll return as soon as possible.” Iri sings in a somber tone, she skips several lines choosing to hum instead. “And there's no one road, we should not be the same... But I'm just a ghost, and still they echo me. They echo me in circles.” Iri catches how wide eyed the kits are, and she can see the hopeful smiles on her children. She says nothing rather choosing to keep singing however, this time she changes the melody to something uplifting and begins again in a louder voice with a little more emotion… Something she would sing just to piss Geoff off, only because she would sing it angrily… Something even the kits would remember, though probably only because she is a really angry person sometimes… well most of the time. “Used to know how to do this without losing my cool, but you crept too much inside my head, rolling over in my bed tangled up in what you said. Terrified this just might never end.”   
“Easy on my tethered soul, giving you all I got but you're coming in whole. It's the best I can do, nothing is ever good enough for you. Easy on my tired eyes they've been up all night cause my mind is tied It's the best I can do, nothing is ever good enough for you.” Scarlett sings loudly while their mother hums the music and Felicia picks up where her sister left off.  
“Chasing the days away. Back and forth, this game we play it's sickening, but we can not quit. How did we get so far down? Run ourselves into the ground. Pull us up for air, but we still drown.”   
“Very good you two… I think you may have picked up a little of Grandma’s musical talent.” Iri says praising the two kits who beam at their mother's kind words.   
“Mommy can we do a different song… that’s a girl song.” Leo asks and Iri just chuckles quietly while handing the boy her iPod. A thumping bass drum as well as a guitar can be heard and Iri isn’t sure at first what it is until Leo sings the first verse. “Yeah, I get. You're an outcast, always under attack, always coming in last. Bringing up the past, no one owes you anything. I think you need a shotgun blast. A kick in the butt. So paranoid, watch your back!”  
“Leo that song sucks, let me pick.” Dexter inquires and the younger boy nods, letting his eldest brother choose something. He shifts through the list until he finds a song that Iri would sing right before bed time, it had a soothing melody and the comforting voice of the man singing lulled them asleep most nights. “Woah woah for the longest time.”  
“If you said goodbye to me tonight, there would still be music left for me to write.”  
“What else could I do? I’m so inspired by you… That hasn’t happened for the longest time.”  
“Once I thought my innocence was gone, now I know that happiness goes on. That’s where you found me when you put your arms around me. I haven’t been there for the longest time.” Iri adds and she feels her children wrap their arms around her torso. “I’m that voice you're hearing in the hall, and the greatest miracle of all is how I need you.”  
“And how we needed you too.” They sing in unison and Iri feels tears prick at her eyes. “That hasn’t happened for the longest time.”  
“Maybe this won’t last very long, but you feel so right and I know I’m not wrong. Maybe we’ve been hoping too hard, but I’ve gone this far and it’s more than I hoped for.”   
“Who knows how much further we’ll go on, maybe I’ll be sorry when you're gone. I’ll take my chances, I forgot how nice romance is. I haven’t been there for the longest time.” Iri sings, and Scarlett picks up the next verse, unaware to the gentlemen listening carefully from the doorway.  
“I had second thoughts at the start; I said to myself, hold on to your heart. Now I know the woman that you are, you are wonderful so far, and that’s more than I hoped for.”  
“I don’t care what consequence it brings. I have been a fool for lesser things. I want you so bad, I think you ought to know that; I intend to hold you for the longest time.” Leo sings and in moment of surprise they hear Ryan’s deep baritone pick up the last chorus.  
“Woah ohhhh for the longest time… Woah for the longest time.” Ryan sings making it fade in time with the music.   
“That’s quite an impressive set of pipes you’ve got there Stag.” Iri mutters with a surprised smile and as though it was infectious the pack couldn’t help but mirror it.   
“I was a choir boy for a little while.”   
“You were a choir boy?” Ray asks incredulously, and the gent just sneers at him.  
“My mother thought it would keep the devil out of my young impressionable soul…” Ryan trails off after hearing Godric’s echoing laughter.  
‘Your god couldn’t save you from me.’ Godric says darkly, and it sends shivers down his master’s spine. ‘Mine.’  
“Still uber creepy.” Iri comments and the blonde nods in agreement. “But he is a good man… well wolf, I guess.”  
“He thinks you're a strong woman with a heart that he compares to a warrior’s heart.”  
“Uh.. thanks?” Iri says, but seeing her confusion the wolf takes over for a brief moment. Ryan’s eyes flick from blue to hazel.  
“A warrior’s heart is coated in steel, yet still open to love… Harder than titanium, and stronger than most. I would follow you into battle.” Godric explains and then let’s Ryan come back up.  
“That means a lot Godric, and I would be happy to have you…. So all we need is a battle.”  
“Slow down there Joan of Arc, the only thing you are fighting off is starvation.” Geoff says and gestures to the woman’s even slighter figure. “You couldn’t even hold a sword if you wanted to.”  
“Geoff I am very capable of holding my own.. even near death.”  
“So are you… Love are you okay?” Gavin asks softly and the woman just nods hesitantly.  
“I’m… I’m better, but okay is pushing it Gavvers.”   
“We can work with that.” Michael adds and Iri just smiles softly as she lifts up Leo who had been tugging on her skirt.   
“We missed you… The real you.” Leo murmurs into her shoulder, and the woman sighs.  
“Me too Leo, me too… I think we should make waffles for dinner in celebration of my return.”   
“Waffles!!!!” The kids cheer, and Iri just grins while putting Leo down. They head to the kitchen to prepare the waffles. Leaving the men standing in silence.  
“I’m not complaining because this Iri is definitely better than the last one, but doesn’t it feel too sudden?” Ray asks, and the men shrug.  
“Grief is different for everybody, and it affects others in strange ways.” Ryan suggests, but even Geoff shakes his head.  
“No, he’s right… This isn’t right, but for now I won’t question it. Ray’s right when he says this Iri is better than the last.”  
“You make her sound like an iPod… Perhaps we should just trade her in.” Gavin jests and the others just stare at him blankly.   
“Bad joke Gav, then again I’m still waiting for a good one.” Geoff replies causing a round of chuckles to sound amongst the room.   
“...” Gavin glares silently at the man.

Downstairs

The kitchen was filled with laughter as Iri and the kits chased each other with waffle battered hands. It had started off innocently as Dexter dipped his finger in it and then booped his mother’s nose with it. She had retaliated of course, and soon they were covered in batter as was the kitchen counters… and the floor, very little had actually made it to the waffle maker. Scarlett was currently in the middle of running a messy hand down her mother’s tail effectively coating it in the substance; when they hear Geoff clearing his throat loudly and see the others staring at them.  
“What’s this?” Geoff asks and watches as Felicia drops the plastic mixing bowl guiltily; it clatters to the ground spilling the rest of the batter.   
“Nothing.” Iri lies as she tries to contain the giggles threatening to escape. However, the kids weren’t as straight faced as they watch a glob drip off their mother’s nose.   
“Alright kits to the bathroom, bath time.” Michael orders and the children just march up the stairs still giggling quietly. Splashing can be heard, and Iri is surprised by the sudden mouth on her neck. Her body reacts instantly and she pushes him off holding back a moan.   
“Geoffrey!”  
“What Kit?” Geoff asks as he nips playfully at the woman’s neck again, and is pleasantly surprised when she doesn’t rebuke him. She mumbles something, but it comes out unintelligible save for lusty moans. “You want to play tonight?”  
“Papa only if you use my collar.” Iri challenges with smirk, and Geoff laughs quietly.   
“You haven’t called me that in a long time.”  
“Mmm I figured it might confuse the pups if I were to call you Papa.” Iri explains to the gent who just smiles and laps at the batter on her neck. “I.. Geoff.. God I’m close.”  
“Close?” Geoff says in skepticism and confusion.  
“Christ Love, that’s soon even for you.” Gavin mumbles as he finishes wiping down the counters, and Ryan chuckles.  
“Shut…. Please Geoff.” Iri begs as the gent trails his fingers over the base of her messy tail playfully. The man however stops and gestures to the mess on the floor. “Geoff?”  
“Clean this up, and we’ll play.”  
“And if I refuse?”  
“Then I’ll lock you in the playroom tied up and wanting.”  
“Psh, I can just untie myself.” She challenges and the Alpha growls sternly while jerking her tail roughly. In a shocking turn of events Iri falls to the ground gasping in the grips of an orgasm. The men laugh meanwhile Geoff just huffs. “... I… win.”  
“Up, and in the bedroom.” Geoff orders, and the woman ignores him choosing to lay on the floor; however she tilts her hips to make sure she’s presenting up to them. “You think that’s going to lessen your punishment?”  
“Geoff look how sweet she looks, all sticky and purring.” Gavin argues, but the Alpha just rolls his eyes uncaringly.   
“She looks like that whenever we have an orgy.” Ray points out with a smartass tone, and Iri just uses her tail to cover her ass, her face wearing a blush.   
“Faline, so bashful suddenly… Hmm maybe we should take you to the office like this… Let Blaine and Aaron wonder what you're covered in, perhaps even tie you to the desk like this. The rumors those two start would be priceless.” Ryan proposes, and listens to the woman whine softly while shifting up so she was kneeling with a pout.   
“Don’t listen to Rye-bread, we’d never let a pretty little vixen like you be ravished by those brutes.” Gavin whispers as he hands her a rag to wipe up the spots. “Though I’m sure it would be worth watching.”  
“You guys are gross.” Iri mutters as she cleans up the mess, and it isn’t until she feels Geoff tug her tail that she looks back. “Can I help you?”  
“You could, now go shower while we feed the pups.”   
“Very well.” Iri says as she heads upstairs passing the others on their way down.   
“Momma are you having dinner with us?” Dexter asks and the fox shakes her head.   
“Not tonight Buddy, I’m going to shower and then work on a few pictures.”  
“Will you at least read us a story?” Scarlett asks, Iri just nods.  
“Sure, now go eat… Papa Geoff made waffles.”  
“We tried to, but Dexy distracted us.” Felicia says and the boy just shrugs.  
“It was fun, and besides Momma didn’t have to put it in my hair.”   
“That is true, but where’s the fun otherwise?” Iri points out and Michael says under his breath.  
“Yeah says the woman who didn’t have to scrub waffle mix out of four children’s hair.” Michael says in a huff, and Iri just leans in to kiss him. “You taste like waffles, and Geoff.”  
“Gross!” The kids shout as they storm into the kitchen where the others have placed plates on the table.  
“What’s gross?” Ray asks as Felicia crawls up into his lap to eat.  
“Daddy Michael said Mommy tastes like Papa Geoff.” Felicia mutters and the other kids just make grossed out faces.   
“Oh does she now?” Ryan asks and looks up into the hallway to investigate and he finds Michael kissing Iri roughly up against the wall. He shakes his head and heads back into the kitchen where the kits are finishing up. “She probably tastes like Michael now.”  
“Daddy stop!” Leo shouts as he puts his plate in the sink and dashes up the stairs. He wiggles in between the two and pushes at his father. “Daddy you are going to ruin her kisses.”  
“Leo… Leo what are you doing?” Michael asks breathily as he is forced away from his mate.   
“Her scent will be gross if you keep kissing her.” Leo pouts and Iri just chuckles at her son, who purrs at her. The vixen purrs back and the boy nuzzles her thigh lovingly. “Mommy don’t kiss anyone.”  
“Very well my little lion, now go back downstairs.” Iri says to him, and the boy grabs his father’s hand before heading back down. She smiles after then and heads toward the bathroom. Once inside she picks at the clumps of dried batter, and then tries to work a brush through the mess. However none of this works, in fact she’s pretty sure it was made worse by the brush. Tugging uselessly at the now stuck brush, she merely growls in frustration as her attempts to work it free are in vain. With a sigh she steps into the large shower, and wets the mess, hoping that it would be easier to clean that way… Her hopes were mildly correct as it gets wetter she is able to slip the brush free, and begins working on the rest of the clumps.


	39. From Friends to Enemies, the Geoff and Erik Story

About an hour later

It takes Iri forever to get the rest of the batter out of her hair, and then her tail as well. Her tail had taken significantly less time and Iri liked to think that it was because of her cleaning prowess, but realistically it was probably just loose enough for her to rinse off easier. Right as she is about to get out the sound of knocking is heard, and Iri wipes a slash in the steamed up glass shower.   
“Ello Love.”   
“Top of the morning Governor.”  
“Oye don’t make fun of my heritage!”  
“I’m not… I’d be off my trolley if I was.”  
“You're a cheeky little Pet aren’t you?”  
“It’s true… I’ve been known to be a complete wanker on occasion.”   
“Please stop, that accent is utter rubbish.” Gavin mutters as he watches the woman exit the shower with a grin.   
“Yes Gavin.” Iri answers him, but silently causing the man to stare at her with wide eyes.  
“Love… Love…. Iridessa!”  
“Gavin I’m right here, what do you need?” Iri decides to tease the man further by mouthing as if she was talking to the man, and at this Gavin’s eyes go wide.   
“Bullocks, your voice! I'll get Geoff.” Gavin nearly shouts as he races back out of the bathroom, leaving Iri in a fit of laughter. She really hoped he didn’t believe her to be mute because that would be dumb even for him.   
“Iri stop messing with Gavin!” Geoff tells the woman sharply as she enters the bedroom in search of clothes; however she is surprised by Geoff’s hands around her waist, tugging her to face him. The man nips her neck as he clasps the leather collar around her neck with a smile. “Now go read a story to the kits.”  
“Psh… You act like I’m doing it because you told me to.” Iri challenges, but yelps when she feels a swift slap to her ass. “I’m going to bite you if you keep that up.”  
“Then I’ll tie you up outside like a bitch ought to be.”  
“Don’t call Momma a bitch! Papa that’s mean!” Dexter’s angry voice growls as he storms into the room, and Geoff bites his lip.  
“Dexy, Papa was just kidding.”  
“Papa you shouldn’t kid like that, it’s hurtful.”  
“Of course, Iri I’m sorry.” Geoff says apologetically, and then turns to see the boy still crossing his arms. “It was wrong of me to call you a bad word.”  
“It’s okay Geoff, I forgive you… Now go get in bed Dex, I’ll be there in a second.” Iri tells her son who just nods while heading back to his room. She dresses quickly and heads over to kit’s room where they are lazing in their beds. Ryan had built two sets of bunk beds, and with the recycled wood from the crib he’d built some more shelves… The kids had acquired a small libraries worth of reading material. Though they each had individual beds Leo and Felicia were curled up in his bed while Scarlett and Dexter were sharing hers. She’d noticed over the last few months that they’d become closer. It was a tragedy that she caused this, but it was even worse how she’d handled it; she’d let her work suffer, her mates as well, but worst of all she’d estranged her own kits from herself… ‘What a great mother I am? Killed the first kid, left the others wondering if they were loved by me… I’m a real piece of work.’ Iri mumbles to herself and Lexi just shakes her head.  
‘They knew they were loved.. I have yet to see that thought wander into their minds, and they love you very much.’ Lexi reassures the woman who smiles a little while reading several chapters from one of the Harry Potter books. Stopping when she sees all of their eyelids flutter shut, kissing each of their brows before leaving the room, and shutting the door softly. Shifting down she heads down the stairs making sure to be silent as she heads towards the front door. However she spots Geoff standing in front of it with a leash in hand.  
“If you're going out then I’m going with you.”  
“.... I was just going…”  
“No you're going to come upstairs and play with your pack.”  
“Geoff I did the other night.”  
“Iri you were there, but you weren’t there, there… Kit come play with your Papa.” Geoff pouts needily and Iri chuckles at the man’s whimpering. “Pleaseeee.”  
“Geoffrey stop being a child.” Iri says with a roll of her eyes, only to be tugged roughly by the leash, and then lifted up into his arms. He carries her back upstairs where her mates are quietly lounging about the room. Gavin was pinning Ray to the bed and scenting him heavily; Michael was curled up in Ryan’s side purring contently as the gent strokes his back.   
“Gav can you keep it in your pants for like a day?” Michael asks as he watches his boi nuzzling Ray’s neck possessively.  
“Bugger off.” Gavin growls as he nips at his scarring mark right below his left collarbone, sure he was horny but what else was new.   
“Gavvers what’s wrong?” Iri inquires playfully as she shifts back, and kneels at the end of the bed. If Geoff was going to make her stay tonight then she may as well have fun with it… Then again she did say earlier she would play as long as he collared her. “Hmm what’s got you so worked up Pup?” Iri murmurs seductively in the man’s ear as she runs her hands down her exposed torso. She places soft kisses down his spine and works him off the complacent omega beneath him. Drawing Gavin away from Ray had been a double edged sword, and now she had handsy Gavin smothering her in kisses. Iri couldn’t help but feel different about this whole situation…. Sure in the last months they had sex, but it wasn’t the same. This was here and now… The feeling of Gavin pushing her down to the bed and kissing her with fervor, this was passion… and god did she miss that, but in this moment she felt something nagging at her. Something sinister, and threatening to consume her mind if she didn’t take control. It left a sour taste in her mouth and a pain in her heart that she fought constantly to subdue, comparable to fighting a riptide… Nearly impossible, and it sapped away all the strength she had, though fighting was what she did and tonight was no different. She would put on a smile for the others, and she would try to be genuine if it was only for them… and if only for tonight. Let them believe she was better, and maybe if she truly believed it, it would be true as well. With each thrust and forced moan she can feel the creature pushing it’s way in, twisting, writhing. The monster had a name that she knew well, and with bated breath Iri whispered it’s name quietly....  
‘Guilt...’  
“Baby girl look at me.” Geoff’s strong voice demands, Iri tilts her face to the side to meet his as Gavin works himself in and out. “Are you okay?”  
“Yeah… right there Pup…” Iri trails off with another fake moan, and making sure her mind was clouded thickly by her barriers. It would only serve to confuse Todd or Lance if they tried to enter her mind to check for the truth. Running away from her mates was her next best talent, besides fighting with them.   
‘Mistress?’  
‘I’m sorry Lex, I’m trying to reign it back… I.’  
‘Don’t fight it.’  
‘Lexi what are you talking about?’  
“Just let it happen.” The fox whispers before snapping herself free, and appearing in the corner of Iri’s vision. Lexi says nothing else before disappearing completely.   
“Lexi?... Lexi!” Iri shouts as she scrambles away from the men who watch her in confusion. She didn’t care about their confusion, she only cared about finding her fox… her other half. Lexi couldn’t leave her, Lexi just couldn’t… Iri needed her more than she needed to breathe. “Lexi!” Iri wails as she runs out the back door, but even then the fox is no where to be seen. “Alexia!”   
“Iri what’s wrong with Lexi?” Geoff asks worriedly as he watches his mate stare off in the distance with distress.  
“She’s gone… She… Lexi!” Iri shouts desperately into the cool night air, even her own self couldn’t stand to be with her.   
“Kit come inside, we’ll find her.”  
“You don’t understand Geoff, she’s gone. She doesn’t… She can’t stand to be near me anymore.”  
“Iri.”  
“No! Geoff do you know what this is like? Can you imagine how it feels to have killed your own child?” Iri trails off at the realization .. He may not have killed his child, but he knew what the death of one felt like.  
“I can.” Geoff answers calmly. “My mate and unborn child were killed in a car crash.”  
“Oh… Geoff I… I.” Iri stutters in stupidity, how ignorant of her… Acting as though she’s though only one to know tragedy.  
“You know we have a lot more in common than you think… I met Erik in basic, we were best friends nearly the second we met. He and I were part of an elite group of soldiers that were trained separately for covert missions was the official description... They tested us, and pumped us full of drugs that promoted stronger skeletal muscles, faster reflexes, but most of all elevated our gifts. I remember watching Erik rise through the ranks in our elite group, but as he rose in power his humanity seemed to fall. I never knew how far gone he was until our last mission in Kuwait together. They told it was a simple task with minimal casualties.... Even now I still don’t understand what happened really, and I probably never will, but it doesn’t matter now… All I know is that Erik lied to me, we were supposed to protect a diplomat's family on their way to the airport. Erik had assured our small squad that the resistance would be minimal at most…” Geoff says as he stops for a moment to look at the woman listening with caring eyes. He wasn’t sure when, but she had wrapped her arms around him comfortingly. Geoff holds her tightly while resting his chin on her head, taking comfort in the smoky scent that resided there. Her distress had been muted, and in it's place Geoff saw nothing but her calming blue eyes. It was strange to think he was telling this story to her, but it seemed to be the right time... So he continued on taking strength in her steady gaze. “Resistance was heavy, and in the end I watched Erik execute an unarmed mother as well as her two children. The sense of betrayal in their eye’s is something I will never forget for as long as I live, and then the way he murdered our squad mates was horrendous. I tried to stop him, but he has an immunity to my powers and I would have died if not for Todd, who changed the trajectory of the bullet he shot at point blank range… Once our superior’s learned of his murder spree they court martialed him to death, but even then Erik had contacts to protect him. He wasn’t always a monster, and before you killed him I saw the real him shine through… just briefly… I saw my friend for the last time that night, but I’m not sad to see him go. The Erik Ristau I knew was long dead, and that man was just a monster wearing his skin.” Geoff explains to the woman who is now crying in his arms. He watched her calming gaze break down, it was slow at first but as he neared the end it became more and more cracked... It only proved to him how hard she tried to hide from herself, but in the end the truth would always shine through.  
“Serah..”  
“She was an accident. You didn’t mean to hurt her.”  
“I… I didn’t.”  
“No and you will remember this till the day you die… You will remember what happens when you mix anger and your powers. Control is often learned the moment you needed it most.”  
“I don’t want to remember.” Iri whispers into the man’s chest. “I don’t want to need Otto to numb me to the point where I can barely feel my fingers break. I don’t want to push Lexi so far down that she can barely breathe, that she feels the need to leave me, and mostly I don’t want to live in this reality.”   
“Would you like me to make you forget?” Geoff suggests to the fox who shakes her head…. Also who was Otto, and was he the reason she left at night. This was a question he would pursue at another time seeing as this didn’t feel like the right time.  
“If I were… If I were to die would you all be able to move on without me?” Iri ask honestly, and the gent stares down at her in thinking. He is silent for several minutes before answering truthfully.  
“No… Your death would devastate me beyond belief, and I wouldn’t be able to go on.”  
“Don’t… Don’t say that.”  
“You wanted the truth, and that is the truth Kit… I could lie and tell you it would be all rainbows and sunshine, but that wouldn’t be the truth. After Griffin another death would destroy me.”  
“The truth hurts.”  
“It hurts worse than being stabbed in the gut.”  
“Geoff she’ll come back won’t she?” Iri asks changing the topic.  
“When Lexi is ready she’ll come back, a fox always returns home.” Geoff murmurs into the top of her head as he feels the woman shiver beneath him, reminding him that she was only wearing Michael's long sleeve shirt and he was in nothing more than a pair of boxers. “Let’s go inside.”  
“I… I’m going to stay out here for a little bit.” Iri stutters as she shifts down and is surprised by how easy it was, it meant Lexi was still listening. Geoff says nothing rather just unclipping the leash still connected to her collar.  
“We’ll be here when you get home.” Geoff says knowingly, and the woman nods gratefully. “We love you, and that will never change.”  
“Thanks Papa, love you too.” Iri tells him with a genuine smile, the first one in awhile as she creates a pathway made of nothing into the night sky. Geoff watches her leave with a sigh before he heads back inside to find Gavin a whimpering mess.   
“What’s wrong Gavvers?”  
“I shouldn’t have touched her like that, I remember what you told us about letting her come to us… I thought she was ready, I’m a.”  
“Gav it wasn’t you… trust me.” Geoff says helpfully, trying to reassure him.   
“Where did she go?” Gavin asks as he sniffles quietly.  
“She went for a walk.”  
“By herself?” Ryan says with doubt, but Geoff shrugs.  
“Trust is a two way street, and I trust her.”  
“Romantic and all Geoff, but shouldn’t we be worried?” Ray points out as he cuddles into Ryan’s side purring warmly. “She left yelling for Lexi like she lost her goddamn mind, that can’t be good.”  
“Lexi decided to leave her, but I saw her shift so the fox is nearby.”  
“She’s with Marcus on the roof.” Michael answers calmly, he’d watched the wispy feline disappear earlier right after Iri had left. “He tells me she’s had it rough.”  
“How so?”  
“Well the way Marcus explains it is that Iri was pushing her away to keep her from being forced to feel what she felt. It did nothing though, and even after Lexi tried to explain this to her, she refused to listen choosing to continue her disconnect… We’ve been having sex with Lexi for the last few months, and Iri has been effectively avoiding us for much longer than we thought.” Michael explains with a frustrated sigh. “Lexi tells me that she’s been running.”  
“Running?”  
“She’s been physically running all night, and sleeping for a solid four hours on a good day. Lexi also tells me that unless someone has made her eat, she hasn’t.”  
“Well that part we knew, that’s nothing new.” Ryan adds, but Michael shakes his head.  
“No, Lex says she’s been purposely starving herself… I thought she just liked wearing our sweaters because it was comfortable.”  
“Lexi, how much does she weigh right now?” Geoff asks and the dragon flies in through the window landing on the open window sill silently.  
“Maybe ninety-two pounds soaking wet, Geoff she’s very sick.” Lexi tells him worriedly. “I tried to tell someone, but she’s strong.”  
“Her endurance is something to admire, but god damn she’s going to kill herself.” Geoff mutters and that is when the dragon cringes while gasping in pain. Lexi loses her balance on the sill and falls to the floor, curling in on herself. “Lexi?”  
“She fell.” Lexi answers, and at this the man just picks up the predator who doesn’t even bother fighting him. “On a highway.” She whispers in horror. “Geoff she’s… Oh god she’s hurt.”  
“Where?” He asks while grabbing his keys and dashing out the front door. Geoff has only driven ninety-five several times in his life: once when Burnie had convinced him that it was a work emergency (Which was really just getting Geoff to talk them out of paying the rent for a couple of months on their first office), when he found out Griffin had died, and lastly when he found out Iri was giving birth; however now this was another time where he sped through traffic, tactically avoiding other cars with a trained precision he’d learned in the army, and they pull over on the side of the highway thanks to Lexi directions.  
“There, she’s on the shoulder! Iri!” Lexi shouts as she jumps off the gents shoulder and flies down to where the fox is breathing shallowly in a patch of crumpled bluebells. “Mistress I’m sorry, I.”  
“No Lex… I was doing really well until the… gust of wind knocked me off….” Iri mutters with a smile. “I’m sorry Lex, I shouldn’t have forced you….”  
“Iri?”  
“Iri!” Lexi cries as she watches the fox shift back and her chest suddenly fail to rise again.  
“You aren’t dying tonight.” Geoff growls sharply as he starts chest compressions, while Todd works on healing the tissue damage. Todd manages to heal her punctured lung, bruised kidneys, a cut through an artery in her heart, and the multiple lacerations covering her body. After he was finished the woman awakes with a start as she inhales sharply.   
“I was dead…. Worst thirty seconds of my life.” Iri mumbles in between gasps causing Geoff to roll his eyes before pulling the woman into his arms.  
“You are reckless, hopeless, and selfish… but you are also mine.” Geoff whispers in her bloody hair as he holds her tightly. “Don’t leave me Iridessa, just don’t.”  
“Sheesh abandonment issues much?”  
“Says the woman who has been switching minds with her predator.”  
“I’m not understanding the abandonment part of that.”  
“Shut up and get in the truck.”  
“Carry me?”  
“Of course… Aren’t you cold?” Geoff asks as he lifts the ridiculously light woman up and into the nearby truck. “Iri, Kit you are so skinny… Baby girl this isn’t healthy.”  
“I.. I know Geoff, I’ll be better though.” Iri promises the man as he runs his hands over her torso. He curses himself for not noticing this early, this was terrifying… How could they have all been so oblivious to her state that they allowed it to come to this? “Geoff I’m sorry.”  
“Kit, I’m sorry too.”  
“What are you sorry for?”  
“For letting you do this to yourself. I’m your Alpha, I should have stopped this a long time ago, and now after seeing this I won’t let you do this anymore… You will get better.”  
“I’ll never be what you see inside.” Iri murmurs to him, and he just shakes his head.  
“But you are. You are strong, resilient, and smart... that is what I see inside.”  
“Geoff it’s a song…” Iri trails off with a quiet chuckle. You know the saying that people who experience death find a sense of clarity or something, well Iri was definitely experiencing something. It was a mix of relief, regret, anger, happiness, and a bunch of other shit that made Iri question why the hell she had been sitting over the highway. Of all the stupid shit she’s done, she hadn’t meant to fall but the fucking wind had to be a dick… It was safe to say as she was placed in the passenger’s side seat she was more than scared straight. Death wasn’t something to toy with because it was a cold ass mother fucker.  
“Oh… Still it’s the truth, now let’s get home.” Geoff says as he pulls back onto the road and the pair heads home. They’re greeted by the worried eyes of the others, and in typical Ray fashion he decides to break the silence.  
“We good?”   
“Uh… We’re good.”  
“No, we’re not good.” Geoff declares and Iri just cocks her head at this.   
“Old man what do you mean?”  
“Look at her, does anyone notice anything strange?” Geoff demands and the man just stare at the fox woman who holds her tail closely to her body. He forces her to put it down, and Ryan flips on a lamp. What they see shocks them into gasps.   
“Love…” Gavin whispers quietly as the sight of her finally hits him. They could count each one of her ribs, and her spine vertebrae were clearly defined it was a miracle none of them had noticed earlier… How hadn’t anyone seen this?  
“Baggy clothes, and hiding.” Iri answers having heard their loud thoughts, and at this she feels her eyes start to water. She was hideous, and she knew it but she couldn’t bring herself to eat. Geoff watches the woman look at the floor and wrap her tail around her slim waist. “I didn’t mean to let it get this bad.”  
“We know… Love why don’t we go to bed?” Gavin suggests softly as he ushers the sick woman up the stairs; however when they get to them she is barely able to lift her foot, but she refuses to give up. He lets this continue until he feels her begin to get frustrated, and scoops her up gently.  
“Thanks Pup.” Iri mutters tiredly into his chest.  
“Anytime Love, anytime.” Gavin whispers as he carries her to the bed where he pulls her close and they fall asleep rather quickly.


	40. Disastrous decisions that are detrimental to the demure dame

Downstairs

“How bad Geoff?” Ryan asks once the pair disappears, and the gent just closes his eyes.  
“...”  
“Answer me.” Ryan demands with a growl as he forces the man to look at him.  
“She died tonight.”  
“Died?” Ray and Michael mutter heart brokenly as they stare at the Alpha scrubbing his face in anguish.  
“I had to perform compressions to restart her heart as Todd healed the damage to her body.” Geoff explains and Ryan scowls with his eyes closed in more disappointment than actual anger.   
“What do we do?” Michael asks and the men shake their heads in unknowing.  
“She won’t see a shrink, and the thought of medicating her breaks my heart even more than seeing her like that does... “ Ryan trails off, the alphas had talked about this seriously for a long while but today had been going so well that the thought had completely vanished.  
“She’ll get better.” Ray mumbles quietly as he turns away from his mates heading to the stairs.  
“And if she doesn’t?” Ryan asks, causing the ocelot hybrid to scoff.  
“She always gets better, just give her time.” Ray whispers softly as he disappears completely.   
“Michael why don’t you go to bed too? I need to talk to Ryan.”  
“Sure thing Old man.” Michael says, he didn’t have the heart to fight and if the Alphas needed to talk he would let them. Though part of him couldn’t stand that he was being pushed aside like nothing more than an Omega. Regardless, he heads up the stairs to find Gavin curled around Iri, and Ray staring at the ceiling while lying on the edge of the bed. “Ray spoon with me?”  
“Gayyyy.” Ray draws out in a whisper that has both men chuckling softly, however the Latino allows Michael to pull him in close.   
“How do you know she’ll be okay?” Michael asks after a few silent minutes of holding Ray.  
“Cause she’s Team Stray.”  
“What the fuck does that mean?”  
“It means that we’re blood brothers… er brother and sister.”  
“Dude you fucked your sister?”  
“No, it’s just a matter of expression.”  
“So explain what makes you so sure she’ll bounce back.”  
“She’s tough plain and simple. This is the woman who got kidnapped, tortured, raped, beaten, became an orphan twice, had five kids, killed Erik with her mind, and even stopped a serial killer. She has done way more good than bad, and we just need to trust that she will get better.” Ray explains to the omega who scoffs quietly.  
“Weren’t you the one who just scorned Geoff for his trust in her?”  
“This is different Michael…”  
“I fail to see how.”  
“It just is alright.” Ray snaps quickly effectively ending the conversation, and Iri who had been listening silently isn’t quite sure how she feels… She knows she shouldn’t have left earlier, and she knows that she was sick, but other than that she didn’t know much else. Perhaps she should go visit Otto tonight, sure her body was malnourished but if she tried she could make it.   
‘Kit you aren’t going anywhere.’ Geoff says in a deadpan voice in her mind as he and Ryan enter the room silently. They’d been gone for about an hour talking over the situation, and everyone was asleep in the room besides them three. ‘We’ve decided somethings.’  
‘Like what?’ Iri thinks back, she didn’t like the tone of his words it made her nervous.  
‘We’re taking you to a doctor.’  
‘No.’  
‘Kit, it’s for your own good.’  
‘Faline you need help.’ Ryan adds as Geoff loops him in. ‘It’s not forever, just till.’  
“I told you no.” Iri growls as she pulls herself from Gavin’s tight embrace. “I can do this on my own.”  
“Kit, even I needed counseling after Griffin's death… She can help you, and again it’s not forever just a little while.” Geoff explains as he pulls the shaking woman into his arms, he couldn’t tell if she was shaking from exhaustion or anger. “Ms. Beaumont is a very nice woman.”  
“I... I… will you come with?”  
“Of course, if that’s what you want. I’ll be there.”  
“Faline it’s truly for the best.” Ryan whispers as he strokes her back soothingly, and the woman nods hesitantly. She didn’t believe a word coming from their mouths and hell be damned if she was going to see a shrink. They’d want to talk about her feelings, her family life, and all that other bullshit… She wasn’t going, end of discussion.


	41. Intent Matters

The Next Day  
5 pm

Iri knew she should have driven separately. At first she’d thought Geoff was taking her to get some supplies that she’d requested, however it was when they turned into an unfamiliar parking lot that she realized what he’d done.   
“No.” Iri states very plainly as they sit in the parking lot, Geoff had managed to pull her out of the car but she refused to budge. “Geoffrey I am not going in there.”  
“Iri come on it’s not that bad.”  
“I don’t see why I can’t just talk things over with you. I.” Iri starts, but stops when a woman exits out the front of the small office building. She wore a black pencil skirt, a white flowy blouse, and a simple pair of diamond earrings. Her hair was a light blonde and Iri guessed she was in her forties, or maybe late thirties… She wasn’t unattractive, and from her dominating scent Iri knew she was an Alpha.   
“You must be Ms. Burns.” Beaumont’s voice says in a pleasant tone, that makes Iri snarl. “Hmm Geoffrey mentioned you might be opposed to this.”  
“Clara, she is truly a nice person… A bit rough around the edges.” Geoff tells the smiling woman who just chuckles calmly.   
“Well Ms. Burns you are here now, so why don’t we just get.” Clara starts, but it’s at this moment Iri breaks free and shifts down to run towards the large field surrounding the office. “It’s always the foxes.” Clara curses as she shifts down to that of a large cougar and cuts the woman off at the pass.   
“What the fuck?” Iri stutters as the fox is cornered by the cougar.  
“Do you really think Geoffrey would take you to a normal psychologist?” The cougar asks with a sassy expression, and Iri growls ferally at the cat. “Now would you like to do this like civilized people or do I need to drag you into my office?”   
“I’m not going willingly if that’s what you're asking.”   
“Very well…” Clara says with a sigh, and Iri feels herself pushed by the very ground she was standing on.   
“What in.”  
“I manipulate earth, now shift back.” Clara orders as she forces them back to the front of the building where Geoff is waiting patiently. The women shift back and Geoff smirks as Iri just crosses her arms while glaring at him. “Now that everyone is acquainted let’s get started, Ms. Burns if you please.”  
“I hate you, both of you.”  
“Hmm but I love you so let’s go… Gavin says Dexter is becoming worried.”  
“Dex? Geoff we need to go then, we need to get him.” Iri says worriedly and Clara makes note of how strong her reaction is to this.   
“He’s fine, just go. The sooner you go the faster we get to go home.” Geoff tells her and the woman nearly sprints to follow Clara into her office. After filling out some basic paperwork Iri is led to a room that one can only describe as zen. The walls were a soothing blue, a tiny desk waterfall ran in the background, and the black couch she was told to sit on what was perhaps the most comfortable couch she’d ever sat in. Though she couldn’t truly appreciate the room’s value as it was all done purposely to make her feel at ease. Even the pheromone in the air was their to soothe frazzled Omegas. She was a little proud of herself for not succumbing to this lady’s tricks, and even as she sat silently, on thee wonderfully comfortable couch her mind was strong.   
“Now let’s start with something basic.”  
“Can I just cut you off there, I’m not going to tell you my problems so you can psychoanalyze me and he’s not going to make me. So perhaps we should just save each other’s time and call it a day. I have kits who need me, and work to do.” Iri says sharply cutting off the woman who merely offered her an amused smile. “I fail to find anything here even remotely funny.”  
“Perhaps not amusing, but the way you can so bluntly define this situation tells me all that I need to know.”  
“Oh please, how much does that really tell you.” Iri says while rolling her eyes at the woman's over confident smirk.  
“It tells me that you believe me to be inferior even though I am an alpha and you are an omega, which leads me to believe you were raised by alphas. If that’s true and I’m guessing it is given the nature of your cold stare, then it also means you were adopted seeing as Alphas cannot have children… How close am I?”  
“And by the way you take that cocky tone, I’d say you have been doing this profession for a long time. You were raised by an alpha and an omega, who judging by the way your eyes soften when they meet mine. I’d say your mother was the omega, and your father beat her as well as you. I bet he damn near killed you when he found out you were an alpha, unless you ran away from home… Tell me how am I doing?” Iri conjectures smugly, and she didn’t even need to use her powers that much to figure out that.   
“Iridessa! I’m sorry Clara, she’s.”  
“No Geoff don’t apologize she’s right, and you know what else I know about you Iridessa?”  
“Do tell?” Iri says with a smug smirk, what else could this woman possibly know.  
“I know that you hate yourself, and you can’t stand the face you see in the mirror. I know that you starve yourself in hopes you’ll garner someone’s attention because you need physical attention to know they still love you. You don’t understand how such a broken woman could be loved, and most of all it terrifies you to know that even after all the awful things you’ve done multiple people still want you… You think you're a monster, and how could anyone love a monster… Rather cliche of you.”  
“...” Iri says nothing else only stares at the woman with steely eyes, and it isn’t until Geoff places a hand on her thigh that she breaks her concentration.  
“Is that true?” Geoff asks gently as he watches the woman bite her lip, and stare silently at his hand kneading her skin softly.   
“Oh it is Geoffrey, and she refuses to admit it because it makes her question whether or not she could do the same for someone else.” Clara responds and it isn’t until she see tears drip onto the woman’s exposed thighs that her tone softens. The elder woman knew that she'd struck a nerve with her, and this blunt diagnosis even Clara felt bad. Iri felt naked, she felt raw, and she felt exposed even though her dress covered most of her thighs. She didn’t want to be here, and she didn’t want the woman’s words to be true even though they were. “Iridessa, accidents happen and anger is a powerful emotion.”  
“I want to go home.” Iri mumbles holding back the sobs that threatened to surface.   
“Kit, it’s alright… Hey look at me.”  
“Ms. Burns the pain you feel isn’t yours alone to bear. You needn’t hole yourself up in your mind, release the emotions.”  
“No… I have seen what anger does, I don’t need to see what the others do.” Iri says as she curls her knees up to her chest, she wanted to go home and hold the children she didn’t kill.   
“Geoffrey, I think it’s time to call it a day… Iridessa, we’ll work through your emotions together, and I’ll show you what each one can do if used positively.” Clara says gently to the woman crying into her knees. “Here’s my cell, if you need to talk before our next session.”  
“Thank you.” Geoff says politely as he takes the card and sticks it into Iri’s purse for her. He watches as the woman unfolds herself and makes a beeline for the door. After Geoff pays the woman, he heads out to find Iri sitting in the front seat wiping at her eyes, and her headphones in. The man gets into the truck and starts it up, pulling out onto the road without saying a word to the tearful woman; he doubted she would say anything to him if he tried. About halfway home he feels her head rest on his shoulder. Looking down briefly he sees her nuzzling his shoulder, and he notices how her ears were swiveling around at each sound. “You did very good today.”  
“...” She doesn’t say anything just nods in understanding.  
“I’m proud of you Kit even if you did verbally assault a psychologist.” Geoff adds and listens to the woman chuckle.   
“Did you expect anything less?”  
“No, not really… I was expecting worse actually.”  
“How could have that been any worse?”  
“Well you could have thrown her, made us forget what we were doing, or caused us to turn on each other.”   
“Geoff?”  
“What?”  
“Do you think I’m really that evil?”  
“.... Is that a trick question?” Geoff says jokingly and the woman just deflates at this. “Kit, I was kidding.”  
“I’m serious though, do you think I would really hurt someone?”  
“Not knowingly. I don’t think you would ever hurt someone if you knew what you were doing, even when you fought Erik at the club… It was a long time ago, I know. I watched you hold yourself back, you could have killed him, but you held back… Even untrained you could have ripped his throat out, but you didn’t rather you let him win.” Geoff explains and Iri wonders how he knew that… She’d never told him, but she could have killed that man. “I know because I know you and you aren’t a killer.”  
“It doesn’t change the facts though.”  
“No, but intention matters.” Geoff tells her as he pulls into the driveway. He turns to face the woman who is looking up at him with sad eyes. “Intent matters more than everyone gives it credit for… You only intended to stop the man, not kill him… Our powers are harder to control given that stopping a heart isn’t hard. Doing it is something that even Todd doesn’t like to do.”  
“Have you ever?”  
“Yes, when Erik got done torturing we would stop their hearts offering them a more peaceful route than the barrel of his gun.” Geoff says and Iri just watches the man sigh with a heavy heart. “Take solace in knowing that they are in a better place now.”  
“That’s cheesy even for you.” Iri whispers with a sad smile.  
“Come on Gavin and Ray are serving dinner.”  
“They can cook?”  
“Not very well, but well enough to boil hot dogs.”  
“Give mine to the starving African children.” Iri mutters and the gent just glares at her.  
“No, you are going to eat something.”  
“Kidding Geoff, sheesh you make one starvation joke and you jump down my throat.” Iri says in mock anger, however the gent just pulls her to face him.  
“Of all the jokes you could make did you need to make that one?... Also that wasn’t even that funny.” Geoff asks and with a smile he kisses her gently.   
“Hey a gal’s gotta try right?”  
“Not you, you never need to try… Now let’s go before Gavin burns down the house.” Geoff tells her and the pair heads toward the house's entrance.


	42. The Need for Stability

Inside

“Dexter eat your food or you are going straight to bed. Felicia if you bite Michael one more time I’m going to spank you. Scarlett sit down and eat, Leo enough!” Gavin yells, the man was at wit’s end with both alphas gone and Iri too the children weren’t listening. Michael wasn’t helping rather choosing to antagonize the children, and Leo followed his father’s suit. Ray was attempting to cook, but it was failing miserable. Gavin nearly keels over in happiness when he hears the front door open with Geoff and Iri entering.   
“Momma!” Dexter shouts happily as he abandons what Ray was calling mystery meal, he runs straight to his mother and wraps his arms around her. She lifts him up easily and kisses his cheek. “I missed you.”  
“Did you have fun with Mr. Nathan, and Ms. Rachel at Daycare today?”  
“I did, and Leo got a gold star for helping clean up.” Dexter tells her and she just beams at her son who was now sitting perfectly still in his chair. “Papa Ray sucks at cooking.”   
“Speaking of, Ray what is that smell?” Geoff asks as he enters the kitchen to find some sort of concoction sitting on the stove. It looked like a lasagna, but smelled like burnt tuna… and Geoff didn’t want to know why.   
“You know Geoff, I’m not really sure.” Ray answers truthfully as the gent picks up the ‘food’, he was using that word loosely, and dumps it in the trash. “Cooking is not my strong point.”  
“Why didn’t you guys just eat the hot dogs?” Geoff inquires and the lads just shrug.  
“You guy’s make it look easy, so we figured it couldn’t be that hard.” Michael adds and the pair just shake their heads in agreement.  
“Next time just cook the hot dogs… Did they eat any of it?”  
“No Mommy, it smelled like Daddy Ryan’s shoes.” Leo replies as he holds his nose, and the others gag.   
“How about Papa Geoff and I make you guys some real food?”  
“Please!” They beg in unison and the other two just smile while heading to find something quick to make. The pair comes up with homemade chicken stew with biscuits on top, and after about thirty minutes the children are sitting at the table ready to eat.   
“Careful guys it’s hot.”   
“Yes Momma.” They say and Michael uses his powers to cool it down slightly.   
“Should be okay now guys.” He assures them and they start to eat. “How was the appointment?” Michael asks after the kids finish up and they were sitting down to eat. After washing hands and faces the kids went upstairs to play before bed.  
“It went as well as expected…. Iri eat.” Geoff commands as he watches the woman pick at the bowl in front of her. “So how were they?”  
“Chaotic, they don’t listen for shit when you guys are gone.” Gavin answers as he settles down at the table with tired eyes. “Michael didn’t help though.”  
“Boi, what do you mean?”  
“You know damn well what you did… Mingey little ginger.” Gavin mutters and the pair turns to face Michael who indeed looks guilty.  
“Does he deserve to be punished?” Geoff asks and Gavin just nods eagerly. “Finish and then head to the bedroom Michael.”  
“What? You aren’t even going to ask what happened!” Michael says in outrage and the Alpha just growls at him. “Fucking unfair that’s what this is.” He grumbles quietly as he takes his last bite and storms up the stairs. Geoff finishes up, and then looks sternly at Iri.  
“You aren’t leaving this table until that bowl is empty.”   
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything rather choosing to pick at the food in front of her…. It shouldn’t be this hard, all she needed to do was put the spoon in her mouth. Not rocket science, yet moving her hand seemed to be more difficult than calculus.   
“So what’d you guys talk about?” Gavin asks cheerily trying to change the subject as he watches their mate stare down a bowl of chicken stew. It wasn’t even a particularly big bowl, but she looked as though staring at it would make it disappear.   
“Iri I know you're amazing and all, but you won’t absorb nutrients through staring at it.” Ray tells her very plainly and the woman just sneers at him.  
“Very funny Raymond.”  
“Testy much?”  
“It’s been a long day alright.” Iri snaps at the man who raises his hands in backing off gesture.   
“Did the meeting go that bad?”  
“It wasn’t particularly fun if that’s what you're asking.”  
“Oh… I’m sure it will get better.” Gavin says hopefully as the fox just rolls her eyes. “Love it is for your own.”  
“Will everyone just stop! I don’t need to be taken care of, I’m my own person and I don’t need your help alright!” Iri yells lashing out at the man as she gets up from the table, and heading to the back door which Ray quickly heats up the handle. When she reaches for it she pulls back with a yelp healing her burnt hand quickly.   
“Stop being difficult Skye and eat the damn food… Or I will have Ryan force feed it to you when he gets home.” Ray threatens and Iri just laughs. “Fine sit there and smile while I text him.”   
“Whatever Raymond.” Iri pouts as she sits down in the chair, and it isn’t minutes later that Ryan opens the door. He had been on his way home when he’d received Ray’s text about how Iri was pouting at the table.   
“Where’s my little Siren?” Ryan shouts loudly and at this Felicia comes streaking down the stairs.  
“Daddy!”  
“How are you my musical morning glory?”  
“Daddy I’m not a flower, and I don’t sing nearly as well as Scarlett or Mommy.” Felicia says as she feels her father pick her up gently. “But it’s okay because I’m a better swimmer.”  
“Mmm you know I would love you even if you were unable to do anything.”  
“I know, but Daddy it would be statistically improbable for me to be unable to do anything.”  
“It’s true, so how was your day?”  
“Decent, Pops tried to make dinner.”  
“He did?”  
“It was gross, but Mommy and Papa Geoff came home just in time to make something better. They made stew and it was amazing!” Felicia raves, that’s when he kisses her forehead and puts her down.   
“Well I’m going to have some, are you guys ready for bed yet?” Ryan asks and the girl just shakes her head. “Go get ready and Pops will be there to read you a story.”  
“Okay Daddy.” Felicia says cheerily as she bounds up the stairs. Ryan just smiles after her, and enters the kitchen where Gavin sits watching Ray create pictures with fire in the air. His smile changes to a scowl when he notices Iri tied to a chair, and a bowl of soup setting in front of her.   
“Pup untie me.”   
“No you are going to run out that door if we do, and Geoff said you couldn’t leave the table till the bowl is empty.”  
“How am I going to eat if I have no hands?”  
“You know she makes a good point.” Ryan points out and Ray just comes over, placing a light kiss on his lips. “Mmm good evening to you Mr. Narvaez.”  
“It was until she refused to eat more than a bite.”   
“Ahh so that’s what those messages were about, Iri how was your appointment?”  
“You know it was just super great, real break through, and you know I don’t think I need to go again… Seriously I’m all better, now if you could release me it would be a fabulous end to this already fabulous day.” Iri says sarcastically and Ryan just sighs at her before sitting down in front of her. He picks up the spoon and holds it in front of her mouth. She says nothing, rather choosing to clamp her lips closed tightly, and Ryan just waits a few moments before he plugs her nose. They watch as she holds her breath, and after a few minutes opens her mouth gasping for air as Ryan slips the spoon in and forces her mouth shut again.   
“Swallow it Faline or this is going to take all night.” Ryan warns as he keeps the woman’s jaw forced shut till she finally relents and swallows. “Good girl, now just eat the rest of this.”  
“I’m not.”  
“Eat it now or I will force you to!” Godric demands strictly forcing his way up, and cutting off the woman’s resistance at the source. His eyes flash back to normal, signalling that Ryan was back. Iri justs nods complacently and Gavin undoes the ropes; she eats the rest slowly and once the bowl is full she excuses herself. “Don’t you dare throw that up or so help me god.”  
“... whatever Ryan.” Iri mutters in defeat as she slips outside.  
“Well that could of went better.” Geoff says as he walks down the stairs with Michael in tow by his leash. “The kits are in bed, watching a movie.” He assures them and the others nod.  
“So what happened today? Did she and Clara talk?” Gavin asks as the pair descend the stairs fully, Geoff leads Michael over to the couch where he gestures for him to sit on his lap. Michael however, just stares defiantly at the man.   
“Geoff I’m not you're pet.”  
“Omega on my lap or I open that ass of yours so far open Ryan and I can knot you at the same time.” Geoff threatens, after this afternoon he was in no mood for disobedience. Sensing this Michael relents and sits down on his lap with a quiet hiss as his cherry red ass is aflame due to Geoff’s paddling. “Good boy now open your legs wide for me.”  
“Geoff the kids.”  
“The kids are fast asleep, and their door is shut. If you are still worried then keep quiet, however if you continue to disobey me I’m going to make sure they come wondering… Now spread your legs.” Geoff orders and Michael inches his thighs apart, the alpha purrs contently as he wrenches the man’s shorts off. After the clothing was gone he calls Gavin over. “Present.”  
“Yes Alpha.” Gavin mutters obediently as he bends over and spreads his legs slightly so Geoff can see the slick just starting to dribble out of his hole. Swiping his hand over his omega’s exposed hole several times he takes the grassy smelling slick and starts to stroke Michael.   
“See why can’t you be like Gavin? So eager, and willing… hell he’d probably finger himself open now if you asked him too, in fact Gavin start doing that.” Geoff says and the omega nods slowly before he starts to trail his fingers around his puckered hole that was getting wetter and wetter at the alpha’s commands. Gavin starts to moan quietly and they watch as he works two fingers in and out of himself easily. He was already on a third as Michael was starting to whine needily a signal that he was going to cum soon. Geoff however just tuts at this, and slips a cockring around his omega’s leaking member. “We’re not done yet Michael, and Gavin let me see your cock…. See he’s a good boy, now there, nobody will be cumming till I say.”  
“Yes Geoff.”  
“But Daddy.” Michael whines in frustration and is only greeted by a deep rumbling in his alpha’s chest.  
“Good boys are seen not heard… Unless you’d liked to be tied up outside for the night?”  
“Daddy.”  
“Very well.” Geoff resigns with a sigh as he grips Michael’s red collar tightly and drags him out the back door, he ties him to the patio table before heading back in. “Take that ring off and I will spank you after we drop the kits off tomorrow morning.”   
“...”  
“That’s what I thought, now I’m going to go play with my obedient omega.” Geoff says with heavy emphasis on obedient as he closes the sliding door and locks it leaving Michael to curl up under the patio table. The alpha just smirks as he watches the omega resign to his fate. “Finally, now Gavin let’s see… Friendly little puppy aren’t you.” Geoff purrs as he feels his mate open up his jeans and work him free quickly. The man wastes no time in kissing the hardening length, and his kisses soon turn to long languid licks that make the gent gasp. Gavin says nothing rather choosing to keep lapping at his Alpha’s cock, and then he makes his way to his balls making sure to pay them the same attention as his member. Geoff however, decides enough is enough and pulls the man forward. “Stop playing, and get to work… Show Ryan why I call you my good boy.”  
“Y.”  
“Pups don’t speak Gavers you know that.” Geoff scolds lightly as he grips the mess of brown hair, and pulls the man to his cock. As Gavin works his member he looks up to find Ryan and Ray watching casually. Ryan had told Geoff that he loved to watch him work, said something about the way the foursome worked so well together… Well usually it was a foursome, but now that he thought about it where was their fourth member…. “Gavvers no teeth.” Geoff warns him and the man just hollows his cheeks a little more. “Good boy.” He praises and goes back to wondering where their fourth was. Gavin starts to gag a little as Geoff pushes in deeper, and the sound causes Geoff to be pushed over the edge. He pulls out, and cums all over the floor with a sated smile. “Gavvers clean that up for me… Ryan where’s Iri?” Geoff asks as he watches Gavin lower himself to the floor and lap at the mess. The man puts himself away before turning to face Ryan and his blushing omega. Geoff still found it cute that Ray would blush at such things, it was endearing to know that someone's innocence still seemed intact after all the filthy acts they've committed.   
“Uh.. She went out back after dinner why?”  
“You know she died last night, I feel we should be keeping better track of her.” Geoff says with a scowl as he notices how Ray was stroking himself while whimpering quietly. “Gavvers, help Ray out please.”   
“No it’s okay, I’m really close anyways.”  
“Ray…” Geoff trails off as he watches the boy’s muscles stiffen orgasm.  
“Fuck.” Ray whines as he cums all over his hand, and Gavin says nothing rather choosing to crawl over. The man offers Gavin his hand and the omega just licks his hand clean. “Mmm good boy Gavin.”  
“Thanks X-Ray, Geoff am I done yet?” Gavin asks and the alpha nods.  
“You did wonderfully, you know I never have to worry about you disobeying.” Geoff praises with a smile as he kisses the man deeply and taking off his green collar. He hands it back to the man who heads upstairs to put it in their drawer. Gavin comes back lighter than a feather from all of Geoff’s praising, however he remembers the cock ring but decides not to touch it.  
“So are you really leaving Michael outside all night?” Ray asks as he glances towards the door to find the space Michael once occupied was empty. “Uh… he’s not there.”  
“Are you shitting me?”  
“Sorry, he’s gone.”  
“And so is Iri, she took her purse and her keys.” Gavin adds causing Geoff to curse in frustration, totally ruining his post orgasmic bliss.   
“Those two are a fucking pair you know it? Hardheaded, angry, violent, and fucking disobedient.”  
“Papa?” Dexter’s soft voice comes quietly as the boy rubs his face sleepily.  
“Dex what are you doing up?”  
“I want to snuggle with Momma, and Scarlett kicks really hard in her sleep.” Dexter explains with a yawn as he wanders over to his father who was sighing softly. “Momma is gone again isn’t she?”  
“She is, but how did you know?”  
“You always sigh through your nose like that when she’s gone.” Dexter tells his father as he feels himself lifted into his arms. He puts his head on his father’s shoulder as he takes him back upstairs. “She’ll be back in the morning.. like she always is.”  
“Do you know where she goes Dex?” Geoff asks the boy who just laughs sleepily.  
“Papa I gave up trying to understand her a long time ago, but did you check the whiteboard she usually leaves notes on it.” Dex suggests as he is laid down onto his own bed, and Geoff kisses his forehead while handing him his stuffed tiger. Geoff just exits the room and takes his son’s advice heading to her art studio and flips the switch on. The light floods the room and he’s almost sorry he did, the pictures were morbid and bloody scenes that would give him nightmares for a week at most. However upon making it to the white board he finds that it has a schedule, and a list of art supplies. Looking over the schedule he finds something strange, for the last half a month he finds a location, time, and the name Frank. Instantly it makes his hackles rise, who was Frank and why had they been meeting every night at 10 pm? Heading down the stairs he grabs his keys, Gavin, and the pair heads out after showing it to Ryan and Ray.   
“Geoff, I feel like you're over reacting.”  
“If she’s fucking cheating on us I’m going to kill her, and where the fuck is Michael? I have called him six times and he still hasn’t answered.” Geoff growls as he drives the car to the address on the board. It was a park, not insanely far from the house, maybe a twenty minute drive. They pulls up and park the truck next to a car that Geoff knows is Iri’s based on the Weiss decal in the back window, and the bright green back pack in the passenger seat. It was Iri’s art bag and she never left the house with it, something about inspiration striking anywhere, even in depression she was still an artist. However before he can say anything the sound of grunting and clashing metal causes them to look up. The pair head quickly towards the sound and find Iri backed up against a tree with a blade pressed flush with her throat. Right as Geoff is about to say something he watches her elbow the attacker in the gut and knock the sword from his grip. It clatters loudly to the floor, and Iri kicks the man swiftly in the back of the knees sending him to the ground.   
“Ms. Burns you have got to teach me how you do that.” The man says as she pulls him up with a smirk.  
“A magician never reveals her tricks.”  
“You always say that Ms. Burns.”  
“Well it’s the truth now Frank, technically your footwork is fine but the only real problem is your lunges… When you lunge make sure to keep your feet like this, instead of how you were doing it.”  
“Of course Ms. Burns… Uh can I help you guys?” The teen inquires as he sees two older men staring intently from a few feet away. “Ms. Burns do you want me to walk you to your car?”  
“Geoff, Gavin what are you doing here?” Iri says in surprise at her mates sudden appearance.  
“This is Frank?”  
“Yeah, my name is Frances Montrelles…. Who are you two?”  
“We’re her mates.” Geoff says quietly as he stares down the teen who smelled unpresented, but not the least bit frightened by him. “What are you doing?”  
“Fencing… I’m giving him fencing lessons. The real question is why are you here?”  
“We were worried.” Gavin interjects as he uses his powers to soothe the teen’s suspicion and Geoff’s anger.   
“Fencing?”  
“As in professional sword fighting, he’s going to state next week and we’ve been training for months for it.”  
“What?” Geoff mumbles in confusion, the woman who had been depressed for months had been sneaking out the house to go sword fighting… What the fuck? Who does that? “Where did you even meet?”  
“He’s a sponsor.”  
“Hey Ms. Burns, I need to get home my Dad just called… Same time Monday?”  
“Sure, drive safely Frank.” Iri says pleasantly as she bids the teen goodbye. After he leaves Iri watches Geoff just stare at her in confusion, probably the most confusion she’s ever seen on his face in her entire life. “Geoff?”  
“Love I think you’ve broken him.”  
“Well that was two years longer than I thought it would be.”  
“Fencing? Of all the… Where’s Michael?” Geoff asks knowing that if he wasn’t already here, she knew where he was at least.   
“He’s in that tree.” Iri says helpfully as she points up at the bobcat skulking sleepily on a tree limb above them. “Michael, Red come on let’s go.”  
“Mmmk… Catch me Iri.”   
“Well come on then Red.” Iri says as the bobcat leaps into her outstretched arms and she catches him easily. Shifting him in her arms they find a comfortable position as Iri levitates her foils over to her. “Good boy.” Iri praises and the feline purrs in her grip lovingly.  
“How come he never purrs like that for you Geoff?”  
“Because Gavin, Geoff likes to tie him up outside and put cock rings on him… I wouldn’t purr either if he did that to me.” Iri explains as they head slowly towards the vehicles.  
“We have safe words for a reason, in fact it’s that reason.” Geoff points out after finally coming out of his confusion. “Iri why fencing?”  
“Because I get to practice my swordsmanship, and I do enjoy the sting of the foil… Plus the cuts are easier to heal than real sword fighting matches. I’ve done a few of those, and professionals are ruthless. Sweet kid too, it’s a shame he has such low self-esteem.” Iri explains and Geoff nods in mild comprehension.  
“Just give up Alpha, you’ll never understand.” Michael adds in between throaty purrs, and Iri just chuckles.   
“Don’t feel bad, I don’t understand me either.”  
“Love, the only person who has a chance is Clara.”  
“So that’s what this is about.”   
“Well neither of you will talk about it, and you snap at anyone who asks.”  
“Gavin it’s my business.”  
“No I’m fucking tired of this! It is all of our business not just yours, we are a pack and I’m starting to believe you don’t want to be a part of that anymore. All the running, the fighting, the biting, the yelling, and I’m sick of it. You either learn how to stay or go, there is no in between!” Gavin shouts angrily, it was seldom that he ever blew up, but after today he’d had enough. “Geoff should have stopped this a long time ago, but he didn’t so now I’m stopping it.”  
“Are you challenging your Alpha?” Geoff nearly stutters at his usually so well behaved omega’s disobedience.  
“Yes I am, this isn’t healthy for anyone not the kits, not you, and most certainly not her! She killed her child for god’s sake, this is something you can’t runaway from Love… You need to face this, not fence it away!” Gavin argues and the woman just stares at the ground, refusing to meet the other’s glare.   
“Fine Gavin, then I’ll go… I’ll.. I’ll just leave.” Iri says very suddenly causing all of them to stare in surprise at this. “Tell the kits I love them.” She whispers as she places Michael in Geoff’s arms and grabs her floating gear bag, this would be simple, and she wouldn’t make it difficult… A clean break, foxes weren’t pack animal and it didn’t matter what she told herself… Foxes don’t stick together they part after birth, and this is how it would be.   
“Iri don’t do this.”  
“No, Geoffrey, it’s been wonderful but I think Gavin is right for once… I can’t stay so I have to go…” She trails off, this had been coming for a long time now and she knew it wasn’t going to be pretty but this could have been uglier. Feigning indifference was easy, but god did it hurt. She would never truly leave her children, showing up in the night and whenever she had a chance. Hiding from them was almost as easy as feigning indifference was so with that she heads to her car. The men watch in utter shock as the woman just leaves… she doesn’t get mad, she doesn’t yell at them, and most of all she doesn’t fight… She just goes.  
“Geoff, I… I didn’t…. I just wanted to help.”  
“A lot of good you fucking did, she’s gone!” Michael hisses at the man who did nothing but stutter. “How could you Gavin? You're the one who controls emotions, and yet you couldn’t even control your own! I hope your happy because now what will we say when the pups asks for their mother? Huh? What’s your answer to that Free?”  
“Calm down Michael.” Geoff says breaking his stunned silence, however Michael does anything but in his anger the winds kick up and a bolt of lightning strikes a nearby tree. “Michael enough.”  
“Sorry.” Michael says angrily, but he does get control of his powers.   
“In the car, both of you.” Geoff orders, but Michael just shakes his head.  
“Why should I?”  
“Because I am your.”  
“A lot of good that did.”  
“ENOUGH!” Geoff growls as he snaps completely the man tackles Michael to the ground as a snarling fox, and pins the other down both physically and mentally. “You will obey Omega!”  
“Fuck you.”   
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Geoff shifts back and forces Michael to as well, he nearly rips off the man’s pants and forces him to present. He fingers the other roughly before slipping inside the wet hole, Geoff says nothing at the amount of slick the man was producing. Geoff knew he liked it rough, but this was a bit too rapey for his taste; however, the alpha knew he needed to be rough to make his point, Michael wouldn’t obey otherwise. Pushing himself in and out and the sounds he was making were more than enough to make him cum. The man beneath is a whimpering mess, and Geoff reaches around to stroke him. However, he’s mildly surprised when his omega’s cock is without the ring he placed on it earlier. “Who took it off?”  
“Who do you think.” Michael snaps, but his anger turns to moans when Geoff works him closer and closer to completion. Geoff growls darkly at his omega’s flippant tone. “Ow… Geoff, stop.”  
“No, you will take what I give you and like it.”  
“Geoff… Daddy please.” Michael whines as he feels the man start trailing his nails over his dick. The feeling was causing him to whimper in pain as the gent worked him harder and harder.   
“Hush.” Geoff orders and the man quiets instantly as he continues thrusting. If Geoff had been in a better mood he may have made this more enjoyable, but moments like this were solely about his pleasure and no one’s else. So he rammed in and out of the man uncaring about the pained noises he was making below. Right as he was about to cum he pulled Michael’s head back by his hair.   
“Who’s your Alpha?”  
“...” Michael says nothing and Geoff just uses his other hand to tug his omega’s balls roughly.  
“Michael who’s your Alpha?”   
“Minecraft.” Michael mutters quietly taking Geoff by complete surprise, but Geoff releases him.  
“What’s wrong baby boy?”  
“You know I think I’m going to go with Iri for awhile.”   
“Huh?”  
“Iri, and I were talking earlier… She’s getting Leo now.” Michael tells the shocked Alpha.  
“What about Felicia?” Gavin interjects, knowing his son’s twin would be devastated.  
“Iri talked to her today at lunch time, and explained how she needed some time, and I think we both need some time… Felicia is incredibly mature for her age.” Michael says to them with a heavy heart, lately living with Geoff had become stifling and he still loved the Alpha but right now he needed to be free to make his own choices.   
“Is this all because I made her go see a psychologist, was it truly that traumatizing for her?”  
“Geoff it’s not that at all… I just want to be able to do what I want, not what you want… I love you old man I really do, but maybe a little separation will do us good.” Michael says and pulls up his pants quickly leaving Geoff and Gavin still in a state of shock. He gives them both quick kisses, hands Geoff his red collar, and heads off into the night towards a pair of headlights just pulling up.  
“Gavin?”  
“Yes Geoff.”  
“Did we just get broken up with?”  
“Yeah… Twice in fact.” Gavin mutters in disbelief, and Geoff merely huffs before getting in his truck. “Geoff?”  
“Yeah Gavvers.”  
“Today was awful.”   
“Agreed.”


	43. Ray's Uncertainty

Home  
While Geoff, Gavin, Michael were still at the park

After her breakup with Geoff, she’d drove home… well Geoff’s house and gathered up her clothes. Ray and Ryan immediately tries to talk her into staying, but she just smiles kindly before grabbing the bags she’d packed as well as Leo’s ones too. They’d planned this at lunch when the topic of going out tomorrow night had come up. Michael had told her yes, but then he’d mentioned something to Geoff who told them it was Wednesday… and they’d been really confused until Gavin mentioned that it was play night. At that they’d been like can’t we just do that another time, and Geoff had been all growly so they’d just dropped it. And that brought us to now, Iri was sneaking into the kit’s room to grab Leo who was snoring loudly just like his father. She reaches down to pick up the boy who just grumbles sleepily before purring at the smell of his mother.   
“Shh stay asleep my little Lion.”   
“Momma where are you taking Leo?”  
“Dex, Momma, Papa Michael, and Leo are leaving for a little while… You’ll see him at daycare tomorrow.”  
“Is this about what Papa said this morning?”  
“No, not at all.. we just need a little break. I still love your father very much Dexy, but right now we just need to be alone.” She tries to explain to the boy who accepts his mother’s words gingerly.   
“You’ll still come see us won’t you?”  
“Of course, I’ll come visit you guys at daycare and I’ll sneak into the house at night.”  
“It’ll be like a spy movie.”  
“Just like a spy movie, now be a good boy and take care of the others… I love you Dexy.”  
“I love you too Momma, and be careful.”  
“Always am.”  
“Momma lying is bad.”  
“Go to sleep Dexter.” Iri mumbles with a smile as she give her son a kiss before he crawls back into his bed, gripping his stuffed animal tightly. She exits the house with the boy in arms, and straps him into the car seat. Right as she is getting in the car she catches Ray lingering near the car. “Ember?”  
“Iri, I don’t think this is a good idea.”  
“Well why not?”  
“Because we’re a pack, and that means sticking together even through the stupid things Gavin says.”  
“It’s not just what Gavin said, and it isn’t forever.”  
“This still doesn’t feel right.”  
“Yeah breaking up is hard to do.” Iri remarks with a sad gaze, and Ray just scowls but heads back into the house. So Iri gets into the car and drives towards her and Michael’s apartment on the way she meets up with Michael. “Hey stranger need a ride?”  
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Michael asks as he slips into the car, and looks back at the snoring child. “How’d Leo take it?”  
“He’s been asleep, but Dexter handled it surprisingly well… How’d the other two take it?”  
“Geoff was surprised to say the least, but I knew enough was enough. I felt like I couldn’t breathe and I was just an… I felt like I was just an omega.”  
“What do you mean?”   
“He used to make me feel owned, but in the sense that I was loved you know? Like a person whose opinion mattered, but lately I’ve felt like nothing more than property.” Michael says confiding in the driving woman who nods in agreement. “I remember when it wasn’t like that, I remember when we were a team not a dictatorship… well he listens to Ryan, but you know what I mean.”  
“Michael do you think this is my fault?”  
“What? No! How could it be?”  
“I just… he changed when I did, and I can’t help but feel like I did this.”  
“Iri you didn’t change him.”  
“I..”  
“Iri you didn’t do this, let’s just get home and we’ll figure it out tomorrow.”  
“I love you Red.”  
“Love you too Kit.” Michael says and Iri scowls at the pet name that Geoff had specifically given her. “Vixen… I meant Vixen, you aren’t a baby anymore.”  
“A baby I am not.” Iri says with a sigh as they pull into the parking lot, they get out and Iri grabs a few bags as well as Leo who murmurs sleepily. Michael grabs the rest and they head up the stairs to their apartment. Iri had been in last week to clean it up completely, and she made sure to put all her art away considering a lot of her recent pieces had been kinda gruesome lately. Pictures of horrendous battles where the winner was drenched in the loser’s blood, or a pack of wolves who had viciously torn each other to shreds. Michael was the first one to reach the door and flips on the lights, Leo whines at the brightness and Iri coos soothingly at him.  
“Mommy where… where are we?”  
“Do you remember Daddy telling you how we were going to be going away for a little while?”  
“I didn’t want to, I wanted to stay with Felicia.”   
“Leo just go back to sleep, we’ll talk about it in the morning.” Michael says to the boy who just growls and hides his face in his mother’s shoulder. “Leo it’ll be an adventure, a new place, and you’ll still see them at daycare during the week.”  
“I want to go home Daddy, I want my siblings, and I don’t want you to leave Papa Geoff.”  
“Leo we didn’t leave Papa Geoff, we’re just.”  
“Then leave me with them! I don’t want to be here without the others!” Leo shouts angrily at them as he balls his fists and tears start to flow. “I want Felicia!”  
“Shh Lion don’t cry, come on we’re here… shh no one is leaving anyone and you’ll see Felicia in the morning.”  
“I… I want you to love Papa Geoff again, and I..” Leo stutters in between tears. Michael and Iri had been prepared for this, but it was still heart breaking to watch him cry. “He loves you, I know he does.”  
“Leo, we never said he didn’t, but right now we need a little time alone… Just a little bit, can you try to be brave for us?”  
“Just a little while?” Leo whimpers as he dries his eyes with a quivering lip.  
“Yes, if you really want to live with them in a week then we’ll take you back… Okay?”  
“Okay.” He says with a nod, and Iri smiles gently as she takes them to Michael’s room. She places Leo on the bed, while Michael lays down beside him, and Iri turns the living room light off before lying down with them. Leo and Michael fall asleep rather quickly leaving Iri to stare up at the ceiling till she too falls asleep.


	44. Day One through Day Sixty One

AH Office The Next Morning

Jack noticed something particularly odd the next morning when he came into work. One Michael was there by himself, two he was already working on something, and three the man’s scent… He smelled different somehow, it takes him a few moments but he realizes what the man’s smell is missing. It was Geoff, Michael smelled more of Iri than he did the Alpha.  
“Morning Michael.” Jack says cheerily only to be met with steely silence. The beta says nothing else rather choosing to mirror the omega who is still quietly working. It isn’t until the others come in about an hour later that conversation begins. “Morning guys.”  
“Hey Jack.” Gavin greets casually, he was the peppiest of the group given the situation.  
“Sup.” Ray says tiredly, last night had been filled with nightmares and he hadn’t gotten much sleep.  
“Morning Jack.” Ryan answers somberly as he sits down at his desk, and Jack notes how Geoff says nothing rather choosing to sit down and get to work. 

Noon

They’d been recording for what felt like half a day when it was really only a little over two hours, and of that two hours maybe they had ten minutes of footage that wasn’t just uneasy silence.  
“Alright let’s pause.” Jack says suddenly drawing the group to a stop as he pauses the game; he notices how the group gets up to leave. “Wait a minute… What’s going on with you guys? Seriously you five are rather quiet for a Wednesday.”  
“We’re just tired man, long week and all.”  
“No it’s not that… Something’s going on.” Jack conjectures and the others just stare at him with bored eyes.  
“Fuck off Sherlock, I’m going to lunch.” Michael says grouchily as he shoulders past the lion hybrid to leave the room.  
“It’s refreshing to know he’s just as happy as we are with this whole situation…” Geoff grumbles and at this Jack narrows his eyes.  
“What’s going on?”  
“Separation.”  
“What happened?”  
“Michael and Iri took Leo and left last night.”   
“What, why?” Jack asks in surprise, they’d been through so much what could possibly make them end it now.  
“Michael said something about freedom, and Iri left after Gavin basically told her to.”  
“I didn’t tell her to leave Geoff, I just said if there was no point in her constantly running away from us… I thought she would stay, and I never knew Michael planned on leaving.” Gavin growls at the Alpha.  
“Shut up Gavin.” Geoff orders and the omega clamps his mouth shut.   
“Tch, you two turned on each other pretty fast.” Ray comments and Ryan just slaps him upside the head.   
“Don’t be rude asshole, they’re our mates too.”   
“Whatever, I’m going to lunch.” Ray snaps as he walks out the room, and Gavin follows him leaving the gents alone.   
“And this week keeps getting better and better.” Geoff mutters with a sigh as he scrubs his face in frustration.   
“They’ll come back… Omegas need Alphas like people need to breathe.” Jack offers, and the pair just stare at him with raised eyebrows.   
“Not all Omegas need Alphas, and those two are alpha enough to take care of each other.”  
“Geoff, I know optimism is not your strong point and all but try.” Ryan says in an irritated tone that only seems to irk Geoff a little more. “I’m kidding Geoff, lighten up.”  
“… Sorry, let’s go find the other two before we lose all our mates.”  
“Ray wouldn’t leave me because Godric would hunt him down, and he’d probably kill him… or at least maim him seriously so he couldn’t leave again.”   
“God damn Godric is terrifying… Emmett still holds a grudge from when he nearly ripped off my tail.”  
“To be fair I told him not to antagonize Godric.”  
“You did, but Emmett is a prideful lion and he doesn’t listen for shit.” Jack says as he feels his lion raise his head at the sound of his name, only to duck back down when he hears Godric’s. It wasn’t fear, rather it was apprehension. Why confront someone unnecessarily was Emmett’s motto, and the big cat lived by his motto fiercely. “However Caiti is back in town and we’re going out for lunch, good luck with your mates.”  
“Thanks Jack, and hey what’s your view on separations?”  
“Well… Uh… It makes the sex we have really meaningful after she comes back from Australia, and also everything else is pretty great too. Isn’t there a saying, you never know what you have until you don’t have it anymore?” Jack adds before exiting the room too, leaving the alphas alone. The pair goes in search of their omegas, however they don’t find them in their usual spots.   
“Geoff do you think they went out for lunch?”  
“It’s a possibility, but I made enough sandwiches this morning for everybody.” Geoff replies as the pair sigh in frustration as they give up, and grab their lunches from the fridge. Opening the appliance Geoff huffs when he notices they were all gone. “Fucking animals…”  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Someone took our lunches.”  
“... Mmm no… Geoff these sandwiches are excellent.” Ray mutters in between bites as he looks to the glaring alpha with a casual smile. “Also sorry about earlier, I had a rough night… no sleep and all.”  
“It’s okay, last night was rough for everyone.” Geoff reassures him as he ruffles the man’s hair, who just groans at him.  
“Man, I worked really hard on it today.”  
“Kitten, brushing it is not considered a lot of work.”  
“Shut up Ry, and Gav told me to tell you he went to talk to them.” Ray relays and at this the alphas raise their eyebrows. “And yes he knows it’s probably not going to help.”  
“Well as long as he’s covered all his bases.”   
“How long do you think he’ll last?”  
“I give him… Hey Gav.”   
“Geoff, I do believe they’re set on this whole split pack thing.” Gavin mutters as he is rubbing his shoulder, and Geoff lifts the man’s sleeve to see a bruise forming. “Iri is much stronger than her body size suggests.”  
“Tch, I could have told you that.” Geoff mumbles as he releases his shirt. “Let’s give them a week or two, and then we’ll talk to them.”

Two Months Later

After the first week Leo had adjusted to seeing his siblings during the day, and on the weekends sometimes when they would go to the park together. The other three had adjusted to their mother slipping in at night and talking to them in hushed tones, reading to them, and talking about the day. So they never truly felt abandoned by her, and in fact they’d never been more grateful for her company since their fathers seemed to be taking this rather personally. Though in reality it was personal, in fact very very personal, they’d left them plain and simple. It didn’t get more personal than that, the loss of a mate was personal. Gavin and Ray however seemed to be a little nonchalant about it, convincing themselves they’d be back any day. Ryan and Geoff were the realists of the group, and after the first month the pair had become disheartened. This separation was beginning to feel permanent.


	45. The Consequence of Living Without Alphas for an Extended Period of Time.... AKA The Heat Domino Effect

Month Three of the Separation  
Michael and Iri  
Work

“Hey Babe?” Michael says suddenly from Iri's office, he was picking at his lunch, and waiting for his lover to come back. She had to take some paperwork to Kara, and several drawings to animation seeing as her deadline was coming up soon.   
“What’s up Red?” Iri asks as she walks back into her office where Michael was eating lunch having been right outside when he called her name.  
“I’m not feeling to great tonight, do you mind getting Leo by yourself?”  
“Sure, are you okay?” Iri says worriedly while coming over to sit on the man’s lap. He smiles pleasantly before pulling her down for a kiss. “I’ll make some soup tonight, and that reminds me we need to go shopping.”  
“How about this weekend?” Michael suggests as he pulls her back down for another kiss.  
“You taste like Redbull and coffee… I think I know why you feel sick.”  
“That’s what I thought too, but this feels different.”  
“Do you want Lexi to take a look?”  
“Naa save your energy for something important.”  
“There’s nothing more important than you Red.”  
“Mmm…” Michael murmurs in between kisses, they were unaware of the Alpha standing in the doorway. Geoff had entered right after Iri’s last sentence, and it strikes him directly in the heart. He smiles somberly as the pair kiss, the Alpha missed his feisty little Omegas… he missed them tremendously.  
“Hey guys.” Geoff says hesitantly as he knocks on the open door, Iri stands up swiftly, righting her clothes, and smiling at the man.   
“Hello Geoff.” They say cheerily, and at this the gent smiles softly.  
“So the kit’s birthday is coming up next weekend, and we were wondering how you wanted to do that?”  
“Uh… Well that’s up to you, do you still want us there?” Iri inquires and the gent just balks at this.  
“Of course we want you there, we’d love to have you there!”   
“Okay, um how about I make the cakes and you guys decorate… We’ll spend the night Friday and have the party Saturday, if that’s okay with you guys”  
“Iri, you three are always welcome in our house.”  
“Uh… thanks, Geoff.” Iri says trying not to make this as awkward as it already felt… This was the father of her second… well now eldest child. She had been working with Clara on letting her first go, but it still hurt to think about it. Clara told her that her death had been a tragedy, but it was now time to focus on the future. The cougar was a smart woman, who understood that this separation was for the best. One person can’t love another until they love themselves right? Though that really made no sense given that she had absolutely no trouble loving Michael… Maybe it was because he was an Omega who seemed to be in a similar situation, or perhaps it was because loving him was ridiculously easy…. like Iri could love Michael with her eyes closed, honestly she had no idea why just that she could. Geoff sensing that the conversation was over, nods with a smile, and exits the room leaving the other two alone sighing. “He misses us.”  
“They all do…” Michael remarks quietly as he tugs the woman back down to his lap; this was a subject that had been thoroughly discussed between them lately. This separation was starting to feel permanent, and the pair wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. There were pros and cons to each side. Having their freedom was amazing, but Leo deserved to live with his siblings. However, they weren’t sure they could just fall back into pack life so easily. “Iri should we go back?”  
“Michael, I.. I’m not sure, but if we do things will have to change… I won’t put Leo through this again.” Iri tells the man, who nods in agreement.   
“Collar play is still okay though?”  
“Mmm collar play is always okay… Geoff still has most of my lingerie. I forgot to take it with me, then again we never seem to make it that far anyways.” Iri teases and the man chuckles beneath her before nipping at her wrist, wetting the scar with his lips; his teeth barely biting the pale flesh. Her moans only seem to spur the man on as he kisses his way up her arm, taunting the woman at a snail’s pace. “Michael.” Iri whispers with hitched breath, and the man just slows down even more.   
“I want you to beg Vixen, make it so I can’t stop touching you.”  
“Michael please… Please.” Iri begs with a needy moan, and she feels herself picked up. “Red.”  
“No nicknames Iridessa, call me Michael or I’ll stop completely.” Michael warns as he pins her to a nearby wall, kissing her roughly; he deepens the kiss, and bites her tongue.   
“Ow!” Iri yelps as she struggles to break up the insistent kissing, however the man just pursues her. “Michael, stop… Hey ass I told you to stop!” Iri growls as she pushes at the man forcing him off her completely. She can taste blood and in surprise she feels herself forced back up against the wall with his knee forced between her thighs. “Michael enough!” She snaps as she tries to wriggle out of the man’s tight grip, but it’s useless. He’s simply too strong. Lexi attempts to force her way into his mind, but she tells her it’s clouded and forcing her way through it would take a little bit. So in a last resort she uses her powers to physically shove the man off her completely and turns to face him… and that’s when she sees it… Michael’s eyes blown wide in lust, and a predatory growl on his lips. This wasn’t Michael… well it was, but this was heat Michael and heat Michael was dangerous. She remembers the times Geoff had to chain the man up to prevent him from hurting someone.   
“Iridessa, come here now.” Michael growls in a tone that scares Iri just a little. Thinking quickly she searches the building for Geoff, and in a stroke of luck she feels him about seven yards away talking to Joel. She knew that when he came back to himself he wouldn’t approve of her methods, but this man wouldn’t listen to her. He would listen to an Alpha and that’s it end of conversation. Swishing her tail playfully she watches the man narrow his eyes at her signalling he was focused on her. Iri takes a step towards the door just to be sure he was going to follow her, and he does; so she takes off out the door Michael hot on her tail… literally. 

Geoff and Joel

“So as I was saying.” Geoff starts however, turns at the sound of his name and running.  
“Geoff!” Iri shouts loudly, as she nearly jumps into the man’s arms. “Michael’s in heat, and I.. Geoff he won’t listen to me and Lexi can’t break through.” Iri says in a panicked voice. Geoff cocks his head as he watches as the usually playful man turns dark with lust and need.   
“Michael?”  
“What Geoff.” He snaps and Geoff growls at the man asserting his dominance. The omega instantly switches his tone, and backs up a little.   
“Good boy… Do you want me to take him home?” Geoff asks the woman who bites her lip in apprehension as she pulls out of his grip. “I can drop him at the apartment if you want.”  
“No, I don’t want Leo to see him like this… This changes nothing Ramsey, we’re still.”  
“Separated, yeah Kit, I figured as much.” Geoff says cutting her off as he takes the now purring omega butting at his chest sweetly. “Come on Kitten let’s get a knot in you. Hmm how does that sound?”  
“Alpha please.” Michael begs as Geoff kisses the side of his head. “Alpha knot me right now, god it hurts.”  
“Shh baby boy, Daddy will take care of you.” Geoff assures him happily as he leads him out to the car leaving Iri and Joel alone. The pair say nothing for a little while choosing to wait until the others were out of earshot.  
“Iri move back in with them.”  
“Uh, hello to you too Papa.”  
“I’m serious, this isn’t good for any of you especially not the kids.”  
“Papa, I’m…”  
“No, Iridessa if I have learned anything in the last twenty years of being mated to your father it’s that separations never end well for anyone. Did I ever tell you about the time I left Burnie for about six months?” Joel asks and Iri just shakes her head, although she did remember Kody and Margaret talking about something like that. “We had gotten into the worst fight we’d ever had, and I believe it was started by who had forgotten to do the dishes… Or maybe it was getting the mail, all I know it was started by something stupid that morphed into a huge fight, much larger than it needed to be. We fought for hours, and I ended up packing my stuff. I crashed at Matt's house for six months before Burnie finally broke down and gave me an ultimatum. I either come home and we talk about, or I get the rest of my shit and get out completely… I remember how hard it was to face him after those six months. We talked, talked, and talked until we simply had nothing left to say, and after all that we had the most glorious sex I’ve ever taken part in.”  
“Papa I’m going to stop you right there.”  
“Like we must have been at it for six hours at least, and we were sore for a week afterwards.”  
“Papa seriously stop.”  
“Now besides the sex, my point is that if he hadn’t pushed me to come home and talk about it I wouldn’t have. All I’m asking is that you two try to get back with your pack, I’m not saying it will be easy or you’ll have life changing sex. I am simply saying that at the very least you’ll know you tried.” Joel explains and watches as his daughter sighs in defeat.  
“I know… I guess I’m not as willing to try as I thought I was.”  
“Why not? I know you love those idiotic men, so what’s stopping you?”  
“Michael and I are honestly afraid that they won’t take us back… Could you take Dad back if he did what we did?”  
“I took your father back after he broke my arm, now granted it wasn’t on purpose but still. I love him, and that’s all that matters in the end… For better or worse I love you Burns!” Joel shouts as he catches the eyes of the man who is walking towards them.   
“Uh… Love you too Joel?”  
“Hey Dad.”  
“What’s going on here?” Burnie asks suspiciously as he notices the smile on Joel’s lips while Iri seemed particularly reflective. He had learned a long time ago that when Joel was smiling like that something stupid was either being said, had happened, or was about to happen.   
“I was telling her about my view on separations.”  
“Yeah, I still remember that make up sex. It was amazing… Joel, I don’t suppose.”  
“Stop talking about sex you two! Christ you don’t understand how traumatizing that is for me.”  
“Actually no we understand.”  
“We’re just assholes, also Geoff has a tendency to brag about sex positions.”  
“............. I knew it!” Iri shouts suddenly while she glares at the pair smiling stupidly.   
“We love you regardless of how many kama sutra positions you can do.”  
“Papa you aren’t helping anymore… in fact you are hindering.” Iri says in disgust. “Does Geoff really talk about me like that?”  
“Not just you, really all the omegas, what else do you think we talk about during our lunches when it’s just us?”  
“You guys are disgusting.”  
“We are.” Burnie says in agreement with a joking smile. “We’re also guys, and this is what guys do.”  
“Hey Dad, I need a favor.”  
“Sure what is it?”  
“Can you pick up Leo from daycare?”  
“Uh yeah, do you want him to stay the night?” Burnie asks and notices how the woman seems to grimace in pain rather suddenly. “Are you okay?”  
“I’ll be… I’ll be fine, just make sure you take Leo tonight.” Iri mutters as she feels a familiar feeling. Back when Michael and Iri still experienced full blown heats the pair were known for synchronizing cycles. Now it hadn’t really been a problem with the support of two alphas, but now it was a little tricky. She remembers her first heat, and even then she hadn’t experienced it without an Alpha. Turning away from her fathers she heads back to her office, shuts the door, and locks it just to be sure. Pain begins to blindside her like never before and she grabs a blanket to muffle her cries. Despite her pain she could feel the slick forming and the overwhelming need to be knotted starts to surface. God she needed a knot, and she needed one in the worst ways possible.   
“Iri... Iri are you alright?” Burnie’s concerned voice asks, and she bites back a scream choosing just to remain quiet for a few moments. “Princess open the door.”  
“I’m fine Dad… Just get Leo okay.” Iri orders before muffling another shout in the blanket.   
“Iri, open the door.” Burnie commands in a tone that makes her whine, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize what was happening. “Are you in heat?”  
“Alpha...” Iri moans in mostly frustration, this was her god damn father for christ’s sake…. Fucking biology, fucking smells, fucking… god did she want to be fucked, and honestly she really didn’t care by who as long as they had a knot.   
“Iri, I’m going to get Ryan don’t move.”  
“Forget him, just….” Iri shouts as she catches herself mid-sentence. She can hear her father’s loud footsteps fade away signalling that he’d left, leaving her alone with the pain and the sexual arousal that accompanied her heats. In an attempt to take the edge off she works a few fingers inside her wet pussy, unaware of the Alpha watching a few feet away.   
“Iri?”  
“Alpha.” She murmurs as the man slips into the room which smells heavily like heat. The scent alone was enough to make him jump her, but the way she was desperately fingering herself on her office floor nearly pushes the gent over the edge.   
“Faline, why don’t you come here? Hmm I’ll take you home, and fuck you till you scream.” Ryan proposes, but the fox comes back to herself only slightly with the help of Lexi. She shakes her head, and just fights the need to present to him. “No? “  
“... Just…” Iri trails off trying to maintain composure… what was she saying this was an Alpha who was willing to knot her till she begged him to stop. Sensing her resolve waver, Ryan takes this moment to come sit down beside the woman who was still working her fingers in and out desperately. He pulls the woman’s hand out, and replaces it with his own moving at a snail’s pace. Without meaning to she spreads her legs wide to give him more room causing the man to smirk. “Ry… don’t stop.”  
“Shh I got you, but this would be better at home… Why don’t we go home Renarde?”  
“...you speak french?”  
“Occasionally, but that’s not what we’re talking about right now. I’m not knotting you in here.”   
“Ry please, I need it.”  
“I know you do, and I will happily give it to you at home. So let’s go.”  
“No… I’m not going home with you.”  
“Why not? Michael is already there, and I can assure you Geoff is giving him his knot… Faline why deprive yourself of such pleasure?” Ryan whispers lowly in her ear as he hears her cum under his touch. “Come home Iri, we miss you.”  
“.... Not… not yet, we have things that need to be talked about first.” Iri tells the gent who just sighs before licking the slick off his fingers. As much as she wanted to go with him Iri just couldn't at least not yet, one of them had to be the rational one and it seemed it was her. She rights herself as best as she can before standing up and grabbing her purse, heading out the door with a quickness in her steps to the parking lot. She was very glad that it was still the afternoon, and on her way out she catches the curious eyes of Miles.  
“Hey Boss Lady, what’s… Oh!” Miles says in understanding as the scent of heat pours off the lady. “I’ll walk you to your car, should I get Michael?”  
“No, Geoff has him at his house.”  
“Michael is at Geoff’s… why?”  
“We’re synchronized.”  
“Oh… Uh do you need me to get Leo tonight and take him to Burnie’s?”  
“No I… Miles…”  
“Nope, you are not doing that here.” Miles snaps as he takes the woman’s hand and drags her towards her car about twenty five feet away from them. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.”  
“What… about work?”  
“I’ll have Chris come pick me up.”  
“.... Alright… Thanks Miles.”  
“Ehh, it’s what friends do.” Miles says casually as he helps her into her car, and then slips into the driver’s seat. The ride back is rather embarrassing on Iri’s part as she attempts to masturbate in the front seat. “Iri, I know you are rather overwhelmed and all, but let’s keep our hands where we can see them.”  
“But Miles… Miles it aches, and I need to be filled.”  
“I know boss lady, but you can do this when we get you into your apartment.”  
“Please Miles!”  
“Iridessa Skye Burns, you will wait until you get home!” Miles commands and the woman whines needily, but crosses her arms in defeat causing Miles to smile. “Good girl, now we’re almost there. Can you walk?”  
“Tch like you could carry me.” Iri mumbles, and the man just scoffs in mild offense.  
“I could carry you, you weigh like a hundred max.”  
“Mmm currently I’m at ninety-three, but I still don’t think you could do it.”  
“Ninety-three? That can’t be healthy, you aren’t starving yourself again are you?”  
“No Miles I just don’t eat a lot and I run everyday.”  
“Eat something before you fuck yourself to death, and I’ll come to check on you tomorrow morning.”  
“Miles, I’ll be fine you don’t need to baby me.”  
“It’s not babying, it’s just what friends do.” Miles tells her as he walks her up the stairs and then opens her door for her. Right as he goes to say something else his phone rings. “Hey Chris… Yeah I’ll be there in a minute.”   
“Go Miles, I’m a big girl now.” Iri says with a soft smile ushering the man out the door so she could ride out this heat alone.


	46. Flying dildos, Ryan, and a generally frustrating lack of batteries.

Her Apartment

Heading to her room, she opens her drawers searching for a toy she hadn’t used in a long time. It takes her ten minutes of searching before she finally locates the knotting dildo that much to her disappointment, and a lot of anger is unusable do to the acidic erosion on the battery pack. Growling bitterly she chucks the broken dildo out the nearby open window, and much to her surprise hears an accented oye that she would recognize anywhere.  
“Gavvers?” Iri mutters in confusion as she pokes her head out the window to see Gavin chuckling quietly.  
“Love why are you throwing dildos out of windows?”  
“It’s broke, and I was aiming for the dumpster!” Iri shouts back at the man with a smile as he tosses the toy into the dumpster behind him. “What are you doing here?”  
“I came to see if you were okay.”  
“I’m fine, just go home!”  
“Love, Ryan told me about earlier, just come home!”  
“Go home!”  
“I won’t go home without you!”  
“Then you’ll be standing out there a long time.”  
“Whatever it takes Love.” Gavin shouts back and Iri sighs in frustration before using her powers to force the man to drive home. She wasn’t going to let him sit out there, and once he was safely in his car Iri focuses on relieving some of the pain in her stomach. The cramping was starting to become unbearable especially without something to fuck herself on, that toy was truly going to be her saving grace. However, the sound of pounding on her door drags her back to reality, going to answer it she calls forth Lexi who takes the shape of a large lioness just in case. This was a pretty good neighborhood, but you never know.   
“Hello?” Iri says quietly as she opens the door only to find it empty, closing the door quickly she dashes to the kitchen to grab a knife from the block, and grips it tightly. Her ears swivel at each sound and she keeps her weight on the balls of her feet. She is mid-turn when an unseen force knocks the knife from her grip, and pins her up against a wall. Lexi moving swiftly tackles Iri in hopes of catching whatever had been pinning her, but only results in tackling Iri. “What do you want?” Iri growls as she untangles herself from the lioness who snarls as well.   
“I’m just here to help.”  
“..... Ryan?”  
“The one and only.” Ryan answers as he appears fully, with a bright smile on his face. “Sorry about that, I was afraid you were going to stab me.”  
“Oh… So what are you doing here?”   
“Well you're still in heat and I am still your mate, so it would be wrong of me to leave you to suffer through it… Especially without a toy.”  
“How do you know I don’t have a closet full of toys that I was just about to shove inside of myself?” Iri quips smugly and the alpha just laughs.  
“A shy, bashful, little omega like you has never set foot in a sex shop… I’ve watched you either order your lingerie online, or make it yourself.”   
“.....” Iri just narrows her eyes at him before pointing to the door. “I don’t need you here, and for your information I have a toy.”  
“Then let me see.”  
“No.”  
“Iridessa, show me that toy of yours.” Ryan orders and the heat-addled omega just bends easily to his will.   
“I threw it out a window.”  
“You threw it out a window… Why? Was it inadequate compared to the real thing?” Ryan teases and the woman just sneers at him.  
“I forgot to take the batteries out, and the acid eroded the nodes.”  
“So you chucked it out a window?”  
“I’m hot, in pain, and very horny! My logic is flawed.” She snaps at the man who has been slowly inching his way closer till he’s pressing her up against the wall gently. He pins her wrists above her head, and works a knee between her legs, grinding it softly against her sensitive pussy. “Ry, stop.” She moans loudly, and the man just ignores her continuing his ministrations.   
“Do you really want me to?” Ryan asks as he pauses for a moment leaving her in a sexually frustrated situation. God did her body want him to knot her, but her mind was telling her no… like screaming for the man to stop. So again she shakes her head leaving the man in a state of awe, he thought for sure she’d be on her knees begging by now for a knot. However, respecting her wishes he pulls his knee back and smirks after hearing the small sound of disappointment.   
“Can you go… I just want to be alone right now.” Iri stutters in between groans of pain and… well mostly pain. “Are you the reason Gavin was wandering around outside?”  
“Yeah Gav was with me, why?”  
“Uh… did you guys take separate cars?”  
“No, why?”  
“I made him go home right before you knocked on the door… sorry about that… You can take Michael’s car if you want.” Iri suggests as she walks over to the key rack and grabs the man the keys. “Just have Michael drive it back home on Sunday.”  
“Sure… I’ll be here in the morning to make sure you're alright.”  
“No need, I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”  
“Iri, I don’t think you understand what a full heat feels like… trust me when I say this, it would be better for you to come home with me.”  
“I said no, now get the fuck out.” Iri snaps, she was tired of him berating her and she really wanted to finger herself into oblivion.   
“Fine, but take this at least.” Ryan mutters in defeat as he pulls out a new bright purple dildo that was about the size of Geoff, and had the knotting feature. Iri wasn’t sure why, but for some reason tears began to leak out her eyes like he’d just given her an engagement ring. “Are you crying?”  
“No… maybe… It’s hormones Jackass!” Iri says defensively as she takes the toy from the chuckling man. “Get out of here before I bite you.”  
“Alright, I’m going. Call us if you need us.” Ryan adds as he exits the door leaving Lexi alone with the lioness who is smirking silently at her mistress.  
“Don’t say it.”  
“Wasn’t going to, but he’d feel a lot better than that toy.”  
“How do you know we haven’t even opened it yet?”  
“Let’s see… because he’s real!”  
“Touche Lex, touche.” Iri mumbles in defeat as she opens the toy’s packaging. Once free of it’s plastic prison she cleanses it thoroughly, and then begins the search for double A batteries. After about twenty minutes of frustration she is tempted to call Ryan and curse him for not getting her batteries. “Lexi, we’re going to the store.”  
“Is that a good idea?”  
“This needs batteries.”  
“Couldn’t you just use it without the batteries?”  
“Lex, please!” Iri begs and the fox just acquiesces.  
“You aren’t driving though.”  
“That’s fair, and I’m sorry in advance for grinding on your back.” Iri says apologetically as she grabs her purse.  
“I know.” Lexi says as she follows Iri out the door, making sure to lock it. Once out of the building the fox shifts into the form of a large horse, and Iri mounts her grinding mildly on the Clydesdale’s spine.   
“I’m really sorry.” She moans quietly as they canter down the sidewalks.


	47. Like a Mirror

Twenty Long Minutes later

Iri thought they would never get there, and when the CVS finally comes into view she praises what ever god can hear her. Slipping off the large mare she enters the store with one thing on her mind, until her stomach makes itself known loudly. Grumbling in frustration she nabs several packages of batteries, and heads to the ice cream section of the store. Iri isn’t sure how long she stands there, but if the slick forming was any indicator it had to be at least fifteen minutes. She couldn't help it, her mind was unfocused and there were so many choices of ice cream.  
“Hello.” A voice interjects suddenly interrupting her debate between Ben & Jerry’s or Haagen Daz; turning to face it she finds the owner to be an incredibly handsome… and oh yeah he was an Alpha. Now if his mysterious dark green eyes weren’t enough to make her already quivering loins shudder, his charming smile did just that. “I don’t normally do this, but the scars on your throat intrigue me and I bet the story behind it is just as interesting as that tail of yours.”  
“Uh… Yeah thanks…” Iri mumbles shyly as she rubs it subconsciously.   
“My names Seth by the way.” Seth says casually as he grins alluringly at the petite woman.   
“I have a mate.” Iri interjects, hoping to let the man down easily; however the man just raises an eyebrow at her.  
“I don’t remember offering you a mating proposal Mrs.?”  
“Oh we’re not married, just mated, and the name is Iridessa Burns.” Iri says to the man who just gasps in recognition.   
“I know you, you're the artist who stopped Jackson Perts!” Seth exclaims quietly and Iri just nods slowly.   
“So you saw the story I’m assuming.”  
“Yes, and that awful interview as well… I must say you are much more articulate in person than what that interview suggests.”  
“It was eight o’clock in the morning, and I had absolutely no warning in advanced… Plus it was the morning of my kit’s birthday party.” Iri explains, and the man nods in understanding.   
“I do hate journalists sometimes.” Seth says as he watches the woman’s tail flick in a playful manner, he wondered what the woman was doing out right now if she had a mate. “Iri why are you out right now?”  
“Uh… You know I needed a quick dinner, and batteries… What’s it to you?” Iri asks hesitantly as she realizes how close the Alpha was standing to her, she takes a step back, and the man raises his hands in I mean no harm gesture.   
“Sorry I was simply curious as to what kind of mate makes their mate go out during her heat?” Seth says and notices how the woman deflates a bit at the questioning. “Are you alright?”  
“Yes… it’s just we’re going through a bit of a separation right now, and I should really be getting home. It’s a long ride.” Iri tells the stranger who she had just opened up to suddenly. What was she thinking that man could have been a lunatic? ‘Then again she had stopped a serial killer so she could have taken him easily… Though heat provided an interesting variable.’ She thinks while grabbing a pint of fudge brownie ice cream. Checking out quickly she whistles for the horse who had been grazing lazily in the nearby field. “Sorry Lex, you know how indecisive I am.” Iri mutters apologetically as the mare kneels to allow her to get on. The ride home was just as long, and Iri had the feeling of being watched. Shifting in her seat slowly she notices a blue camaro maintaining just enough distance to a normal person not raise suspicion, but the trained individual she was she knew it was following her. “Lexi, take this side road and then into the alley.” Iri whispers to the horse who neighs in understanding. As Iri thought the blue camaro does the same however still maintaining its distance. After they were far away from the prying eyes of the street Iri slides off the mare to face the camaro, and Lexi shifts to that of a lioness. The camaro rolls to a stop in front of her and right as she is about to call the police Seth steps out. “Why are you following me?”  
“I told you, I wanted to know the story behind that scar and you left before I could offer you coffee.”  
“Sir, I don’t really want to talk about it so I’d appreciate it if you left me alone.” Iri says politely, and the man just scoffs at this.  
“Why, am I frightening you? Or perhaps maybe you like being frightened… I wonder if Erik was frightened when he died?” Seth mutters knowingly, and watches as the omega’s eyes go wide. The lion beside her growls viciously, and stands in front of her mistress protectively.   
“What do you want?” Iri stutters schooling her expression and straightening her posture in an attempt to scare the man off.  
“I want to know how Erik died.”  
“You watch the news, I’m sure you heard the story of how he and his daughter died in a car crash… I believe they said it was a heart attack that killed him, and the girl died in the crash.” Iri tells him and the man just chuckles darkly, and she wouldn’t lie it was incredibly unsettling in her current state… She just had to have her heat today didn’t she.   
“See now that’s where the problem begins, Erik was a healthy man. We went running nearly every morning, and I still haven’t found a partner to replace him… Another thing is the police mentioned that the girl’s mother was no where to be found, kinda strange that the woman’s only child dies and she’s no where to be found isn’t it?” Seth conjectures, and this is when Iri herself growls at the Alpha. The man just laughs as he shifts down to the form of a large tiger, it begins pacing around her with a predator’s gaze that chilled her to the bones. Iri refuses to shift, and she uses her powers to force him away from her. “Hmm you're much stronger than I would have thought, but strength isn’t everything.” He mutters and that’s when the body of another tiger forces her to the ground, pinning her roughly beneath its heavy stature.  
“What the hell?” Iri snarls as she shifts down and worms her way free of the tiger, who retreats to stand side by side with Seth.   
“My gift is deception and that is Sam.” Seth explains quickly before the pair split up and circle the other two. “Did you know a Caster’s predator can be killed? All I need to do is kill her in her corporeal form, she’s easier to kill then you are I’m guessing.”   
“What do you want?” Iri asks as she forces Lexi to retreat into her mind much to the fox's displeasure, she wouldn’t let this man kill her.   
“I want to know how you managed to kill Erik.”  
“Why, do you not believe me capable?”  
“No it’s not that, I want to know how a mere Caster managed to kill him without even using her predator.” Seth answers as the tigers lash at the lone fox, Iri managed to dodge the first one but the second rakes his claws down her side. Yelping in pain Iri feels herself backed into a corner, blood was flowing freely down her side, and healing the wound was impossible in this state. She would just have to live with it till she got away from him. “Especially one so easily wounded, it’s almost as though you had this mate of yours do it.”  
“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to hit girls?” Iri quips as she feels adrenaline pumping through her veins, her body had decided that this man wasn’t going to let her flee so she needed to fight.   
“Erik had my mother killed when I was fourteen, and honestly that woman was a real bitch.” Seth sneers as he watches the fox’s gait change, no longer did she look like she was going to run… no she was going to fight. Iri just narrows her eyes and charges Seth aware of Sam leaping at her from behind. She manages to run her claws over the tiger’s eyes before strafing to the side, narrowly avoiding the other tiger’s attack. Her victory is short lived as the felines waste no time in retaliating by batting the woman up against a nearby dumpster with crushing force. If Iri hadn’t used her powers to put a cushion around herself at the last second her rib cage would have been shattered completely. Though Iri couldn’t stop the damage completely as the pair broke several of her ribs. “Now tell me. How did you kill Erik?”  
“Fuck… off.” Iri pants as she staggers to her feet with a surprised gasp as the man shifts back and pins her to nearby wall by her throat. The fox dangles while gasping for air, and in a last ditch effort Iri tries to force her way into his mind, only to be met by a confusing mess that she can’t make sense of in her disoriented state. As her windpipe starts to crush the man let’s up just enough so she can speak.   
“Tell me, or I’ll kill you.”  
“Why… does it… matter? He’s dead either… way.” Iri chokes out in between desperate gasps.   
“I want to know because if you are truly that strong then I may have use of you, and your abilities.”  
“Why?”  
“Because Daphne, I am the new director and the lights don’t stay on at the facility because of charitable donations… Everyone has to pay their debt, and you could help us pay a lot of debt.”  
“What is so special about me?”  
“A Caster who can stop hearts from far away is an enemy to be feared, and someone with your finesse would be used in covert missions others can’t hope to complete without making a mess.” Seth explains briskly as he release the woman completely dropping her to the ground. “Now let’s talk business.”  
“I never… I never agreed to help you.” Iri pants as she rises up shakily on her paws, her body ached, her mind ached, and her sexual need was starting to come back.   
“Presumptuous of me I know, but I figured it is help me or I kill you. So take your pick.”  
“Kill me because I won’t help you.”  
“I had a feeling you might say that.” Seth says with a sad sigh. “It’s a shame, I had such hope for you.” Iri loses her sense of reality as the man beats her to a pulp. The fox didn’t have the strength to fight, and she wouldn’t let Lexi come out to defend her. She isn’t sure how long the man beats on her, and right before her mind gives out a knife plunges deep into her side. The blade is twisted and if Iri were able she’d scream she would have, but her windpipe is nearly crushed from the fight… less of a fight and more of beating, she thinks to herself… No honor amongst predators she supposes. “Goodbye Daphne Marseilles, I would like to say it’s been a pleasure but that would be a lie.” He says and at that the camaro peels out leaving the fox bleeding to death in an alleyway. Lexi wastes no time in breaking out of her mistress’ weak hold. She heals the internal bleeding, but the wounds are still open and she is bleeding profusely. Lexi shifts to her dragon form, grabs her belongings, and then picks her up as gently as she can. The dragon takes flight to the nearby apartment, bandages the wounds as best she can, and prays she makes it through the night. Calling Geoff would have been the smart thing to do, but they never did the smart thing now did they.


	48. The rise of the Mad Princess, Awkward Situations, and Communication?... No seriously, let's talk.

Meanwhile Geoff’s House

“Dexy, do you think Mommy will come home soon?” Scarlett asks as the group was in the middle of playing pretend. She was a race car driving veterinarian, while Felicia was a unicorn, and Dexter was King.   
“I think so… Remember on Monday, Momma was talking about coming back but my Papa and her had to talk about something.”   
“I don’t remember that.” Felicia neighs in confusion as she jabs her brother with her pretend horn.  
“Ouch, that things sharp Fel.” Dexter gripes as he rubs at the shoulder she hit.   
“Sorry Dexy, but Mommy never told us nothing about coming home Monday… Leo would have said something at daycare.” Felicia adds as she takes the toy horn off and places it in the large toy box. She digs around for a sword and then engages Dex, who draws his similar plastic sword. The pair try to fight as they’ve seen their mother do, but it doesn’t quite work out as well; Scar joins in as well and the pair of girls gang up on Dex causing the boy to be defeated easily.   
“Muahaha I have dethroned you!” Felicia says in triumph.   
“No my kingdom!” He shouts in mock anguish as Felicia takes the crown off his head, meanwhile Scar just rolls her eyes at the pairs display.   
“All hail the Mad Princess!” Felicia bellows, she had heard Daddy Gavin refer to her father as the mad king and her other father the rose queen; basic lineage would dictate that she herself is the mad princess...also why was everyone so angry? Scarlett courtesies respectively, but Dex refuses to bow. “Bow, Sir Dexter the Defeated.”  
“No, I shall have my kingdom again, be strong fair citizens for your rightful leader shall be back!” Dex shouts to the crowd of stuffed animals and action figures that he'd set up earlier while he runs out the room and towards his father’s. If anyone would help him stage a coup it would be him, or maybe he should get Papa Gavin seeing as his father had been in that room since he got home from daycare. So very slowly he opens the door only to be met with a very confusing sight, Papa Michael was wearing a collar and the leash was tied to the headboard. Now that wasn’t really that strange, he’d seen his Papa tie his mother to a chair though with actual rope a few times. What Dex was truly confused about is why Michael was all panting like a dog, and why his father was shoving his hips towards him in a rough manner. Plus they were both red faced and sweaty… Honestly it looked like he might be hurting Michael from afar, also why were they both naked? It was times like these that Dex allowed his curiosity to get the better of him, and he enters the room unbeknownst to the two adults. Dex approaches the bed with silent steps, and is mildly scared when he gets closer however his need to understand drove him to the side of the bed. Taking a deep breath the boy nudges his father’s exposed leg. “Papa?” Dexter whispers quietly, but the man seemed so focused on Michael that he didn’t hear him.   
“Daddy, faster… Daddy please!” Michael begs in between pants and arches when Geoff strokes him roughly finally sending them both over the edge. The omega lies back with a sleepy smile as he feels his Alpha’s knot fill him up, said Alpha just kisses his lover’s chest with closed eyes. It isn’t until he feels Michael go rigidly still beneath him that he opens them. “Geoff, Geoff… Hey Dexter.” Michael stutters as his eyes meet the child’s worried ones.  
“Dexter? Dexter what are you doing in here!” Geoff says, horrified by the child staring at them with wide eyes. The Alpha works rapidly to tug a blanket over them to shield themselves, but the kit just continues to stare in confusion.  
“Why did he call you Daddy? Papa Michael are you my brother too?” Dex asks after a few moments of strained silence between the group. “Also Papa why were you shoving your privates into Papa Michael?”  
“Uh… Geoff?” Michael stammers unsure of what to tell the boy, and this is when Geoff makes a decision. It takes merely minutes to make the boy forget the entire thing, and make him walk out of the room. The gent sighs in relief when his son is safely out of the room, and in search of Gavin to play with. “We need to lock the door.”   
“Good idea… God it’s good to be a telepath.” Geoff murmurs as he rolls them over so Michael’s sitting on top, the omega needs no more encouragement to ride him gently tugging on the knot slightly. Michael didn’t last long, and cums quickly on his mate’s knot….. Well former mate, or were they mates again, he was riding the man for christ’s sake. “I love you baby boy.” Geoff says after hearing the man’s thoughts.   
“I love you too old man, but Iri is right this doesn’t change anything… Or at least not yet.”  
“Michael if you weren’t my mate then I doubt you’d be here right now.” Geoff points out, but the omega just shakes his head. “Oh so you’d be riding me even if I wasn’t your mate... geez I knew you were a slut, but christ I have three other mates… homewrecker.”   
“Shut up Geoff I’m being serious… I can’t go back to how it was before.”  
“Oh and why’s that?”  
“Geoff I love you, I really do but I hate it when you make me feel worthless… I hate it when you tie me up outside, or fuck me like I’m nothing more than a wet hole for you to shove your dick into. Geoff I don’t, no I won’t go back to that.” Michael tells the gent who softens his expression slightly. “Iri and I were talking about this Monday night, we’ll come back but only if you include us.”  
“Include? What do you mean, I thought I always included you two?”  
“Geoff when you decided to take Iri to a psychologist who did you talk that over with?”  
“I… Well it was Ryan and I. Michael as Pack Alpha it is my responsibility to take care of my pack, and she wasn’t going to get better on her own.” Geoff starts, but Michael shakes his head.  
“That’s not what I mean, therapy has done wonders for her and I’m not saying it was the wrong thing to do. I’m saying that should have been a group decision, not an Alpha only one… Ray and Gavin are different then us I guess because they’re okay with the whole old school rule of Alphas making every decision, but Iri and I aren’t. We were raised in primarily Alpha households and we’re used to making our own choices… And you need to respect that.” Michael explains to the sympathetic Alpha who's knot has slipped out, and was now sitting up with him still in his lap. The omega felt childish sitting in his alpha’s lap, but they needed to talk about this.   
“Michael, I’m so sorry if I ever made you feel like that. Baby boy, I had just gotten so used to making choices for us that I never stopped to check if that was actually okay with all of us… Gav and Ray are much more dependent on us than you two are, and with Iri being so complacent all the time I just figured.. Kitten I’m so sorry, if you come back I promise I’ll be better about that… And you aren’t worthless, you are fucking wonderful as dicks.” Geoff whispers lovingly to the omega who was nuzzling his neck and purring contently, it isn’t until he feel something drip that he pulls the man’s face up to look at him. “Don’t cry baby boy, Daddy’s here.”  
“I’m not… These aren’t tears, I’m just sweating.” Michael stutters in between little sniffles, fucking Alpha saying nice shit, fucking hormones, and fucking heat making him all sensitive and shit… He felt like a god damn virgin who’d just popped his cherry.   
“Of course they’re not Michael.. How are you feeling?”  
“Like I’m going through a heat, but a lot less angry than this morning.. You're sweet as dicks you know that?”  
“Hmm and your cuddly as fuck right now.” Geoff points out and watches as his omega’s ear tips turn bright red. “But I love it.”  
“You better old man because I got options… A sweet piece of ass like me.” Michael boasts playfully and the gent just rolls his eyes at him. “You should have heard the way we got hit on at the clubs.”  
“You guys went to out?” Geoff asks in mild irritation, what were his omegas going out like that for? He was their mate and they didn’t..  
“Only twice Geoff before Iri decided getting hit on by grabby Alphas wasn’t fun anymore… Though watching her k.o a dude who touched my junk was quite a sight.”   
“That’s my girl.” Geoff says with a proud smile, before leaning back on the bed with Michael still laying on top of him mostly. The gent just idly plays with his mate’s curls as the other purrs sleepily on his chest. “I missed you, and the kids missed you… And Gavvers has been an emotional mess, plus Ray hasn’t been sleeping well.”  
“Sheesh you guys fall apart without us don’t you?”  
“A little, but why don’t you take a nap?”  
“Naa, I’m not tired and besides if I sleep now I won’t sleep tonight.”  
“Oh I could think of a few ways to tire you out again.”   
“Shut up pervert.” Michael snaps playfully as he nips the man’s chest. “I’m going to give Iri a call, and have her bring Leo over.” He says while rolling away to find his phone. “Geoff where’s my phone.”  
“Uh, check your pockets, or the table… I don’t really remember where you put it. .. I was a little distracted by the way you nearly jumped me for my knot.” Geoff tells the omega who sighs in frustration before searching the surrounding area. After about ten minutes and a few angry murmurs Michael turns to Geoff.   
“Call me.”  
“Hmmm maybe.” Geoff teases causing the other to roll his eyes. The gent dials and listens for it, and is surprised when the ringtone plays. “Darth Vader really?”  
“It seemed appropriate… If you think that’s bad you should hear Iri’s ringtone for you.” Michael adds with a smirk as he dials Iri’s number…  
‘Sorry I’m busy, but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.’  
“No answer?”  
“Yeah, it went straight to voicemail… I’ll text her.”  
“Why don’t we just go over there?” Geoff proposes and the man just nods while noting the time it was about 7:30 pm.   
“Alright, let’s go.”


	49. Together Again, and Feline Rituals

Iri  
Eight pm

“Lexi… Lexi maybe we should call Ryan.” Iri whispers when she drags herself back into the realm of the living after about an hour sleeping. “Lexi?”  
“Sorry Mistress, I was grabbing your phone… Michael called, and texted like twenty minutes ago.”  
“What’s it say?” Iri asks shifting herself slightly in the tub.  
“Says, hey Geoff and I are coming over.”  
“Oh that works out I guess.” Iri whimpers painfully as she wrenches herself up, she shifts back only to scream in pain as the wound that had clotted a little re-open leaving the woman’s already sore throat completely destroyed.   
“Iri?” Geoff’s worried voice asks as the pair enters through the front door, shutting it quietly. They look around for the woman however the scent of blood puts them on edge. “Iri where are you?”  
“In… Geoff I’m in here.” Iri manages to choke out from inside the blood smeared bathtub. Geoff and Michael rush to the sound only to gasp in shock at the battered state of her. “Howdy.”  
“What happened to you?” Geoff says in shock as he kneels beside the injured woman. “Kit who did this?”  
“Muggers… almost took my purse, but Lexi managed to fend them off. Geoff can you heal this?”  
“Yeah… God it looks like an animal mauled you.”  
“Thanks because that’s what every woman wants to hear.”  
“Sorry, it’s just… Wait why were you out in the first place?”  
“Ryan came by, I’m assuming you know that.”  
“I do and he gave you the toy I hope.”  
“No batteries.” Iri says in a tone like that was able to explain the entire situation.  
“So you left your apartment for batteries?”  
“Seemed like a good idea at the time.. Didn’t plan on getting mugged.” Iri mutters as she watches the gent’s powers knit muscle tissue back together, and heal the worst of the injuries leaving her with an overall sense of soreness as well as many bruises. “Thanks, so what did you need?”  
“I came to tell you that Michael and I have been talking, and I am honestly sorry for the way I treated you. I love you, and I’ll try my damnedest to fix this if you’ll let me.”   
“You mean it?”  
“I do, and in fact the pack, back at the house have been bouncing around the concept of marriage.”  
“Ehh don’t push your luck Ramsey.” Michael warns and the wounded omega just nods in agreement.   
“Baby steps Papa, baby steps… Speaking of babies, Leo is at Burnie’s because I got my heat and I thought it would be worse than this; however, it seems I’m not as affected by it as I thought I would be.”  
“Really?” Michael asks and the woman nods while standing up gingerly. Geoff and Michael grimace at the bruises, and dried blood that covered her body.   
“Yeah, god my throat feels like I was sucking dick for days.” Iri groans in pain and Geoff places a hand to her throat making note of the purple marks left on her pale skin. He attempts to heal her windpipe more, but Todd just shakes his head telling him that it would need to heal the rest on it’s own.  
“I don’t understand why you didn’t just have Lexi come out and go all dragon on their asses.” Michael points out and Iri just sighs while looking to the man with hard eyes.   
“Did you know Caster’s predators can be killed if a deadly blow is received in their corporeal form?” Iri asks and the men just shake their heads. “I’ll heal, but she’ll die…. and I won’t allow that to happen because of me.”  
“Mistress you act as though I am a delicate flower, I could have killed those tigers easily if you wouldn’t have forced me to retreat.” Lexi interjects and that is when Iri glares at the fox who had appeared on the toilet seat.  
“Tigers?” Geoff asks and Iri sighs with a glare to the fox.  
“The people had tigers on their shirts.” Iri lies quickly, but the gent doesn’t seem to believe it… However, doesn’t push it.   
“Anyways, Michael told me you still have sessions with Clara… How is that going?”  
“Its… It’s okay, she says I’m doing better.”  
“That’s wonderful Kit, and I’m sure you’ll only get better.”  
“Well that’s the plan and all.” Iri says awkwardly, the truth is she didn’t feel any better… She was still angry, still barely eating, still sad about Serah’s death, and the only real difference was that she didn’t hate herself so much…. but progress was progress no matter how small. “So are we going home or what?”  
“Yeah, let’s go home.” Geoff says with a smile, and takes Iri by the hand only to hear her grimace and pull away. “Iri?”  
“Still almost beaten to death, and tugging hurts.” Iri tells him and he just nods in understanding. Michael however takes the man’s arm and wraps it around his own shoulders.   
“I’m not sore, and I could definitely stand to be fucked pack style when we get home.”  
“Mmm I’m sure that could be arranged however, we might need Burnie to come get the kits to truly be able to play.”  
“Why, it’s not like we haven’t had sex with them in it before.” Iri adds while wiping the crusted blood from her body quickly with a nearby wash cloth.   
“No, but we’ve never had pack sex with them here, and I don’t fancy erasing all of their memories.”  
“When did you do this, and who did you do this to?” Iri demands her tone taking a protective edge to it.   
“Dex, he walked in on me fucking Michael earlier.” Geoff explains briefly as Iri follows them out, as Michael pulls away from the alpha to lock the door. At the top of the stairs Iri waits with a pained look, the other two only notice her hesitance. “Iri?”  
“Iri don’t you dare try to use your powers.” Michael orders quickly and watches as the woman goes to take the step but remains hesitant. She wasn’t sure why, but she knew these steps were going to fuck her up… or maybe she was just having a panic attack… Yeah she was pretty sure this was a panic attack. What other rational reason was there for the sudden bout of fear at the top of stairs she’d traveled hundreds of times? “Would you like some help?”  
“I...I..” Iri stutters, and shakes slightly at the top. Geoff takes a step towards the woman who is mumbling quietly, and her breathing had turned ragged. “I’m sorry, it’s... I.”  
“Kit they are just stairs. What’s wrong with stairs?”  
“It’s not the stairs Geoff.”  
"Then what is it?"  
"I think heat amplifies my anxiety."  
“So it basically makes you terrified of random things?” Michael suggests and the woman nods.   
“Perhaps… I’m still not sure what’s going on in my head.” Iri murmurs as she takes the first step towards the men who are waiting with confused looks. “Fuck you both alright I’ve had a rough day! I almost fucked my Dad, I got mugged, and to top it all off I’m emotionally confused… Plus Joel was telling me a weird story that I thought had nothing to do with anything, but sort of did however it was mostly about their gross six hour sex session. And I’m tired, and hungry, and I’m not sure why but these stairs make me scared alright!” Iri shouts at them suddenly taking them both by surprise at the woman's loudness.  
“Vixen calm down, it’s just heat. We’ll get a knot in you and you’ll be right as rain.” Michael assures the woman calmly as he notices how her tail was flicking in a sensual motion. “I think that’s why you're acting so fucking weird… Have Geoff here fuck you into oblivion, and I’m ninety percent sure you’ll be fine.”  
“So you're a doctor now?”  
“I dabble.”   
“Shut up, and can someone help me?”  
“Jump, I’ll catch you.”  
“Geoff you can barely make it up these stairs on your own, I highly doubt you can carry me as well.” Iri points out and the alpha just growls at her, so with a sigh she limps gingerly down a few of the stairs to the waiting arms of Geoff. He lifts her fireman style, and Iri just yelps as she feels herself hoisted over his shoulder.   
“Shh, and you said I couldn’t do it.”  
“Geoff… Geoffrey put me down.”  
“Nope.” He says with finality as they descend the stairs. It was on the last step Geoff twists her the wrong way, and she feels a rib snap. She bites back a scream, and moans quietly into Geoff’s shoulder. “Kit don’t worry, Papa will take care of you soon.”  
“Mmmk…” Iri mutters hazily and can’t help the sound of pleasure that falls from her lips… Well if there was ever a doubt in her mind that she was a masochist it was quelled instantly as a wave of need shoots through her stomach. “Alpha.”  
“Yes Kit?”  
“Knot me.”  
“I will, but wait till we get home.”  
“Okay, also a few of my ribs are broken.” Iri adds casually while reaching over to play with her tail, only to feel her hands slapped away by Geoff.   
“How do you know?”   
“An educated guess from the pain left after the fight, and I heard another snap on the last step.”  
“Is that why you were moaning?”  
“God yes.. Geoff do that again.” Iri whimpers hazily as she feels her Alpha lower her to the ground by her injured torso. “Geoff please.”  
“Iri, I’m not going to press on your broken ribs, in fact you are going to bed when we get home.. No pack sex for you, you are too wounded.” Geoff tells the omega who whines loudly even as she is forced into the backseat. “Sit.”  
“But Geoff!”  
“No buts, I am not going to permanently disfigure your chest just so you can get off.”  
“Bastard.”  
“Call me that again and I’ll beat you till your ass is as bruised as your neck.”  
“Promise?” Iri asks hopefully, and the gent sighs heavily. “Geoff, I need a knot… Please give me one.”   
“God damn she’s an emotional roller coaster.” Michael mutters from the back seat as he watches the once crying woman go to a desperate needy one. “Come here Vixen.” The man orders and she shakes her head.  
“I need a knot, not your smooth omega cock.”  
“Iridessa don’t be bitchy, I ought to tie you up till you're so desperate you’ll take anything we give you.” Geoff snaps as he pulls out of the apartment parking lot and onto the road. It is maybe ten minutes of silence before the Alpha looks back in the rear-view mirror. What he finds doesn’t surprise him in the least, they were both heated omegas, and the air was clogged with their cinnamony-smokey scent. Michael had Iri pinned beneath him, and his hips grinding quickly against hers.   
“Red… fuck me.”  
“Sure thing Vixen, just give me a second.” Michael whispers as he fiddles with his zipper; however, a disapproving grunt from Geoff stops him for half a second before Iri reaches for his shirt collar and pulls him down for an insistent kiss.   
“Michael fuck me, and fuck me hard.” Iri moans into his lips as they pull apart breathlessly.   
“Say my name.” Michael whispers, and Iri does just that with as much lust as she can.  
“Michael.”   
“You two had better not be fucking back there.” Geoff growls in warning, but the other two just continue their ministrations. “I’m serious you two!” He snaps trying to deter the sexually charged pair, however it does nothing and he hears the sound of Iri purring in contentment. “Bad Omegas!”  
“Harder Michael…. Yes, yes fuck me!...Alpha, please!” Iri shouts in between gasps as Michael picks up the pace, and at the last phrase the pair feels Geoff slam the brakes.   
“What did you just call him?” Geoff snarls as he turns around to find her arching with Michael’s hands pushing on her heavily bruised rib cage. “Michael take your hands off her, you are going to rupture her liver.”   
“Don’t listen to him… Yes Michael… Yes!” She nearly screams in pleasure as he pushes on her ribs, and she cums with him. “Alpha.” Iri purrs as the man pulls her up, and he leans back so she can rest on his chest.   
“He is not your Alpha. I am your Alpha, and if you call him that again I’ll collar you to my side till you learn that lesson.” Geoff threatens with a strict tone while looking back at his omegas who were barely focused, still stuck on the need to breed. “Who is your Alpha?”  
“...” the pair still remain oblivious to the man’s sharp tone. Geoff at this point sighs through his nose in frustration as they pull onto their street. Once in the driveway the group of kids runs out the front door with Burnie and Joel being tugged out by Scarlett and Dex. Upon seeing Geoff’s truck they drop their grandparent’s hands to run towards the truck.   
“MOMMA!” The pair echoes, and upon hearing this Felicia and Leo unwrap themselves from around Ryan’s legs to dash over to the vehicle. Iri steps out of the truck after having righted herself as best as possible and scoops up Dex, plus Scarlett. Michael who was right behind her lifts up Felicia and Leo.   
“Hello my lovelies, are you excited to go with your Pop and Pappy?” Iri asks and the group nods enthusiastically from their parents arms. The men come over with bright smiles and take the children from their parent’s arms. “I’ll see you four on Sunday night.” She says while giving them each a kiss on the forehead. After pulling back her fathers’ notice the bruising around her neck.  
“Princess what happened?” Burnie asks worriedly and Iri just looks away with a meek smile.   
“It’s nothing Dad… You know just the usual.”   
“Kiddo you are still terrible at lying, but it is your life… just be careful.” Joel says quietly as he gives Burnie a warning look. “Now come on kits, let’s make you some dinner.” He adds and the pair take the waving kids to their car, strapping them in, and then with a final farewell they drive off into the setting sun. It leaves the group awkwardly standing on the front lawn staring after the now disappeared car.   
“So are we just going to stand here or are we going to talk?” Ray asks casually, effectively breaking the thick silence that had fallen over them.   
“You know I was hoping to just sorta sweep this one under the rug.” Iri tells the man, and the others just scoff. “What?”  
“Iri how did you really get those bruises, and do not say a mugger because no mugger could ever get the jump on you... even in heat.” Geoff inquires and watches as the woman merely twiddles a long strand of red hair between her fingers. Michael who notices his mates discretion puts an arm around her and pulls her close to him. Ryan goes to reach for them, but the jersey man snarls protectively, effectively warding the Alpha off. “Michael, I know you two have.”  
“No Geoff, I don’t think you do understand.” Michael snaps cutting the man off. “We agreed to come back and give this another try, but if you two are going to pull this shit then it won’t work.”  
“What shit am I pulling Michael?”  
“That touchy-feely shit! We don’t need to be babied by fucking Alphas, we’re independent and stuff!” Michael says angrily and this causes the alphas to back off a little. “So back off.”  
“Red, it’s…”  
“No it’s not, Iri we were perfectly capable.”  
“Michael, he is just worried… Red look at me, this is just your heat talking.” Iri whispers as she pulls the frazzled omega down for a kiss, the man beneath her purrs contently at her kiss. “It’s okay Michael, he won’t hurt you like Lucius did.”  
“They all..”  
“Boi, who is Lucius?” Gavin interjects after standing quietly in the background with Ray.  
“None of you're god damn business.”   
“Red, remember what Clara said?” Iri reminds her mate gently and that alone shocks the others.   
“Baby boy, you went to see Clara?”   
“Yeah Geoff… We go during our lunches sometimes.” Michael answers sheepishly as Iri nuzzles his neck affectionately.   
“You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to Michael.” Ryan tells the hesitant omega, they notice that Iri was holding his hands tightly as though to keep them from shaking. “And we’re sorry if we came on a little strong, Alphas are like that when their Omegas are in heat.” The gent says apologetically to him, and the man nods briskly. It was rare that they ever saw Michael so quiet, and Geoff would be lying if he said this Lucius guy didn’t piss him off even if he didn’t know the full story.  
“Let’s go inside, Iri should be resting.” Michael says deflecting the conversation from himself; he didn’t like to talk about Lucius, and if he could he never would, but he doubted that it wouldn’t ever come up again.   
“You worry too much Red, I’m fine.”  
“Love you say that so often I’m inclined to say you're lying to us.” Gavin mutters and Iri just scoffs only to moan quietly into Michael’s chest when he tightens his hold on her.   
“Masochist.” Ray chuckles, and Iri just sneers at him.  
“Fuck off Raymond.”  
“Alright chill out you two, and Michael go get in bed. I promised you a good pack fucking, and I can’t think of a better time.” Geoff says and at this Michael smiles brightly. “Be a good girl and lie down on the couch till we finish.”  
“Geoffrey, I would just like to tell you that you are being rather unfair, and if I might add quite the douchebag.” Iri argues, but heads over to lie on the couch.   
“I’ll come back for you Skye after we fuck Michael’s brains out.” Ray assures the woman as he gives her a quick kiss before heading upstairs, leaving Iri alone downstairs with just a hint of arousal. She can hear voices, well mostly Michael moaning and Iri wonders how long it’ll take them to finish. After about ten minutes of listening to sounds of sex Iri finds herself nearly overwhelmed by the need to have sex herself. Heat was a real bitch like that, so getting up silently she heads upstairs towards the empty bedroom. Passing the heat room with a breathy moan Iri has to hold herself back from pushing her way in and demanding they fuck her alongside Michael. However, she keeps herself controlled and continues into the bedroom where she heads to the closet looking for a her favorite outfit. Iri finds it easily, and begins undressing. The reason she loved this outfit so much is because it matched her collar perfectly, and it made her feel sexy. It was a simple dark blue corset with black bows along either side of her breasts and the tops of her hips. The matching blue tanga underwear framed her ass nicely, but the one downside Iri notices is that her corset needs to be tightened a little more than usual… It meant she had lost weight since wearing this last, and that was before she fell into her depression.   
‘I’m glad we’re back.’ Lexi whispers, disrupting her thoughts which was probably for the best.   
‘Me too Lex, and might I add this outfit looks great.’  
‘Doesn’t it hurt?’  
‘A little, but it only makes me more excited.’  
‘We’re so messed up.’  
‘Hell yeah we are, hey can you hand me my collar from the top shelf? I can’t reach it.’  
‘Sure thing Mistress… When are you going to tell Geoff about Seth?’  
“Never, and he believes me to be dead so for once this secret will stay a secret.” Iri whispers aloud unaware of Gavin making his way into the room. The brit waits a few minutes before entering the room to see Iri lying in lingerie on the large bed with a vibrator working in and out of her wet pussy.   
“Love, well aren’t you just a sight.” Gavin murmurs as he makes his way over to the bed where the woman is arching up towards him, and begins playing with the settings on the toy. “Hmm, what should I do?”  
“Touch me, god Gavin touch me… Please I’ll be such a good girl for you.”  
“I bet you will be, is that why you're dressed up like a tart?”  
“Gav, you make it sound like a bad thing.” Iri whimpers as she feels the lad pull the toy in and out at a teasingly slow pace. “Besides I’m your tart if that… helps anything.”  
“Mmm I think you're a little more of Michael’s slut than you are mine… at least of late.” Gavin adds teasingly in between soft kisses, and that’s when Iri gasps in pleasure as he fiddles with the dial.  
“Make me yours then.” Iri challenges, but the lad just ignores her taunt. “Don’t you want to claim me Gavvers?”  
“No, because you’ve always been mine, in fact I’ve never doubted that you were anything but mine... Rather Michael was just borrowing you for a little bit.” Gavin says with a smile as he kisses her roughly.   
“Always so sure of yourself aren’t you? Pompous, British, asshole.”  
“Disrespectful, lazy, American.”  
“Hmm, I love you too.”   
“Also I take back the lazy part seeing as you work a lot… Oh but I love you as well.” He adds as he runs his hands over the woman’s toned legs, and up onto her hips. His smile is darkened only briefly by how slim they are, but it brightens again when he hears her moan loudly.  
“Gav where’d you go?” Geoff’s curious voice asks as he looks around for the brit who had vanished twenty minutes ago. “Michael’s sleeping with Ryan and Ray in… Oh.”  
“Hey Geoff.” Iri whines sadly as Gavin purposely turns the dial down on the toy. “Gavin!”  
“Kit what’s going on?” Geoff asks as he gets on the other side of a writhing Iri.   
“She’s dressed like a little tart, and I’m just playing with her like one.”  
“In other words he’s being a jerk.”  
“Gavin, turn that off for a minute.” Geoff tells the lad who does as he’s told, and Iri nearly cries in frustration as the orgasm is wrenched away from her. “Now Iri why don’t you be a good girl, and show me the whole outfit.”  
“Geoffrey.”  
“It’s not Geoffrey to you Kit, it’s Papa… I can wait all night, but can you?”  
“You're a monster.”  
“And you're very mouthy for an omega in heat, it’s a shame you aren’t as compliant as Michael right now because you would have had several orgasms by now.”  
“And you're pretty dickish for an Alpha who just got two Omegas he drove away back.” Iri quips, it causes Geoff to chuckle and Gavin watches hesitantly hoping the gent doesn’t say anything stupid.   
“That’s true, but it still doesn’t change the fact that you're wearing that collar which means you want to be owned. You want to be told what to do, and I bet you even want to be whipped.” Geoff says as he stands up and drags the woman up with him gently. She makes no sound other than a surprised gasp at his sudden touch. He grabs a pillow, places it on the end of the bed, and then bends her over on top of the pillow. The first swat takes her by surprise, and she nearly shouts at the strength.   
“Geoff, not so… not so hard.” Iri complains, but the gent just laughs before hitting even harder.   
“Kit don’t tell me how to do my job.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri replies quietly as the man starts to lay into her, as the man continues his harsh treatment the others are drawn by her shouts. Michael and Ryan with Ray in his arms wander over sleepily to the bed where Gavin lies stroking himself lazily. “Alpha.” Iri whines as she turns red, and ducks her head down to hide it from the curious eyes of her mates.   
“Baby boy has she always been this bashful?” Geoff asks a more awake Michael who is already leaning down to suck Gavin’s exposed cock.   
“No Daddy, it happened around the time we left you guys.” Michael explains quickly as he laps at the head of Gavin’s member playfully.  
“Boi don’t tease.”  
“I will if I want to Boi.” Michael adds as he licks the tip with a smile, however he didn’t anticipate Gavin forcing his head down.   
“Suck or I’ll make you choke on my cock till you pass out.” Gavin warns forcefully as he let’s the man up a little only to purr happily at the pace he takes. “Good Boi.”  
“You two are ridiculous.” Iri mumbles under breath unwittingly catching the attention of her mates. Ryan who had been carrying Ray places him softly on the bed where he rubs his face against Michael’s exposed side. The spotted feline butts the other needily till he pulls off Gavin’s cock with a pop.  
“What Ray?” Michael asks slowly, but is soon answered by a lick on the top of his head. “No, Ray.”  
“Micool get back over here.” Gavin orders as he glares at the Latino man. “You can give him a bath after I’m finished.”   
“Fine.” Ray pouts, however gives up on licking the other cat. It was hard to be a feline in a house full of canines, felines would spend hours grooming their mates. Felines were known to take up this ritual around the time their mates were in heat, so no one blamed Ray for his insistence. He turns back to find Ryan standing by Geoff and the pair were taking turns spanking Iri. It isn’t until Ray huffs that Iri looks up to find the omega staring at her.   
“Yes Kitten?” Iri asks in between yelps, and at the last particularly hard hit she tries to wiggle away from Geoff’s tight grip. “Papa let go please.” Iri begs, and the gent just scoffs.   
“I thought you wanted a knot?” Geoff teases, and watches with a smile as she shifts down to get away from him. “Iri what are you doing?”  
“..” She says nothing else rather choosing to sit down beside Ray, and lick tenderly at the man’s arm hair. The man shifts instantly and begins to purr happily as the vixen continues her ministrations except now it’s his darker colored furry neck. Ray wastes no time in nudging the fox off the bed and onto the floor by the dog bed that was always kept in the corner of the room. Once there Iri curls upon herself, and the ocelot begins to groom the vixen. The feeling of Ray’s rough tongue lulls the fox into a sleepy state, and she chitters drowsily against his touches. It isn’t until she feels herself nosed over onto her side that the fox truly falls asleep at the soothing caress of Ray’s tongue grooming the white fur on her chest and stomach. It takes maybe twenty minutes before Ray is content with his grooming that he curls up beside the sleeping fox. Michael and Gavin were already being pulled lovingly close into the arms of Ryan and Geoff as they all settled down for the night.


	50. It's medicinal I assure you

The next Morning

Iri awoke to the feeling of a fluffy body snoring softly beside her own. She expects it to be Michael, however the events from last night flood back into her mind. After standing up and stretching her back out she shifts back to her human form. Iri exits the room quietly making sure to not disturb the sleeping men; she heads out the room and then into the kitchen. Jumping up on the counter she feels around above the cabinets hoping to find the box she’d hidden up there a long time ago. It contained several items such as an old family photo, a half smoked joint from a few months ago, and a baggy of sea shells she had collected as a child. Pulling out the joint she jumps down off the counter and grimaces at the way her torso aches. Heading out the back door to sit on one of the patio chairs, however not before nabbing a lighter. She hoped it was still good, but then again did it ever go bad? It was a plant and she was pretty sure it would still smoke well. Taking a seat on the patio chair she bites her lip and lifts up her shirt to reveal the dark bruising on the left side of her rib cage, she had changed in the heat room to Michael’s shirt and a pair of boxers that smelled a lot like Gavin. Pushing on the wound she gasps in a lot more pain than actual pleasure seeing as her heat had pretty much ended for the most part, or at least the pleasurable sensation from last night were gone. Despite Michael’s earlier diagnosis she still hadn’t had a knot, but she was starting to feel a bit closer to normal. Placing one end of the joint between her lips she lights it up, and coughs in surprise, her mind remembering how strong this one had been. Taking another drag she holds it in as best she can, but soon it comes back out leaving smoky puffs in the air. She isn’t sure really how long she sits there only that the blunt runs out much sooner than she would have liked, and an underlying sense of boredom sets in so with a sigh she heads back into the house… Grabbing her keys she is about two seconds away from heading to her apartment when Gavin’s sleepy voice stops her.   
“Love… Love where are you going?” Gavin asks in between a yawn as he slings his arms around the woman’s shoulders, kissing at her neck lazily. “Your skin tastes like roses, and… what is that grassy scent?”  
“Weed.” Geoff answers plainly as he joins them, and Iri just sets her keys down knowing that the gent wouldn’t let her leave at all. “So tell me Iri, where did you get that stuff?”  
“No where Geoffrey.” Iri mumbles complacently still hazy from the drugs, right now she was fantastically numb and she couldn’t give a fuck about really anything… Save for a cure to her boredom, which these two could easily provide if she played her cards right.   
“Stop calling me Geoffrey, you know I hate that.”  
“I know a lot of stuff, but that may be one of the few things I don’t know.” Iri adds with a smile, and Gavin just spins her around to face him. “Howdy.”  
“Ello Love, now what have I told you about teasing our Alpha?” Gavin whispers into her ear, and she scoffs playfully.   
“Tch, when have I ever listened to you?”  
“Gav, she has a good point… This little vixen doesn’t listen to any sort of reason unless it involves a swift kick to the ass.”   
“Mhmm Geoff you know me so well.” Iri teases playfully in between kisses.   
“You know I would like to think I do… Shouldn’t you be curled up next to Ray?” Geoff asks and Iri shrugs into Gavin’s shoulder.   
“I was, but my side started to hurt.”  
“Ahh so it’s medicinal I see.”  
“Love you realize he still has the pills from when you broke your leg.”  
“Ah damn I didn’t even think about those… Geoff where are they?”  
“Someplace where you aren’t going to O.D on the them, however if you need some then I’ll get a few.” Geoff explains as he wraps his arms around Iri’s waist, effectively sandwiching her between the men.   
“Papa can I have some?”  
“You may, especially when you ask so nicely.” Geoff says as he gives the woman’s neck a quick a kiss before pulling away to head upstairs. Gavin takes this opportunity to pull the woman down into his lap on the nearby couch. She curls up tightly in his grip, and the man chitters soothingly.   
“Gav, have you always been this soft?” Iri asks while nuzzling the purring omega, he chuckles quietly, and rolls his eyes at her question.   
“Love, be still won’t you.”   
“Sure Gavvers.” Iri murmurs sleepily into his side as the pair lie side by side on the couch. Geoff comes back a few moments later with a pill in hand and a glass of water. He doesn’t even need to say anything for the woman to sit up and take the pill. Once it was swallowed she lies back down with Gavin who is snoring softly.   
“Are you two going to sleep here?” Geoff asks only to receive a sleepy murmur in return from Gavin and a nod from Iri.   
“Yeah… Go back to bed Geoff.”  
“I’m taking you with me.” Geoff murmurs into her ears while leaning down to pick up the woman who says nothing just lets the man carry her back to the bed. He takes a quick look over his shoulder to see Gavin following with a mild glare. Geoff knew the omega had specifically woken up to come cuddle the woman, but he had ruined his chance. Once upstairs he lies on the bed with Iri facing outward, and Gavin settles down next to her so he too could snuggle. The woman who was now sufficiently doped up was breathing evenly in an unconscious state. Gavin purrs contently as he works himself closer to her, and smiles happily when he feels her tail rest gently on his hip.   
“Sleepy little Vixen.” Gavin adds under his breath with a yawn as he too falls asleep.   
“Shh Gav, go to sleep Pup.” Geoff mumbles hazily before dropping into sleep completely.


	51. A lover not a fighter, an Artist not a writer, and a dumbass knot head who is much mightier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I wish all my chapter titles rhymed as well as this one did, but then I realize how long it would take me to make them all rhyme...

Noonish

Iri awoke to the sound of Michael panting loudly, and the feeling of Gavin’s tongue between her thighs. She tries to shift away from the sound and feeling, but is restrained by a pair of hands. Looking up sleepily through lidded eyes she sees Ryan holding her down while kissing her brow sweetly.  
“Stay still Faline, and let Gav do his job.”  
“I’m… Oh… pretty sure this isn’t part of his… good god, I’ve missed this.” Iri trails off as she arches up at the lad’s skilled tongue.  
“Sorry my tongue… isn’t as limber.” Michael pants as he feels Geoff work his hips in an out at a fast pace.  
“It’s okay Red, your fingers are fantastic… It’s all that trigger… action.” She manages to choke out before a moan ravages it’s way through her throat which still hurt, and the pain makes her cough harshly. Gavin who notices her discomfort pulls back to allow her coughing fit to subside, and gives her a worried look. “I’m fine Pup, don’t you dare stop.”  
“Love maybe you should.”  
“Gavvers I’m fine, seriously never been finer in my life.”  
“Actually.”  
“Shut up Geoff.” Iri mutters cutting the gent off with a shout of pleasure as Gavin runs his tongue over her sensitive clit, it appeared that her heat was still present. She tries to grind her hips in time with his swipes, but Ryan holds her still to let the lad work at his own pace. “You two… are… awful.”  
“And that’s why you love us.” Ryan teases as he pinches one of her nipples roughly.  
“Ry!”  
“That’s me.”  
“Please, Ry. Please.” Iri begs as she feels Gavin pull back with a satisfied smile, and he rubs her thighs teasingly. She can’t help the desperate noises she makes as her body begs needily for a knot. Geoff who was deep in Michael just chuckles quietly as he watches the pair taunt the fox. “Papa, make them stop.”  
“Good girls take what their mates give them without complaint.”  
“Fine.” Iri growls as she forces her way into Ryan’s mind and commands he fuck her, which intern he does. She is in heaven as the gent works his cock in and out out at a pace that would put a rabbit to shame. The pair cum quickly, and after all their teasing Iri isn’t even upset at that. Once his knot was safely locked inside her, she releases her control over Ryan and lies back on the sheets with a dazed smile.  
“What… What happened?” Ryan asks as he comes back to himself slowly, he felt like he had been wading through mud. He looks down and finds Iri lying beneath him with a sated smile, and he can feel his member nestled deeply inside the woman. Godric at this point surfaces, and Iri watches his eyes turn a murky hazel. The wolf places a hand around her throat, and hardens his gaze. “Do that again, and there will be consequences.” The wolf’s dark tone warns with an angry glare.  
“Like what Godric?” Iri inquires with a smug smirk, the wolf just growls warningly as it grips her throat tightly choking the woman.  
“Godric enough.” Geoff warns, when he realizes the wolf wasn’t playing.  
“Very well Pack Alpha.” Godric says as he releases the woman who is drawing in ragged breaths. The wolf grabs her face, and kisses her deeply despite her protests. “Remember your manners Iridessa.”  
“And remember who’s your master Godric.” Iri adds with her eyes narrowed. The wolf merely chuckles with a grin before dissipating, the gent’s clear blue eyes coming back.  
“He has never wanted to tie you down, and fuck obedience into you more than he has now.”  
“Funny, I feel the same exact way.” Iri jests with a sarcastic smile, Ryan shakes his head before he kisses her tenderly. The pair deepens the kiss, and Ryan smirks triumphantly when the woman leans back breathless.  
“Bow to the mad king.”  
“Uhhh no?”  
“I’ll make you bow if you refuse to do it willingly.”  
“Really? Rye we’ve just witnessed her make you fuck her. I doubt you can make her do anything.” Ray mumbles as he jumps on the edge of the bed with a sigh.  
“I’m going running.” Iri declares suddenly as she pulls herself off of Ryan’s softening member.  
“Love you want me to come with you?”  
“Naa Gav, I’m good.” She says with a shrug, in the last few months she'd amped up her normal running routine causing her to be much faster than before. So in other words she didn't want to be dragged down by another, she wanted to run freely likely she'd become accustomed to.  
“Gavin go with her.” Geoff orders and the lad nods obediently. Iri just scowls at the man, but says nothing as she grabs a pair of blue running shorts, and a matching blue sports bra.The bruising was still dark, but she didn't really care what people thought about it. Heading down the stairs she starts stretching, while grabbing her iPod off the charger and straps it to her arm. She walks out the front door, pulls her hair back into a high ponytail, and then takes off the at a brisk walk still waiting for Gavin. About two houses down she hears Gavin’s heavy footsteps catching up to her.  
“Love wait!” Gavin shouts and Iri pauses waiting for the brit who chitters pleasantly upon her waiting for him. “Thanks.”  
“No problem.” Iri says casually, and with that she takes off towards the park to get on the trails. Turning up her tunes, she focuses on her breathing, and becomes completely oblivious to the world around her. It isn’t until her running mix ends, which is roughly two hours and her thighs burn that she turns to talk to Gavin; however, upon turning to face the lad she realizes that the man was absolutely no where near her. “Gavin?” Iri calls out quietly while looking around quickly for the brit whom is no where to be found. Taking off at a jog she retraces her way down the path to find Gavin about half a mile back breathing raggedly; she runs over there swiftly and Gavin smiles in between heavy breaths. “Gav are you okay?”  
“How… are.. you… so.. fast?” Gavin pants loudly, his heart was racing and he couldn’t feel his legs… He might be dying, and to honest it wasn’t that he was out of shape… but damn this girl could run, and it was kind of belittling to be outran by her… though only a little. “Love… I... “  
“Gav, how about we sit down?” Iri tells the man worriedly as she ushers him over to nearby bench. “Just breath deeply Gavin, and don’t pass out.”  
“You act… like I...don’t understand how to breathe.”  
“Shh, just focus on slowing your heartbeat.” Iri orders in a motherly tone while stroking his sweaty hair soothingly. “Good boy, Gav.”  
“Not a dog Love.” Gavin mutters bitterly at the woman who scowls at him.  
“Don’t pout because I out ran you, and besides you are a dog… well technically a wolf, but still you know what I mean.” Iri says pleasantly to the man making sure to keep her tone light as to not piss the man off further.  
“Whatever…” Gavin trails off, and Iri can’t help but deflate at this. She hated when Gavin was upset simply because it was a shame to see the man disheartened. It was like watching a child try really hard to do something nice, and then become sad when it doesn’t work out like how they thought it would be. Attempting to cheer the man up she curls into his side, and rubs her face on his chest with a needy purr.  
“I’m sorry.” Iri offers quietly, making sure to keep her tail low in a sign of apology. Gavin rolls his eyes before pulling her up for a kiss.  
“You're lucky you're adorable.” Gavin mumbles softly, and Iri chitters happily at his forgiveness. The woman says nothing in return she purrs into his gentle kisses. “Love, should we go home?”  
“You realize that is a twelve mile run back right?”  
“Good god is that how far we went, no wonder I almost died.”  
“Yeah ask Michael, I can run on average fifteen in about two hours before work… Usually it’s only ten though because I don’t feel like getting up at 5 am to run.” Iri explains to the man who just stares in mild surprise.  
“Ten miles an hour? Love have you ever thought of doing marathons?”  
“Yes actually I did one not too long ago.”  
“You did?”  
“Yup, Michael put the photos of my finish on twitter… I think I was 278 out of like 1500.” Iri tells the man with a shrug. “I did my best and that’s all that matters, or at least that’s what Leo said.”  
“How come you didn’t tell us?”  
“I… Gav the point of separation is to be separated.”  
“...” The brit says nothing to this choosing to stare at her with a look Iri wasn’t quite sure what it was meant to be. It looked of anger, confusion, and a mix of sadness but Iri was positive it was not purely any of those emotions rather just a hodge-podge of them. Purring hesitantly she draws the man’s attention and his indecipherable look is soon replaced with a smile. “Let’s go home.”  
“Do you want me to carry you?”  
“Can you?” Gavin inquires curiously, and Iri just chuckles while using her powers to assist her in lifting the man princess style. The man in her arms laughs quietly as he is carried. 

An hour later

Iri’s arms are beginning to ache as carrying Gavin may have been one of the worst choices of her life so far… Then again she used to have bangs, and those were definitely worse than this.  
“Love are you alright?” Gavin asks as he feels the overall sense of discomfort coming from the woman. “Here let me down.”  
“No, we’re going to make it to that front door if it kills me.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Super sure.”  
“Well, I believe in you if it’s any help.”  
“Gav why aren’t you lighter?”  
“Because I eat, unlike you.”  
“Touche Gavvers, touche.” Iri mumbles before focusing on lifting the man with more of her powers than actual arm strength, which was harder and harder given that she hadn’t eaten in a while. She had never wanted a sandwich more, and she was definitely eating something when they made it to the house… if she could make it to the house.  
“Love who thinks you're dead?” Gavin asks suddenly causing the woman to stumble a little before recovering quickly. “Are they the same person who beat you?”  
“Gav, I just want to get home okay... and besides it’s none of your business.”  
“You realize it is completely my business correct?”  
“Gav, no it’s still my life no matter what person decides to chime in their two cents, so as the kids say fuck off.” Iri snaps as she gives up, and drops the man on a nearby patch of grass. They were about five minutes from the house, but she was pissed and Gavin could go to hell if he wanted to ask stupid questions.  
“Oye, wait up!” Gavin shouts after the woman who was storming off down the street. “Love wait!”  
“No, the house is literally right there Gavin. I don’t need whatever protection Geoff thought I did!” Iri shouts back at the man, and in a motion that would make her eat her words she finds herself lying flat on her back with a man standing above her.  
“Did it hurt?” The stranger asks.  
“I swear to god if you say when I fell from heaven I’m going to kick your ass.” Iri growls at the man who just chuckles at her. She can see Gavin storming over quickly to help her, and she would gladly let him deal with the knot head leering down at her.  
“Can I help you?” Gavin growls and the man turns to face the angry brit.  
“Not really, so why don’t you fuck off foreigner.”  
“Piss off my mate you bloody wanker!” Gavin snarls at the Alpha who scoffs at the man.  
“Tch, Omegas don’t mate with each other you idiot… Or at least not in America they don’t, now Miss.” The Alpha starts only to be decked by a furious Gavin. Iri gasps in surprise as she watches the Alpha retaliate by punching him square in the jaw. She watches Gavin get knocked off his feet by the blow. Iri doesn’t even growl before she launches herself at the Alpha, the man is taken by surprise at the strength of her hit. Leaving the man no time to recover she knees him hard in the groin, and then kicks his chest with enough force to send him flying to the ground.  
“Don’t ever hit my mate, or I’ll fucking rip your dick off.” She threatens with a growl before spitting on the dazed man lying on his back, turning towards Gavin unaware of the Alpha staggering to his feet.  
“You stupid omega bitch!” He snarls as he winds up, but a tattooed arm stops him.  
“Hey now, there’s no need for name calling.” Geoff says calmly as the scent of anger, and Alpha reaches his nose. “Gav, Iri are you two alright?”  
“These two are yours?”  
“They are, so as my mate so eloquently said back the fuck off.” Geoff snaps and at this the man backs away slowly after seeing the cold stare of the elder Alpha. At this point Iri let’s out a feral growl that sends the Alpha on his way. “God damn you two are just a magnet for trouble.”  
“I need to shower.” Iri says briskly as she sprints away from the pair before they can stop her.  
“Gav, what happened?”  
“Nothing Geoff.” Gavin mumbles as he rubs at his bruised jaw, and Geoff just scowls at this however he doesn’t push knowing the man would talk if he wanted to… worst came to worst Geoff could always invade his mind. “Come on let’s go inside.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note imagine if someone wrote an entire story in either limerick, sonnet, or haiku format. Please if someone has done that leave a comment because I would love to read that.


	52. MLG

Hours Later

After her shower she had decided to start some of Monday’s concept art in her studio. Iri sat locked in her art studio despite the insistent knocking of Geoff, or the quiet bargaining of Ray, which had become increasingly more annoying as the hours ticked on. One can not find inspiration if there is no silence to gather it from.   
“Skye.” Ray calls out quietly after coming up from the downstairs.  
“Ray what do you need?” Iri sighs in frustration, she was tired of constantly rebuking them and if she was going to talk to anyone it’d be Ray.   
“Come play CoD with me, I need a partner who won’t camp like a bitch.”  
“Who are you playing with?”  
“Well I was playing with Ryan, but he gave up and just started screen looking like a pussy.”  
“Alright, I’m coming.”

Downstairs

Ryan was currently killing the shit out of Ray’s character despite the fact they were supposed to be paused.  
“Asshole.” Michael scoffs as he looks up from his laptop to see the gent spamming the character. “He’s going to kick your ass when he comes back.”  
“Nope, actually I am.” Iri states confidently as she grabs a controller while Ray ends the game. The pair set down in the large lazy boy with Iri settled comfortable in the male’s arms. She was no MLG, but with Ray being her best friend Iri was definitely no slouch considering the man was always working on his stats, and Iri enjoyed playing with him even if she wasn't as great as him. “Ray, maneuver delta?” The pair had worked out several codes that served them a tactical advantage over other players. Fight smarter, not harder.  
“Skye I was thinking the same damn thing… Team stray!” He calls out waiting for the response.   
“Assemble!” Iri answers as the pair starts up a new game, ready to obliterate the gent who had narrowed his eyes at the challenge. Michael just watches with a shake of his head as the oblivious man had no idea the ass kicking that he was about to endure. 

Many Games later

After about the tenth consecutive match of watching them double team the gent, Michael decides to jump in to help him; however, this does nothing to save him, in fact it only turns into a bloodbath from there. Ray and Iri were a tactical pair who operated with a sense of militaristic precision that in real life would have impressed even the most strategic general. The men can do nothing, but fall to their bullets and blades like cannon fodder.   
“Ray, fox’s tail?”  
“No, catch the tail.”  
“Aye Captain.” Iri mumbles while giving the man a quick peck on the cheek before turning back to the game. Their maneuver was a simple one, Iri was to be the tail and Ray the chaser. As the tail she would bait the other two in hopes that they would follow her to a specific area of the map; once there Ray would be hiding and waiting for them. It works perfectly, and in game Iri watches the men follow her through a door into a large factory where Ray quickly head-shotted them.   
“Fucking christ!” Michael shouts in frustration as he stands up and kicks the couch gently. “I’m done, I fucking give up!” He growls while placing the controller down, and storming out the back door where Gavin and Geoff were drinking on the deck.   
“I believe the technical term is surrender.”  
“Bow to the Rose King, and his Vixen Queen.” Ray says with a smug smirk that causes the Alpha to huff in defeat.   
“The Mad King never bows, not even in defeat.” Ryan tells the pair as he stands up, and walks over to the triumphant omegas who wore smirks. “Come here.”  
“No.” Iri challenges, and even Ray straightens his posture bristly at the Alpha’s words.  
“Omegas be good for me, and come here…” Ryan attempts to bargain with a soft tone, and hesitantly the pair get off the chair. “Good now come lie on the couch.”  
“Ry, what’s the purpose of this?”  
“Just do it.”  
“No because this isn’t a Nike commercial, and I don’t have to do this.” Iri argues with a huff as she heads up the stairs while Ray lies on the couch.   
“Still not sure what her problem is.” Ray comments and Ryan just shrugs as he begins placing soft kisses on his lover’s neck. “Rye.”  
“Yes my King?”  
“I hope she’s okay up there.” Ray says anxiously, he wanted to enjoy this but a nagging sense of distress was preventing him. “Also I’m not a king, I’m a sexy prince.”  
“Whatever, come on let’s go see what she’s doing.” Ryan mutters with a roll of his eyes, as he pulls Ray up into his arms. The smaller man shifts down and jumps on Ryan’s shoulder; he digs his claws in slightly to maintain his balance. “Mmm Ray, use those claws.”  
“Like this?” Ray inquires as he extends them a little more into the man’s flesh. “Rye, I don’t… I don’t want to do this.”  
“Okay Kitten, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Ryan whispers to the shaking cat soothingly. “It’s alright Ray.”  
“You're bleeding… I’m sorry, I.” Ray stutters as he shakes roughly in his Alpha’s arms.   
“Shhh Ray, it’s alright. It’s just a little blood, look at me. I’m okay.” Ryan tells the man with a smile, and the cat merely buries his face into his chest. “Ray let’s head outside, hmm let’s go see Gavin.”   
“Yeah... “ Ray trails off as his thoughts turn to those of the man he mauled in fear.   
‘Ray, he was going to kill you… It wasn’t your fault, and Erik shouldn’t have put you in that situation.’ Iri’s calming voice whispers soothingly in his frazzle mind as she descends the stairs in her bikini.   
‘I… I.’  
“Ray do you want to go for a walk?” Iri asks suddenly causing Ryan to look up and see the woman wearing a sheepish smile. “Sorry about earlier, I just had a tiny breakdown but I’m good now.” She assures the men, while lifting the ocelot into her arms.   
“I don’t want to shift back.” Ray states, and Iri nods in understanding while padding upstairs to find the man’s collar and leash. “Have you eaten today?”  
“Damn that’s what I forgot to do.” Iri curses as she slips it on the cat’s slender neck petting him softly.  
“What were you doing in there?”  
“Sketching for Miles… His birthday is coming up and since I’m not good for much else I figured he might like it.” Iri mumbles shyly, and Ray just scoffs in disbelief.   
“Skye you are good for so much more than just art, and Miles will love anything you give him.” Ray assures her as the pair head back down the stairs to find Ryan already gone out back with the others. “Hey eat something before we go.”  
“Yes Mom.”  
“Shut up, and make me a sandwich woman.”  
“You know I’ve never been so degraded in my life.” Iri chuckles in mock offense as she grabs a leftover hamburger, and a pretzel bun. She takes a bite, and then the pair head out the back door to tell the others. 

Outside 

“She’s a bit unstable Geoff.” Ryan starts however, the glare from Geoff let’s him know that he is tired of the conversation.   
“Enough, I’m.”  
“Hey Geoff, Ray and I are going for a walk. We’ll be back for dinner though.” Iri tells the gent who was glaring at the other alpha sharply. “Is everything alright?”  
“Yeah just go Kit, we’ll talk when you get back.”   
“Wait, what do you mean?”  
“Skye let’s just go.”  
“No, Geoff this is what I was talking about. What’s going on?” Iri says as she stands still clenching her fists, and holding Ray closely to her chest. “Is everything okay?”  
“Kit, we’re worried.”  
“About what?”  
“You're being rather emotional lately, and Love we’re just worried.”  
“Hey assholes you realize we’re in the middle of a heat right now, and our hormones are pretty fucked up at this moment.” Michael interjects in her defense, having been content to listen but now he wouldn’t listen silently to them attack her. “Christ Geoff, I know you are dense sometimes but this is stupid even for you.”  
“Michael, I knew he would bring this up… I’m not dumb, and I haven’t forgotten the feeling of Todd’s presence.”  
“What?”   
“Geoff don’t deny it, I’ve felt him since we left… Why do you think my thoughts were so carefully blocked? I have never felt the need to hide from myself more so than when I am near you. This was the reason I left, this is the reason I run. I run because maybe someday I’ll figure out, or hell I’ll figure something out… But god almighty you need to leave me alone. I love you, but I don’t love possessive you.” Iri explains to the man who wears an expression of utter confusion.  
“Iridessa that isn’t me, that was never me… You need to believe me when I tell you this, Kit I have never been able to successfully gain a foothold in your mind. Tell me has this other been able to either?”  
“No, I always… If it’s not you than who is it?”  
“I thought this would end with Erik, but I guess I was wrong… When they’re trying to get in what does it feel like?”  
“It feels like Lance, but less refined… It’s like a cat clawing on a steel door.”   
“That means their untrained, or desperate.” Geoff tells her in thinking, he gets out of the pool, and places a hand on her shoulder. “Be careful because a desperate predator is a dangerous one.”  
“No dip sherlock, now are we free to go?”  
“Uh.. No we still need to talk about the emotional rollercoaster you are.”  
“Geoff, do I seem like a rollercoaster right now?”  
“Not really, but Gav and Ryan.”  
“That’s true, but what woman isn’t a bit emotional sometimes?”  
“She makes an excellent point Geoffrey.” Michael adds as he crosses his arms and leaves the pool as well. “In fact I love her point so much I’m going with them.”  
“Team Stray plus one.” Ray quips leaving the yard quickly. “So Michael are you shifting down to?”  
“You know I could… Let me go get the leash.”   
“Alright we’ll wait.” Iri says while taking another hesitant bite of the sandwich, Ray watches the woman chew it for a long time, and eventually Ray clears his throat distracting her from her thoughts. “What?”  
“Are you going to swallow that or?”  
“Shut up, Ray.” Iri says with a chuckle as she swallows the sandwich. “Here, I don’t want the rest.”  
“Iri you ate like two bites of that, eat a few more.”  
“Can’t make me.”  
“Vixen eat, and besides you can’t maintain muscle mass if you don’t eat.” Michael orders and the woman nods briskly as she eats the rest of the sandwich. The man shifts down, and Iri slips the red leather around his neck. “Alright let’s go.”  
“Sure guys.” Iri mumbles with a smile, and all three surge out of the house. 

The Others

“Geoff who else besides Ristau knows about her?” Ryan asks worriedly as they hear their loud mates exit the front door.   
“I honestly have no clue, but whoever it is will get the ass kicked out of them if they try anything.” Geoff threatens and the other Alpha merely nods in agreement.  
“Why her though? Geoff why not someone else?” Gavin inquires and the pack alpha shrugs while scrubbing his face in frustration. “What makes her so special?”   
“Jealous?” Ryan asks with a smirk, and the brit merely scowls at him.  
“No I’m not jealous you sausage.”  
“From what Todd can garner from the tiny glimpses into her mind is that she is rather powerful when she takes care of herself.” Geoff explains with a sigh as the group towels off slowly. “Todd says they went to the river.”  
“The river?”  
“Well it’s more of a creek, but yeah there having a good time.” Geoff mumbles with a smile, it made his heart lighter to know that they were having fun… Even in this crappy situation they were still having a great time.   
“Geoff, we’ll keep her safe won’t we?”  
“Gav, don’t ask stupid questions.”


	53. Master and Pet of the Ray and Iri persuasion... also a dash of Michael for taste

Ray, Iri, Michael

At first Ray had innocently shifted back and shoved Iri playfully towards the water. Iri of course had fallen roughly into the water, came back up drenched, and turned with a snarl to the pair snickering quietly in the background. From there she had lifted the men up and dumped them in the water, so they could be as soaked as she was.   
“Iridessa, you are a naughty girl.”   
“When am I anything but?” Iri taunts as she lies back and allows herself to float lazily down the slow moving water.   
“You are such a fucking tease.” Michael murmurs as he paddles after her with a smile, and Ray swimming alongside him as well.   
“But you love every second of it my Alpha.” Iri says taunting the man with a coy smirk that would send him into over drive. “Touch me.” She mumbles insistently, her shy tone turning to a straightforward one.   
“You need an alpha, baby girl.” Michael tells the woman pushing him to the soft shore of the water, and kissing his neck softly.   
“Mmm, but I don’t want one… I want you.”   
“What am I chopped meat?”  
“No, in fact you two are going to work me till I can’t sit stand on my own two feet.”  
“Oh are we now?” Michael asks incredulously, and the woman nods furiously.   
“Tell me Pet, why would I do that?” Ray inquires taking on a strict tone that the pair had only heard in the office closet or many years before the kits came along. This was dominant Ray, and dominant Ray didn’t fuck around. “Answer me, unless you want to be left tied to a tree like a good Pet ought to be.”   
“Ray?”   
“Yes Michael?”  
“You're fucking hot.” Michael adds with a smirk as he leans over to kiss the man who had swam over to the pair. The kiss was hot, hard, and mostly teeth but god did it make them eager for more. Iri watches as the men above her kiss roughly, and the whine that leaves her throat is completely involuntary. At the small sound the pair break apart to find the wet fox whining needily underneath them.   
“Awe would Pet like something?” Ray asks with raised eyebrows, and Iri merely whimpers at the man’s wandering hands.  
“Ray please.”  
“Please what Pet?” Ray says playing dumb while Michael shutters alongside Iri.   
“Touch me Ray, please touch me.” Iri begs as her lust rears its head, and she silently wishes Gavin were here because he wouldn’t make her beg. Gavin would fuck her till she screamed, and he would keep on going till she couldn’t walk afterwards.   
“Mmm last I checked pet’s don’t call their owners by their first names.”  
“What is she supposed to call you then?” Michael asks in confusion as he nips at the needy’s woman wrist causing her hips to jolt up.   
“Master is acceptable, or… well Master is really the only thing I can think of.”  
“Fine, Master touch me.” Iri moans whorishly as she bucks up into Michael’s biting.   
“Alright Pet, spread your thighs nice and wide for me.” Ray orders and the woman doesn’t even fight him. “Now if only you were this good for our Alphas.”  
“Alphas aren’t nearly as fun as Omegas.” Iri explains and at this the men stop touching her completely. “Master? Alpha?”  
“You need a knot Pet, and I can’t give you one. However, Geoff has been waiting several months for this.”   
“What do you mean Ray?”  
“I mean Geoff hasn’t been able to produce a knot since you two left, it was really depressing and poor Ryan had to knot us on his own. Though he wasn’t really complaining… I think yesterday was the first time in like three months he popped a knot for more than two seconds.”  
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything other than scrambling away from them and back into the water. She hadn’t meant for any of this to happen, and the immense amount of guilt she felt was almost enough to make her cry. The poor man hadn’t been able to get it up with them gone, and honestly what had they been thinking. Sure it had been awesome living with just Michael, but after hearing this she was ninety-two percent positive that it hadn’t been worth it. Iri dives down under the water attempting to clear out the negativity roaming about. As she breaks the surface she feels a familiar leather collar slipped around her neck. A sense of calm washes over her, and Ray can tell it to in the way her face seems to lose its rigidness.   
“Pet, I think it’s time we go home… Hmm, let your Papa have his way with you.” Ray suggests quietly to the newly collared woman; she was always calmer when he collared her verses Geoff. He figured it was because he was her dominant, and she was his submissive when they played. There was no in between when they played, but with Geoff she had a tendency to deviate. Ray watches his Pet mull it over in her head, she probably would have pulled away if not for his finger gripping the d-ring tightly. She ducks her head submissively, and Ray draws it up with his index finger. He forces her to hold his steady gaze, and pulls her into rough kiss. Michael watches the pair interact with a small level of curiosity, sure he’d seen them have the intimate times but he’d never seen this type of scene. He had heard from the Gavin that it was positively scorching, but he’d never seen it for himself. “Pet are you listening?” Ray asks quietly as he pulls back, and the woman nods in confirmation. “Then come on.”  
“Master please, I need you.”  
“Mmm very well Pet, spread your thighs… No I said spread them!” Ray shouts sharply as the woman hesitates to open her legs. “Open them wide for the world to see Pet, unless you’d like to be punished?”  
“Master.” She whines bashfully and before she knows it her hands are on the muddy shore with her ass up. He wastes no time in pulling off her bathing suit bottom, and exposing the already blushing woman further.   
“Present.” Ray orders and the woman does the opposite, she shifts her hips inward and the man growls at her resistance. “Properly… now.”  
“Ray, don’t.”  
“NOW!”   
“...” She doesn’t say anything rather choosing to do as the man asks, and she shifts her hips towards him.   
“Excellent Pet, now I want you to count.”  
“But.”  
“Count.” Ray snaps with a tone that demanded obedience, and the woman nods silently again. The first hit comes surprisingly fast, and the woman merely gasps in shock. He waits for a number but it never comes so he grabs her ponytail, wrenching her head back roughly till the woman mewls in submission.  
“One…” She whimpers and Ray smiles at her shaky answer. He continues his hits till she’s panting, and her ass is cherry red. “Fifteen.” Is the last number that comes from her lips, and Ray just sighs heavily.  
“It was actually seventeen, but if you can’t pay attention then I suppose I’ll punish you till you can. Michael come here.”  
“Why the fuck should I?”  
“Now, Omega.” Ray growls as he narrows his eyes, and Michael shivers at his tone. However, the man makes his way over to the pair on the muddy banks. “Good boy, now take off your shorts.”  
“Whoa.”  
“Lose them or I’ll burn them off.”  
“Yes Ray.” Michael mutters as he pulls the swimsuit down, and presents his half hard cock to the pair.   
“It’s master to you boy.”  
“Yes Master.”   
“Stroke yourself, Pet lick his head.” Ray commands and the woman inches toward the exposed ginger. Michael tries to pull a fast one and sink fully into her open mouth, but Ray wrenches her head back by her hair. “If you continue to not listen then I might need to get Geoff… Perhaps he can beat some obedience into you.”  
“No Master.” They both express quietly, and Ray releases the woman’s head. Iri watches Michael start to stroke himself, and she slowly inches forward enough to just lick his head.   
“Very good, now boy I want you to fuck her face.”  
“Master I.”  
“Do it boy, or would you like to be tied to a tree?” Ray threatens, however he would never really do that because he knew how much Michael hated being tied up outside.   
“No Master.” Michael murmurs, and he reaches forward to pull her head to meet his hard cock, that was dribbling precum. The woman tries to pull away, but Michael’s grip is strong and Ray gives her tail a sharp tug. She feels her mate’s cock shoved far down her throat suddenly, and the tears that prick her eyes are those of pain. When Michael sees this he pulls back to allow the woman enough time to adjust to his girth.   
“Good, now let’s see how wet you are Pet.” Ray mutters as he reaches down to feel the woman’s heated sex. “Mmm that’s just how you should always be, dripping with slick… Feel’s good doesn’t it Pet?” He teases her clit for a second or two, and gathers up a fair amount of slick on his fingers. He trails a wet finger around her puckered entrance while tugging on her erect tail, presenting itself proudly. The first digit slips in easily, and she moans around the cock in her mouth. At the second finger he meets resistance, and the woman starts to whine in pain at the third one. Michael pulls out to let the woman catch her breath as Ray works her at a fast pace.   
“Ray.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“Master, stop it hurts.”  
“I know, but give it a few minutes… Michael can you do that thing where you make her muscles relax.”  
“Sure Ray, Vixen relax.” Michael soothes quietly as he places a finger to her shoulder, and uses his powers to create little shocks that mimicked her brain's own; coaxing her tense body to rid itself of the tension it carried. Ray smiles as he feels the muscles loosen a little, and become more receptive to his stretching. Once he was satisfied with her openness he lines himself up, and sinks in completely. Iri mewls contently on the man’s member, and at this she realizes Michael still hadn’t came. She takes the man’s cock back in her mouth, and works him at the same tempo Ray was working her. “God damn, you two are fucking beautiful.”  
“Thanks Michael, you're not too bad yourself.” Ray mumbles as he pounds the omega underneath him.  
‘Michael, are you almost done yet?’ Iri asks him mentally, and the man just smirks at the woman sucking lazily on his cock.   
“Iri why are you so impatient tonight?” Michael whispers and Ray cocks his eyebrow at this.  
“Pet, patience is a virtue and you're lucky I’m already balls deep otherwise I might make you wait.” Iri rolls her eyes at this, and rocks her hips in time with Ray’s thrust until the man slaps her ass roughly. “Stay still.”  
“Damn Ray, you're bossy.”  
“Shut up Michael, and who said you could stop playing?”  
“I did.” The jersey man answers hesitantly with a certain amount of uncertainty, Michael didn’t like authority and he definitely didn’t like being bossed around… well except for in the bedroom sometimes, but that was only for his Daddy… And Ryan if he asked really nicely… and apparently Ray too, though his dominance was a whole different breed than his Alphas.  
“Alright man, that’s cool. Hey can you play with her tail while I work her clit… She loves it when Gavin would, or at least she used to love it when we would do that.”   
“No, she still loves it. I used to work one of those vibrating cock rings down around the base… Mmm Vixen you love that don’t you?” Michael asks as he pulls out of her mouth to find the woman panting yes.  
“Michael pull my tail… God please!” Iri begs as Ray furiously pumps in and out with a finger on her clit at the same tempo, while Michael tugged her tail roughly. Michael isn’t sure if it’s heat, the stimulation, or just Iri herself finally letting go that he cums too. The pair cums with shouts, and Iri’s arms give out causing her to crash face down into the dirt. Ray watches with a satisfied smile as the woman lies face down in the mud panting loudly, and Michael sinks down to join the panting woman. However, Ray was the only who hadn’t finished, and with a certain amount of selfishness continues thrusting into her. He cums maybe minutes later, and Iri purrs contently.   
“Iri you did a fantastic job, and sorry about your knees.”  
“What’s wrong with my knees?”  
“They’re bleeding.” Michael answers quietly, the woman merely shrugs, and heals them quickly leaving nothing in the wake.   
“And now they’re not.” She murmurs sleepily into the muddy bank.   
“Let’s get you home Vixen, and I think we can all use a shower.” Michael tells the woman gently as he scoops her up, but not before he pulls their clothes back on fully. “Sleepy?”  
“A little.”  
“Well then let’s get you home.” Ray says as he kisses the woman, who leans up into it.  
“Alright you two, I’m not a god damn chair.”  
“But you could be, and you’d be a very handsome chair Red.”  
“Shut up Iri.” Michael gripes playfully, and that’s when they decide to make their way back.


	54. The Wrong Time for Sentiments

Geoff, Ryan, and Gavin

It was about three hours since the other left, and it would be dumb to say Gavin wasn’t worried. After over hearing Iri talking to herself the brit was positively jittery, and the Alphas noticed this around the hour and a half mark.   
“Gavi are you okay?” Geoff asks suddenly drawing the man from his thoughts… well it was probably a good thing because his thoughts were starting to look like a crime scene from what Todd saw. “Gavin!”  
“What?” Gavin nearly shouts as he jumps at the sound of Geoff’s voice.  
“Gav what’s going on in there, and why is everybody eviscerated?”  
“I… I.. Uh I watched Saw last night, and it seems to have stuck with me.” Gavin lies quickly as he takes a drink of the gent’s drink. He nearly chokes on the strong rum and coke Geoff had made for himself. “Christ Geoff, you're going to destroy your liver with that.”  
“Not as long as I have Todd, he somehow manages to keep it going despite my best attempts to kill it.”  
“Geoffrey, you know I have never approved of your heavy drinking, but if I stop this now I feel like we may very well die from the detox.” Todd comments as he appears on the edge of the pool, at his appearance the others show up as well. Lance lounges lazily on a floating tube, and Godric near Ryan who was on a nearby patio chair, reading in the sun.  
“Todd, you have never learned how to let go.”  
“No, I have never needed to because you let go enough for the both of us.”  
“Kill joy.”  
“Alcoholic.”   
“You two bicker like cats and dogs.” Godric mumbles lazily with his eyes closed in irritation.   
“Ric, go back to sleep…. Grumpy old dog.” Lance says lightly only to find himself glared at by his elder.   
“Lancelot, remember to whom you are speaking also that my bite is far worse than my bark.” Godric threatens as he rises up, and pads to the edge of the pool in warning. Lance however meets his challenge, jumping off the pool toy, and landing on the cement surrounding the pool... Both of the wispy wolves raise their hackles in warning.  
“Godric, I am not afraid of you.” Lance states proudly as the larger wolf stalks towards him. “And don’t call me Lancelot.”  
“I’ll call you whatever I please Puppy, and do you really wish to challenge your Alpha?”  
“I doubt it will even be a challenge.”   
“Enough Lance!” Gavin growls sharply, and he watches his wolf nod respectfully before disappearing.   
“Godric, I believe it’s time for you to head back in as well.”  
“Very well Ryan.” Godric says as he too dissipates into the afternoon air.   
“Gav what was that about?” Geoff asks gently, but the man just shakes his head.  
“Nothing Geoff, just feeling edgy today.”  
“Is it from the fight this morning?”  
“Wasn’t much of a fight, that man had no trouble taking me down.” Gavin answers truthfully, he was still a bit miffed about that.  
“Gavin, it doesn’t matter if you're good at fighting… This pack would suck if we were all fighters, we need a person or two in touch with their feelings.” Ryan says helpfully as he looks up from his book to face the scowling omega.  
“You make me sound like a girl.”  
“Well... “ Geoff trails off in a teasing manner, but the omega wasn’t in the mood for it.   
“Fuck you Geoff and fuck you too Ryan, I’m going to the gym!” Gavin declares angrily as he storms into the house without even waiting for the alphas to respond. The pair watch him exit with a huff, and are quite surprised at the man’s distress.   
“He’s touchy today.”  
“I think that Alpha today really screwed up his self confidence.” Geoff mutters and Ryan shakes his head. “No, then what do you think it is?”  
“Personally, I think it’s something to do with Iri.”  
“And why is that?”  
“Because I overheard him and Lance talking this morning right before he left… I couldn’t hear the whole thing, but I heard Lance telling him to just leave her alone.” Ryan says to the Alpha as he steps out of the pool. “You know she isn’t even back in the house yet, and she already has secrets kept from us.”  
“The secrets never end with her, but… Hey guys.” Geoff starts, but cuts himself off as he hears the side gate open revealing Iri sleeping contently in Michael’s arms with Ray trailing behind him. “Tuckered herself out?”  
“Ask Master Ray over there about it, and I’m going to go bathe her… Where’s Gav, I know he likes to help with this kind of stuff?” Michael asks as he notices his boi’s absence.   
“Uh, he went to the gym.”  
“Did he walk there? Because his car is still in the driveway.” Ray adds, and the gents cock their heads at this; however, before they can say anything else Gavin walks back out still wearing his swimsuit. “Hey Gav.”  
“She told me not to say anything, but someone wanted her dead and I think that is the reason she was nearly beaten to death.” Gavin states very suddenly, and they watch as the man visibly relaxes after his outburst. “I know she’s going to be mad at me when she wakes up, but I hate secrets and that is what tore us apart in the first place… I love her, but I don’t love her secrets.”  
“Thanks for sharing Gavin, and I think we all feel the same about the way she hides things from us.” Geoff says as he pats the man on the head, who purrs happily at the attention. “I don’t care what she does, but I want to know what it is.”  
“Like teaching fencing lessons at ten pm.”  
“Or going to dancing..”  
“Or running… She goes running a lot.” Michael adds helpfully, and the gent nods in confirmation.  
“I just want to know, and when she wakes up that’s what we’re going to talk about.”  
“Goodbye freedom.” Iri mumbles tiredly while working herself out of Michael’s arm. “Also Gav, I never asked you to keep that secret... You over heard me, and besides I never would I remember how frazzled you get over them.”  
“So how much did you hear?” Ryan asks, and Iri stretches her muscles out purring quietly as they crack. Once done she strolls over to where Ryan is sitting, and sits down on the man’s lap. He pulls her head to rest on his chest, and strokes her ears softly till the woman mewls happily.   
“Kit, answer his question.”  
“I suppose… I suppose I can try to communicate more.” Iri mumbles sleepily into his chest, still filled with sleepiness. “That reminds me, you aren’t collaring me are you?”  
“Hmm… I think I might.”  
“Alright.” Iri mutters in disappointment causing her ears and tail to flick down sadly. This brings forth a soothing rumble from Ryan, and she answers him with a purr causing her tail and ears to flutter back up happily.  
“Why?”  
“Just curious, and trying to think of the best way to hide it for Monday.” Iri answers from atop Ryan only to feel her body lifted up, and turned to face someone. “Oh ello there darling.”  
“Stop doing that accent Love, or I’m going to throat punch you. So you literally can't talk.” Gavin warns as he kisses the woman on her cheek only to spit to the side in disgust afterwards. “God you taste like river water and dirt.”  
“Well I did fuck her into a river bank… so there is that.” Ray adds quietly from inside the pool.  
“And it was hot.” Michael boasts causing the gents to raise their eyebrows.   
“I thought I told you two not to fuck her.” Geoff comments softly and the others shrug noncommittally.   
“Love let’s go take a bath, so I can lick you without tasting the Ganges on you.”  
“I don’t think you can taste a river.” Iri comments, ignoring the fact that he just openly admitted to wanting to lick her, and also ignoring how excited that made her.   
“Well you taste like a river.”  
“I know but Gav, if you dipped me in several rivers I doubt you could distinctly tell me which river was which.” Iri argues and at first Gavin looks like he might argue that fact, but instead he just sighs quietly and gestures towards the house.  
“Come on let’s go take a shower.”  
“Alright Gavvers.” Iri mumbles as she feels herself lead towards the house by a happy Gavin. Once they were gone Geoff turns to the remaining omegas.  
“So how was your walk?”  
“Productive.”  
“Really, well what did you do?”  
“I found out you couldn’t pop a knot without us Old man.”  
“Ray, I distinctly remember telling you to not mention that.... You're being such a naughty boy today.” Geoff scolds quietly causing the man to flee to Ryan's side for protection.   
“I also discovered how guilty we both felt after hearing that, but we were also feeling kinda awful around the end of the first month.”  
“How come you guys didn't just come home?” Ryan asks and Michael shrugs. He knew exactly why they hadn’t come home, it had been a matter of pride as well as the fear of rejection that had kept them from coming home… Heat had been the thing to finally push them over the edge, and just throw themselves back at their mates, which had worked out much better than previously thought.   
“Michael it’s cool, just uh… just don’t leave again baby boy… Daddy misses his little slugger.”  
“Pervy, Old Man.”  
“And that’s why you love me.”  
“True… So are you going to fill me up with that knot of yours or are you just going to tease me with it?”  
“Hmm as much fun as that sounds I think it’s time we have a pack orgy.”  
“As nice as that sounds I have to help Jack with a build he’s working on, and Ray mentioned something about streaming if I remember correctly… Although I’m sure Gavin, and Michael would be more than willing to assist you.” Ryan explains, it was rarely ever that he passed up an orgy but this felt like something they needed to do… A re-bonding of sorts, hopefully Geoff would freshen up their now faded marks helping to remind them of his love. Not that the gent never said it, but it was nice to feel it in physical form or at least that’s what Iri always told him when he bit her… Plus he knew she was sort of a masochist, well actually a lot of a masochist. “Speaking of, Ray you ready to go?”  
“Uh yeah… Just let me change.”  
“Wait why isn’t he streaming here?” Geoff asks and the others merely scoff.  
“Geoff your three are loud as fuck, and my followers don’t need anymore help with the stories they love to write.... Though I do love when they ship me with you, it's pretty hot.” Ray answers as he gives the gent a quick peck on the cheek who rolls his eyes at this. “Love you guys, and Michael I’m really happy you two are back… I can’t wait to fuck that tight ass of yours.”  
“Love you too, and be careful Ray… I might get you before you can get me.”  
“Hmm I do love a challenge.”   
“Don’t lie, you're a lazy mother fucker.” Michael murmurs as he presses a light kiss into the man’s lips who just laughs heartily at his words before exiting into the house not far behind Ryan. Leaving Michael and Geoff alone by the pool.   
“Hey Michael?”  
“What’s up Geoff?”  
“Did you guy’s really miss us?”  
“Leo did almost immediately, but seeing his siblings during the day seemed to placate him… He still cried out in the night for Felicia, which damn near broke Iri’s heart. There were so many times we almost gave in and came home, but we found strength in each other… and freedom is nice.”  
“Freedom is tiresome.”  
“Yes it is, but it’s something we need… maybe not that much, but we need it regardless. I had never seen Iri so happy in so long, and Geoff… Geoff, her smile is enchanting. It’s fucking addictive, and the way she would flit around the office or even the apartment… she was so god damn happy, and we all were. I have never seen her so…. so…” Michael trails off looking to Geoff who mirrors his soft look.  
“Free?”  
“For lack of a better word yeah… It was like having an Alpha constantly by her side wore her down, and forced her into a shadow of herself. Honestly I don’t think she was ever meant to be an Omega, the way she demands loyalty or even respect makes me doubt her status.”  
“Michael her gaze can cut steel on a good day, on a bad one she can destroy an entire city with merely a glare… Why does she call you Alpha?” Geoff says finishing his sentence and Michael chuckles quietly at his Alpha’s question.   
“Because for a while I had gotten pills to change my scent from Omega to Alpha, it was to ward away handsy Alphas looking to ruin our nights out.”  
“They sell those?”  
“Well, not… Let’s just say I knew a guy.”   
“Michael of all the stupid things you’ve ever done… You're fucking lucky you didn’t die!”  
“Daddy, relax I’m fine and we have used them in a long time… the side effects weren’t worth it.” Michael mumbles with a faraway look in his eyes that makes Geoff pull the man close in comfort with a sigh stuck in his throat.   
“I’m your Alpha, baby boy don’t ever doubt that.”  
“Of course Daddy, I’m not sure why I ever did.”  
“Because I’m bad at it sometimes.”  
“Are you two done talking about your feelings or should Gavin and I get started without you!... Ow Gavvers not so… I’m going to…. Papa!” Iri shouts lustily through the cracked door only to yelp loudly due to Gavin’s tongue that had made it’s way between her thighs surprisingly fast. The door is quickly closed causing the pair outside to wander inside in more curiosity than anything else. When they open it they find Iri spread out on the dining room table with Gavin’s head between her legs, lapping at her sex quickly. “Gav, oh yes… God Gavin don’t stop! I love... you... sooo much!” Iri pants in between ragged breaths that are torn from her lungs with each swipe of her clit, and thrust of his two fingers in her slick soaked pussy.   
“Seems our pup was impatient for his smokey little Kit.” Geoff teases as he strips his suit just leaving it in a wet pile on the wooden floor. He makes his way over to where Iri’s back is arching up, and her hands are carding through the brit’s tousled hair. Working them free gently he kisses them softly in a way that has the panting woman biting her lip, as though to hold back the moans perched on her tongue… She knew Geoff was testing her, and she would to play his game… Only difference was that she’d play it better, she’d win. Pulling her hand out of his grip she brought his calloused palm to her mouth where she mouthed along the meaty part of his flesh, working her way to his first two fingers. First she trailed kisses up and down, next she opened her mouth allowing the man’s flesh to slip between her lips lazily. Iri wasn’t going to rush this, and it was apparent none of them were as Gavin seemed to slow his ministrations to allow her mind to work properly. Sucking Geoff’s fingers gently while she flicked her tongue over the mildly salty pads of them, and then trailing her tongue sensually over the actual length of the appendages causing a tiny, needy whimper to fall from the other two Omega’s lips. “Kit, you do that very well… It’s almost like you practice.”  
“You should see me eat a banana.” Iri taunts with a grin that makes Geoff roll his eyes before withdrawing his fingers. He can hear her sound of disappointment at their loss, but smiles seductively as he motions Gavin back and them all up the stairs.   
“Let’s see if we can’t fill a few more of those leaky holes of yours… Your slick is practically dripping.”  
“Hmm it seems I’ve become all hot and bothered… whatever shall I do?” Iri says in a mock southern belle tone that makes Michael chuckle, and Gavin grin playfully. She couldn’t do a british accent well, but a southern belle was most definitely her forte. “Oh dear, it seems my dress is slipping.”  
“Mmhmm why don’t you let it fall Miss Iridessa, let me help you out of it… We’ll show you just how big city men cool down ladies of your stature.” Geoff purrs letting his accent flare up just a little, giving his words more of a husky, southerner sound. It positively drove Iri wild as she let the material drop, and practically pounced on the elder man… forgetting her earlier slowness. “Eager aren’t we Miss… Papa’s little slut aren’t you?”  
“God yes, Papa fuck me, spank me, bite me, and for the love of Saint Peter knot me! I need your knot, and I can’t beg nearly loud enough for it.” Iri cries out desperately letting her accent fall with her ass presented to him happily; Geoff just chuckles because he knew exactly what his accent did to her.. It was like a drug that drove her mind into overdrive, and all she wanted was his knot between her lips… the lower ones of course.  
“In that order Kit, or does it really matter?” Geoff teases with a knowing smile, he lines himself up at her entrance only to pull back slightly, and cause her to whine needily. Her whine was soon replaced with a moan as he slapped her ass roughly, the sound echoing around the nearly silent room. He smiles at how her body jumps at the strength of the hit showing that it hadn’t been prepared for it. “I thought Ray played with you earlier… Did he not hit hard enough?”  
“Daddy he hit plenty hard enough, her ass was bright red.” Michael comments quietly as Gavin lines himself up, the brit sinks himself in easily with a pleasant sigh.   
“It feels like coming home Boi.”  
“Boi… fuck I forgot how fucking large you are.” Michael pants as he feels himself stretched wide, and his ass struggle to relax at the intrusion. Iri senses this and reaches underneath the man with a hand to help him out a bit. She strokes gently, only working up not getting him off… Good Omegas came on their partners cock, not on the hands working them. If Geoff wasn’t already in love with this group of Omegas he most likely, no scratch that. It would be impossible for him not to be as he watched them work together to bring all of them pleasure… His mates were some of the most compassionate beings he had ever met, and god damn did they look gorgeous. Gavin’s hips working Michael with Iri pumping his cock lazily while she waited patiently for Geoff to play with her.  
“Geoff enough with the sappy thoughts, fuck me already or I’ll go find an Alpha who will.” Iri growls in frustration. She loved this man but god was he sentimental sometimes which was cool and all, but not right now. Right now she wanted to be rode hard and put away wet, she wanted him to fuck her pussy so hard it would ache for a couple of hours till she healed, or maybe she would let this heal naturally… the decisions were endless in her eyes.  
“That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, and it’s going to be more trouble than you can handle.”  
“Well Papa today is not that day, and I can handle your cock.” Iri retorts snappily with a grin, so Geoff did as the woman asked and slammed his hips into hers. “Fuck!”  
“What have I told you about the language Kit, do I need to get the soap?”   
“Fuck you.” Iri pants as he draws himself out, and crashes back in with a roughness that her body craved. It was times like these that Iri prayed Geoff would never change as he gripped her hair tightly, wrenching her head back as he fucked her. Sometimes they would be tender and make love, but tonight wasn’t about being tender, no tonight was purely and wholly about dominance. She wanted an Alpha and Geoff would show her what that meant because at some point in their relationship she forgot… He would make her remember tonight, and probably the night after too. She would be so breathless, needy, and owned by the time he finished that she would want nothing more than to curl up on his chest, purring like a good omega ought to be. Geoff smiled down at the woman who was already crying out in need as he fucked her…. By the end of this all three of his omegas would be ready to curl up for the night. Purring contently with his bite standing out both perfectly and possessively against their skin.


	55. Subconscious Truths Long Hidden

Midnight

It was about midnight when Ryan and Ray slipped in through the back door quietly. After listening carefully they walked upstairs nearly silently in an attempt to discover the status of their mates. What they saw wasn’t the least bit surprising. Geoff was sleeping in the middle of the bed with Gavin and Michael curled up into each of his sides; Iri on the other hand was gone, which surprised neither of them in the least. The pair exit the room silently, and pull the door shut behind them.  
“I’m going to go look for her.” Ray states with a yawn and Ryan just shrugs.  
“She’ll come back, just leave her be for the night.” Ryan mumbles casually as he pulls the omega into his arms. “Let’s go swimming for a bit, maybe she’ll come back by the time we’re done.”  
“If you insist.” Ray comments quietly as he leans into his Alpha’s touch, Ryan merely smiles into his lover’s neck before letting his hands wander beneath Ray’s waistline. “Feeling frisky tonight are we Ry?”  
“Mmm you know how the scent of sex drives me wild… Especially our mate’s sex.”  
“I must admit it’s pretty enticing.”  
“It’s a bit like a burning peach orchard on a fall night with just a hint of bourbon that seems to coat your tongue in a playful way, but no where near overpowering.”  
“That’s a good way to describe it, I like the way our sex smells.”  
“Hmm like walking through a rose field as the sun rises, perhaps we should permeate the air with it now.”  
“I love your vocabulary, and sex sounds great.” Ray purrs as he grinds gently back into Ryan’s mild erection, the gent mirrors his purr as he works Ray free from his pants.   
“Let’s go skinny dipping.”  
“Okay.” The pair shed their layers quickly before exiting back out the door to slip into the calm warm water of their pool. Ryan wastes no time in pinning the younger male under his body, he wasn’t going to play with Ray this was purely for the sake of their pleasure. As if sensing this Ray spread his legs wide in a welcoming gesture, Ryan took to fingers and slipped them into the man’s rim. “Rye.”  
“Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you did I?” Ryan asks worriedly, even though they'd had sex plenty of times the gent still worried about his delicate rose... He didn't want to ever hurt the man writhing beautifully beneath him.  
“No… no god, do that again.” Ray whimpers as he sees stars when Ryan works his fingers again leaving him gasping for breath with each thrust. It took him all about twenty seconds for his entrance to open itself wide enough for Ryan to slip himself in. His slick was covering Ryan’s fingers thickly, and the air was perfumed heavily with the scent of slightly chlorinated roses due to their current venue. Ryan lines himself up quickly, and sinks in easily. Ray arches into the feeling, his lips parted slightly, and a moan caught in his throat. The Alpha above him purrs contently as he allows the omega time to adjust while he kisses his open mouth. At first Ray didn’t respond, but in a second or two his body got the memo and soon he was kissing back with a ferocity. Ryan gives an experimental thrust, and smiles when he hears Ray moan lustily into his kissing.   
“Ready?”  
“Stop asking… questions and fuck me.” Ray mutters in between kisses with a grin that erased Ryan’s worry for his mate. So doing as he asks Ryan thrusts at a rapid pace leaving the man no time to recover in between, only slamming into him harder than the last time. The mewls of pleasure Ray makes are more than enough to cheer him on, but the sound of splashing water only urges him on also... He didn't know why but there was something satisfying about hearing a headboard hitting the wall, or in this case the water sloshing loudly. “I’m close.” Ray murmurs quietly as he grips Ryan’s shoulders tightly, and the Alpha merely nods in understanding. He grips his omega’s smooth cock lightly, slows down his thrusts, and begins to stroke him at a pace they could both get off at.   
“You really are gorgeous you know that, and I can’t imagine loving anyone else for the rest of my life… besides the others of course.” Ryan whispers quietly and Ray just smirks at this. He can feel his orgasm coming quickly and the way his spots are starting to glow only proves to him that he’s right. With one last stroke, a kiss, and Ryan re-biting the scar on his neck he cums, crying out his mate’s name in pleasure. Ryan isn’t far behind and soon Ray can feel his mate’s knot lock securely in his ass keeping his seed in there as well. After Ray catches his breath he pulls Ryan in for a light kiss before lying back on the pool steps. The man just purrs contently with closed eyes as his Omega lies back sated, and sleepy on his knot. “Close your eyes Kitten, we’re safe.” Ryan tells the man beneath him, and he can feel the omega relax at his words. He still remembers the first time they’d met, it had been right after his first day at the office. Ryan hadn’t met the man due to the fact that he was supposed to be out for his heat, but on his way to the parking lot to go home he’d seen a dark haired man struggling to throw garbage in the nearby dumpsters. The good guy Ryan was he immediately rushed to the man’s aid, only to be rebuked passionately. Something about him being a thoughtless knot head who wanted his sweet omega ass… From there it had been more of a challenge for Ryan to convince the man to become his, he didn’t know what it was but after that he knew they were in love. He believes it was the man’s resistance that had drawn them together, Ryan loved the chase and Ray seemed to know that. Eventually after nearly a year of working together, and gentle coaxing Ryan managed to get the Omega to accept his proposal to have dinner and a movie… or as Ray used to tease him about it a date. Well it went as well as dates usually go, and after about ten of them. Ray brought up an interesting suggestion on the way back to his apartment…. Sex. At first Ryan had told him no, and refused heavily but the way Ray seemed dishearten at his refusal broke his resistance mildly. From the second they entered the apartment it had been instinctual, clothes were shed, spots were seen, questions were raised, secrets shared on both ends, and lastly they had sex. It had to be the most amazing thing Ryan had ever had the pleasure of being apart of, and knotting him had been wonderful…. After that they became a pair, and after about three years of being together Ray accepted his bite making him the happiest man alive. They moved in weeks later, and that is when his nightmares began. At first they were basic ones no pants in class, being drowned, or falling out of a plane. Nothing to raise alarm until one night he heard a name that connected them all in one way or another, Erik… Ryan remembers having to coax the man to believe he was safe from the sadistic monster that was the Apex Predator, and he remembers having to hold his crying mate who shook in fear from his night terrors. His lover’s anxiety, fear, and constant state of depression was enough to push any man over the edge, but he remained strong, knowing Ray would get past it and he did. After many long nights with Iri, or phone calls with the young woman who had been struggling with her own sense of loss he’d been able to move on. Sure he still had nightmares, but with Iri around they were few and far between…. He hoped she would stay this time, god did Ray need her to stay.   
“Ry, I never left… at least never truly.” Iridessa comments quietly from the side of the water. She had been in the garage using the punching bag to work on her kick boxing. “I was in the garage.” She murmurs before stripping down and slipping into the water in an attempt to get the sweat off her skin.   
“So do you ever sleep, or are you nocturnal now?”  
“Ha, after several months of visiting your children at night your body tends to operate on less sleep… Plus I’ve never been able to sit still long enough to actually fall asleep.” She explains to the man who pulls his softened cock out of a sleepy Ray who is mumbling something. “Hey there Sleepy-head.”  
“Mmm Skye come here.”  
“What Ember?” Iri asks as he swims over to the sleepy man, he does naught but pull her into his arms cuddling gently.   
“Come to bed.”  
“And if I refuse?”  
“Then I’ll have Ryan seduce you with his voluptuous vocabulary.”  
“Nice word Kitten, but I doubt my knowledge of words could tame this wily fox… A fox’s heart is given freely, not claimed.” Ryan says and at this Iri freezes instantly… She had heard that phrase before, but where… or maybe she had read it? But it was important or something… Iri wasn’t sure why or how, but that phrase mattered, it mattered a lot and for some reason it brought tears to her eyes…. Why would it matter? And why would she feel so strongly towards a set of words?  
‘Iri, what’s wrong?’ Geoff’s tired voice whispers in his mind, Todd had felt her barriers lower, and the fox slipped in quietly. ‘Baby girl, are you okay?’  
“...” Iri can’t say anything, she can’t think anything, and for some reason she can’t even make her muscles move… frozen in fear would be the correct phrase she thinks, though what was she afraid of or was this even fear in the first place? She can feel Ray shaking her with Ryan whispering something, but for the life of her she can’t figure out how to move her body, or move her lips… Was this a Serah thing?... No, this was something else but what? It isn’t until Geoff draws her gaze by guiding her chin to face him.   
“Kit what’s wrong?” Geoff asks as he appears at the edge of the water worriedly.  
“I… I… Geoff I don’t know… I honestly don’t.” Iri tells him in perplexment, tears still streaming down her face, and even Lexi was sobbing quietly in the corner of her mind. “Lexi is crying, and I’m crying… Why are we crying?”  
“Iridessa look at me, no, Daphne Artemis look at me!” Geoff demands loudly not allowing the woman to become pensive as she was known to do, and that is when it clicks… A horrible resonating click that makes her stomach turn, her body shake, and her eyes open wide.   
“You knew...You’ve always known, I… You were the man, you made Klein leave, and you told Kody where to find me! You...”  
“Iri what are you talking about?” Ryan asks in confusion, looking from the pack Alpha saying nothing to debate her logic, and Ray who is suddenly very awake.  
“You brought us together, you killed them, and you destroyed any chance of a normal life I could have ever had.” Iri whispers horrified by the realization, and even Ray begins to question the sighing Alpha.   
“I.. I never meant.”  
“You're just as bad as him… Why?”  
“Because he would have killed you before you turned ten or had you in the stables by then… Your parents were an accident, Todd and I underestimated the resistance we would meet… Kody was simply the easiest answer to the situation, Griffon and I weren’t ready for children yet… Margaret was infertile, and I knew they would love you.”  
“Kody and Margaret?”  
“I had nothing to do with their deaths, that was purely and wholly Erik… I never meant to hurt anyone, I just wanted to save you from him.” Geoff explains to the woman who does naught, but sink to the cement in defeat... He can hear her thoughts, and she wonders how hard it would be to stop her heart, as though she wasn’t already dead inside. “Foxes are special, we’re very rare Iridessa, and to watch him destroy one would have been a crime in itself.”  
“I know why… I always thought it was because you were an Alpha or some bullshit like that, but no it’s because subconsciously I knew you were the reason they’re dead… Say the phrase Geoffrey, say the god damn phrase!”  
“It won’t bring them back.”  
“SAY IT!”  
“… A fox’s heart is given freely, not claimed.” Geoff says with resignation as he watches the woman stand up no longer crying rather her tail was lashing, fist clenching in anger, and growling dangerously… However almost as fast as her anger flared up it settled down quick enough to give them whiplash... It was like she'd just given up... This was the final straw, and she couldn't even be angry about it... She was just too tired, being angry all the time was simply too tiring for her to keep up and she didn't want to be anymore...  
“.... I should hate you. I should be so angry that the only thing I can see is red, but I… I can’t.” Iri mutters in defeat as she gathers up her clothes, and heads into the house. She wastes no time in heading to her art studio, where she slams the door shut, and picks up the sharpest object she could find. Staring her leg she puts the chisel to her alabaster skin, and then stops… She could heal physical scars, but emotionally they would still be there. Clara had taught her this, and she had also taught her that anger would take her no where she wanted to be. Chucking the chisel towards the wall it makes a satisfying thunk, sure to create a hole... It was times like these Iridessa wished she had more glass objects in here because glass shattered, and there were seldom such satisfying things as smashing glass.  
“Mistress?”  
“Yes Lexi?”  
“Can we still love him?”  
“Have we ever.”  
“...” Lexi pauses her form was that of a small fox that sat across from Iri in the middle of the room.  
“I love the way he makes me feel, and I love his knot. But do I love him?”  
“With a thousand lies and a good disguise we’ll hit’ em right between the eyes.” Lexi mutters quietly not sure what else to say besides that.   
“He never lied… And I think that’s the worse part about this, never once did he lie… I just never asked the right questions.”  
“Iri?”   
“What Geoff?” Iri answers with a tired growl, she hadn’t eaten today and her energy was dangerously low.  
“Can I come in?”  
“This is your house, and I am merely a guest in it… So do as you please.” Iri mutters bitterly, he was the reason her parents were dead… what other emotion was appropriate for this besides bitterness?  
“I know you don’t understand why I did this, but I only wanted to help.”  
“Did you ever stop to think of the consequences?”  
“Yes, and I won’t ever stop thinking about them until I die… I ruined your life, and if you hate me I understand, but please don’t hate Dexter because of it… He did nothing.”  
“Geoffrey, were you ever going to tell me?”  
“No because it would do nothing to help you heal, and I should have but I didn’t… I tried my best, and for that I am not sorry. I love you despite the animosity you feel towards me.”  
“That’s just the thing Geoff, I can’t hate you… I have tried, god I have tried but for some reason I can’t, and it frustrating as hell… You have that goofy ass smile that makes laugh even now as I sit here angry, or the way Dexter adores you on the days you two aren’t butting heads… The funny thing is I have never been able to hate you not after the accident, not after you practically raped me after I slapped you in front of the guys, not ever… and I hate that. Not even Lexi can hate you after finding this out, but god do we want to.” Iri explains to the man who has not settled down next to her in the middle of the room.  
“I hate me enough for the both of us.”  
“You really know how to ruin a girl’s life you that?”  
“Erik planned to knock you up at the first sign of your heats, and just use you as a bitch to be bred… That is no life for anyone, I couldn’t stand by and let that happen. Celeste and Klein knew the risks when I told them of this plan, they knew it was dangerous but they also knew you were special… Celeste told me you were born nearly dead due to lack of oxygen from the cord being wrapped around your neck, and the doctors told her you would die but you didn’t… I had no idea it would turn out this way, that I would fall in love with you... The child I saved from the lab. You were her miracle, and now you are mine. You gave us the family we always wanted, and the love I never deserved.” Geoff tells the woman who is now resting her head on his shoulder, he pulls the woman into his arms and strokes her head softly. “I love you.”  
“Forever and always.” Iridessa whispers brokenly into the man’s strong chest. The sobs that wracked her bodies were that of a shattered woman, a woman so tired of the complication of life that she needed the love of something to continue on. “Anymore revelations to destroy me with before I attempt to heal my broken self.” Iri asks tiredly, and Geoff merely closes his eyes in sadness.  
“No Kit, I have no more secrets.”  
“Good because I don’t know how many more times I can glue my soul back together... Also you really are a pervy old man.” Iri mumbles truthfully into his chest as the man lifts her up, and takes them both to the bed. She welcomed the wave of sleep with open arms as long as it meant ending this day. Tomorrow and the days to come would suck ass, and she would probably never trust Geoff for a long time but hell who did she actually trust anyways.


	56. Mind Games

Months Later

There was a particular saying that Iri tended to live by, and it was a simple one. Time heals… Now what? Iri never understood exactly, but it must be healing something and any healing was better than none. She still didn’t trust Geoff as far as she could throw him… at least physically. However, with the pack back in the same house they all fell back into an easy routine that suited all of them. It wasn’t until a simple, idiotic gesture did by the ever careless Gavin Free that managed to frustrate Ray to the point where he tackled the man to the ground and proceeded to burn him did the uneasy peace finally break… and when it broke… It shattered. The scent of burning flesh had immediately set Geoff off, which set Michael off, and Ryan who was merely trying to stop the fight was then dragged right into the middle of it. Iri and the children had been gone at the park all afternoon. However, when she walks into this mess things instantly change.  
“Kids go to your room.”  
“But Momma we.”  
“Dex, don’t argue with me. Now go.” Iri growls as the kits nod briskly before disappearing quickly up the stairs, after hearing the door shut she immediately throws herself into the fray. Dodging a fist here, and a kick there she manages to separate Gavin, Ray, and Michael; leaving the two Alphas still fighting angrily. Right as she was about to wiggle in between them Geoff stumbles backwards, and in typical Iri fashion she just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The pair fell in an awkward mix of limbs ending with the sound of Iri’s leg breaking, and the Alphas on top of her. They hear it before they realize what they’ve done, and as soon as the realization strikes they’re apologizing profusely to the woman.  
“Iri, god Iri I’m so sorry! Why would you get between us like that? Iri what hurts?”  
“I’m... “ Iri starts however, as she glances down to find her leg bent at an unnatural angle she feels her eyes roll back, and her mind start to black out.   
“Faline stay with us! Come on, Iri look at me!” Ryan snaps drawing the woman’s attention to him, trying to keep her from blacking out. “What hurts?”  
“Leg… My leg is broken.” Iri states with surety, and from there it is a whirl of activity. Geoff picks her up while Ryan grabs a set of keys. They are out the front door and on their way to the hospital in merely minutes, leaving the others in a state of shock.  
“Where’s Momma?” Dexter asks suddenly as he and the others make their ways down the stairs having heard the room go quiet.   
“She… She’s going to the doctor.” Gavin answers casually.  
“Why? She isn’t sick is she.” Scarlett inquires worriedly, and Gavin just sighs.  
“No Darling she isn’t sick, she, Ryan, and Papa Geoff were wrestling and she got hurt.”  
“Why didn’t Papa just heal it like he normally does?” Dexter adds as he stares around at the adults not meeting their eyes. “What happened?”  
“Dex, she broke her leg.” Michael says quickly, knowing that the boy wouldn’t stop until he received the answer he wanted.  
“Okay, let’s go play ghosts in the graveyard, guys.” Dexter mutters with a smile, it wasn’t all that uncommon for his mother to be hurt so this was really no surprise in his eyes. The kids follow the eldest to their room to play said game, leaving the men alone.   
“Ray, I’m sorry… I don’t know what I was thinking.” Gavin mumbles apologetically to the omega who was shrugging.  
“Me too, I shouldn’t have used my powers on you man… How’s the burn?”  
“I’ll be okay, I’m going to call Geoff and see how it’s going.” 

The Hospital

The group sat in the waiting room with Iri curled close into Ryan’s side as they both whispered apologies.   
“Guys it’s okay just chill the fuck out…. I’m fine.” Iri mutters as she inhales sharply when her leg shifts a bit.  
“Iri you should never get between to Alphas fighting, even if it’s us… Ryan, sorry about earlier.”  
“Yeah, I’m sorry too Geoff. I don’t know why, but when I heard Ray yelp I saw red.”  
“Same with Gavin and Michael… Just instinct I guess.”  
“Still.. Love you.”  
“Love you too Ryan.”  
“Aw you guys are adorable, now where is that god damn doctor.” Iri gripes painfully while shifting in her seat, scanning the room for one, which was suspiciously empty. “Geoff are you sure you can’t heal this?”  
“Sorry Kit, I can heal purely flesh wounds.”  
“I hate hospitals.”   
“We know Faline, but it’s alright… Just relax, we’re here.”  
“... That’s reassuring, from the two dudes who just squashed me like a bug.” Iri mumbles more out of pain than actual spite; her leg hurt like hell and if someone didn’t do something soon she might cry.   
“Kit, just breathe and focus on something else.”  
“Like what Geoffrey?”  
“Don’t call me that.”  
“Why does it frustrate you?”  
“You know I won’t hesitate to discipline you here if you continue to be an ass.”  
“Oooo I’m shaking in my boots.” Iri says with a roll of her eyes and true to his word she soon finds herself flipped over his lap, thankfully they were really the only ones in there.  
“Try me, I dare you.”  
“Fuck. You. Geoffrey.” Iri whispers defiantly and then yelps in surprise as the man’s strong hit makes it’s way across her bottom. “Stop.”  
“Are you done?”  
“Maybe.”  
“Let me know when you decide.” Geoff says and continues his swatting until the woman is in full tears, and squirming away. “Are you going to be nicer?”  
“Yes… Geoff.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“Papa, I meant yes Papa.”  
“Good girl, Ryan have you seen the doctor?”  
“... Uh now that you mention it, no.”  
“I’m going to go check the front desk.”  
“Geoff don’t go alone.” Iri says as she pulls the man down for a kiss. “Take Ryan.”  
“What about you? Also we’re in a hospital Kit, nothing is going to happen.” Geoff tells her as she just shakes her head.  
“I’m okay, Lexi’s here… Just take Ryan with you.” Iri replies as the fox appears on the ground in front of them.  
“Alright, Ryan let’s go.” Geoff says with a shrug and the pair take off towards the front desk leaving Iri alone with her fox.   
‘Lex is he here?’  
‘Yes, and he’s looking for you… There’s an illusionist with him as well.’ Lexi answers telepathically, and Iri merely growls in frustration. ‘Run or fight, your call.’  
‘Where’s Todd?’  
‘He’s on his way back with Geoff, and Ryan... I think he feels him too, but I'm not sure.’  
‘Let’s fight him, I want you to loop them in while I search for Seth and his friend.’   
‘Is that wise seeing as your leg is broken?’  
‘Not if I shift, then only one is broken and I can fight well enough with three legs.’ Iri answers confidently as she shifts down and sinks down to the floor, standing on her uninjured legs with her other raised off the ground slightly. Her Alphas were already in sight when she felt the first attack, it comes swiftly to the back of the head, and she goes down instantly. The Alphas watch as she drops easily under a large tiger’s weight.   
“Iri!” Geoff snarls as he lunges forward, shifting down to tackle the tiger before his feet hit the ground. His teeth connect, and Geoff bites till he feels himself ripped off by another. Godric who Ryan has already released is growling viciously at the pair of tigers standing dangerously close to Iri’s unconscious body. The wolf wastes no time in attacking, he throws himself at the pair teeth lashing and claws extended only to be tackled easily by one of the tigers. Geoff who has shaken himself off, and is standing again attempts to break into one of the felines' minds. However, when he does all he meets is air as the animal’s mind is completely blank save for it’s name.   
“What the fuck?” Geoff mumbles quietly as he dodges the snapping teeth only to find that he’s been cornered. ‘Todd ideas?’  
‘Win?’ Todd suggests as he tries to gain access to the mammal’s muscles or something that could be of use. It’s at that moment that Lexi jumps on the top of the tiger having managed to disconnect herself from Iri’s sleeping mind. The fox wastes not time in distracting the large cat from Geoff, who was struggling to maintain his defense.   
“Geoff it’s deception, he is a mindless copy… Get Seth.” Lexi growls as she scratches out the throat of the copy, it dissipates into the air leaving the gent mildly confused. “Don’t think, fight.” Lexi orders before throwing herself at the tiger fighting Godric, the wolf was holding his own even pinned beneath the larger animal. The fox provides just enough distraction to allow the wolf to rip out the throat of the feline pinning him. As the copy disappears Lexi retreats to Iri’s body, which is still unconscious and she suspects from the strength of the hit she will be for a little bit. The group watches as several more tigers appear from a nearby door, and the fight begins anew' it isn’t until the fighters are nearly exhausted that Iri finally comes to.   
“Lexi stop, they aren’t real!”  
“Of course they aren’t, they're just copies.”  
“No, Lexi this isn’t real. We never made it to the hospital, the illusionist remember!”  
“What?” The gents mumble in confusion, and Iri merely shakes her head.  
“No time, Lex when we get free shift.” Iri orders, and that is when the world around them melts away. The group finds themselves lying in the parking lot of an abandoned store with a woman lying several feet away with her mouth opened as though to scream, and her eyes wide in fear. “I.. I… I had no choice, it was her or us.” Iri remarks sadly as she lifts herself up to the nearby dragon who stands ready to take off. “Lexi, we need to get home.”   
“Of course Mistress… Your leg.”  
“Later… He’s already there.”


	57. I've got a feeling

Meanwhile at Home

Dexter felt the intruder before he heard them, and he heard them right before he saw him. It was bedtime and the children had been dozing quietly in their room with a movie playing in the background. Scarlett was snuggled up close into Dexter’s side, and the twins were in a similar manner in their bed. He had been staring out the window casually until a sense of unease washed over the young fox’s mind. Dexter didn’t need telepathy or any power for that fact to know something was wrong. It was at that moment the window was kicked in sending shards everywhere, the boy had swiftly pulled the covers over them protecting them from the incoming glass. However, the sound had awoken all of them, and now they were faced with a group of people who wore sadistic expressions and twisted smiles.   
“Grab them, and be quick about it.” A man says in a tone that makes Dexter growl at the orders, and soon the group starts to reach for the dazed children. He wastes no time in leaping at the man reaching for Scarlett, and biting his hand. “Little fucker!” The man curses as he bats the child away roughly.   
“Dexy!” Scarlett screams loud enough for their fathers to have heard. It isn’t minutes later before the pair storms up the stairs, and begins snarling. Gavin had shifted down while the air crackled around Michael dangerously. The fiery omega gives the intruders no time to regroup as he zaps the nearest one with electricity. Gavin leaps at a woman near a crying Felicia, and Scarlett races to her brother’s side. Dexter laid against the wall slowly gaining his bearings, and it isn’t until a hand reaches for his sister that he gains them enough to lunge at him. From there it had been a much swifter motion than either child had anticipated, with Dexter in hand the man and his companions leapt back out the window they came, and swiftly knocked the boy unconscious. Almost as quickly as they came they were gone leaving the remaining group in a state of confusion. It isn’t until their mother’s form appears in the bedroom doorway that they realize they're missing a person.   
“Dexter, where’s Dexter?” Iri’s panicked voice asks as her eyes dart around the room to the inhabitants, whom eyes are down trodden. “Dexter!” She shouts out the broken window, not caring about the shards of glass that cut her feet, nor the pain in her leg. “Geoffrey, they took… He took Dexter.”  
“Mommy who were those people?” Scarlett’s scared tone asks from her father’s arms, Gavin had shifted back and was now holding the shaking girl. “Mommy?”  
“No… I will not let this happen. Lexi shift now, we’re going to find him.” Iri commands briefly, scrambles out the window, and then onto the nearby dragon who was standing on the invisible ledge she made. The pair is gone before anyone can stop them leaving the others in a deeper state of confusion.   
“Geoff what… Geoff you have to stop her!” Ryan’s voice says, snapping the gent from his silent stare. “Wait, where’s Ray?” Ryan asks in panic as he notices his mate’s disappearance as well.   
“Ry… Ry over here.” Ray manages to choke out from where he laid in their bedroom down the hall, the group had caught him off guard, and beat him thoroughly before he could do so much as call out.   
“Ray what happened?”  
“It… it doesn’t matter… They want, Geoff they.” Ray warns before passing out with a sputtering cough causing both Ryan and Felicia to whine in fear. The eldest gent who was running on instinct at this point reaches out to heal the man quickly, which is pretty easy despite how injured he looked. They didn’t break any bones, or do any major damage rather it was all superficial wounds for the most part… as though they weren’t here to kill him only incapacitate him…. Or distract them. Picking Ray up gently he laid the mostly healed man on the bed so he can rest comfortably.   
“Geoff what do we do?”  
“Michael you are with me, Ryan stay here with Gavin, Ray, and the others. Move everyone into here, and put a movie on for the kids. Remain calm, and we should be back soon; if not call Clara and explain the situation. She'll know what to do.” Geoff orders in a cool tone that leaves no room for doubt, with commands issued Michael follows the gent outside to his car.   
“Geoff where are we going?” Michael asks as the man continues running on autopilot, or at least in such a way that suggests he’s done this before. Though when Michael thought about it Geoff was probably the most qualified person in the room to handle this situation. “Geoff please… Daddy you're scaring me.”  
“I’m… Sorry baby boy, it’s just Todd and I are focusing on tracking Dexter. A long time ago we put a mind tracer on Dexter since he wandered off into the woods awhile back. If we find him then we should find all of them.” Geoff explains quickly as he pulls the car over in a nearby subdivision. The pair exit the car, and sprint in the direction of a house still being built. Once they reach the driveway Geoff pauses with his eyes closed and his mind reaching out to touch any consciousness nearby. At first it is only small animals, and a few college students cramming for a test on Monday; however Todd feels the tug of Dexter’s tracer and Geoff hears a small whimper.  
“Papa!” Dexter calls out from near Geoff’s feet in the shape of a small fox kit, he’d shifted as soon as he’d come to, and dashed in the direction Lexi told him to. “Papa, they have Momma… I.. Lexi made me run.”  
“Lexi did good, now where is your mother?” Geoff asks and Dexter points towards the woods.   
“Papa, they were talking when Lexi helped me escape but I don’t think they’re still talking… Be careful.” Dexter warns as he shifts back and Michael scoops him up.   
“Take him back to the house, and stay there.” Geoff orders as he grabs the M9 Beretta he kept under the front seat for moments like these…. What? He is a Texan after all.  
“Geoff what about you?”  
“I’ll be fine on my own, now go.” Geoff says sharply as he gives Dexter a quick hug and a kiss on the head. “Be brave, and remember what your mother says.”  
“Fake it till you make it, and create your own truth.” Dexter offers and Geoff just sighs.  
“Not so much the first part, but you're spot on with the second half.” Geoff tells him with a smile before holstering the gun behind his back, and making sure his shirt was covering it. He watches the pair disappear into the truck, and towards the house.   
‘Ready Old man?’ Todd inquires with a smirk, that he feels his counterpart mirror.   
‘Let’s go get our girl.’


	58. Precision, Passion, and Perplexment

About Thirty Minutes Earlier  
Iri and Lexi

“Lexi keep your color dark, and stay high. I don’t want to give them any heads up.” Iri orders, and the dragon says nothing rather choosing to just shift to a dark shade of black. As the pair flies Iri uses her powers to search for Dexter’s consciousness, which is difficult given that they were in a public area. It was hard to pick her child’s mind out of the fifty or so around them, and Lexi could sense her frustration.   
“Iri do you want to try projecting?”  
“No because he’ll feel that for sure.”   
“Try searching for him, and his copy.”  
“What?”  
“Do you remember how blank his copy’s mind felt when we touched it for the first time? Try looking for that same desolation.” Lexi adds helpfully, and with that Iri does just that. She no longer searches for her son’s bright mind, rather she searches for a mind that is dull and blank. A mind that is nothing more than a group of synopses created only for the process of life, nothing more. It can’t take her longer than ten second to find the creature, and presumably its owner as well. The mind leads them to a house not much farther from there’s and from the look of it the house was still in the process of being built. There were several stacks of roofing materials, and nails scattered about the yard causing her mom senses to tingle at the danger it presented… though Dexter was already in danger since he was kidnapped by a lunatic... Loose nails were the least of her problems right now. Landing softly on the house’s roof Iri has Lexi shift down, and make her way to Dexter, who was lying suspiciously alone in the backyard.   
‘Do you hear anything?’  
‘No, not even bugs are making noise… Iri I have a terrible feeling about this.’  
‘Lexi, I’m going down there. You come back up here, and get Dexter’s attention.... Then I want you to stay with him.’  
‘Iri I am not a.’  
‘Lex, I don’t doubt your ability. I am merely going to cause a distraction for you two to escape with.’ Iri explains and the fox just nods obediently while jumping back up onto the roof; working on waking up Dexter who was still unconscious on the grass. Lexi watches in surprise as Iri dismounts from the roof with a gymnast’s precision. ‘Don’t act so surprised, you knew I was a gymnast in high school.’  
‘Yeah, but we were terrible.’  
‘True, now can you work on waking him up while I go probably get my ass kicked… Lex how long will this makeshift cast last?’  
‘I love our optimism, and not very long so either stall long enough for help to hopefully arrive or end this quickly.’ Lexi murmurs quietly before disconnecting herself from Iri to enter Dexter’s mind fully, to both protect him and wake him up. It left Iri a little more open to attack, but this way Dexter would be safer. With Lexi now working on her part of the plan, Iri heads into the house where she could feel the grouping of minds. Crawling into the house through an unfinished window Iri grimaces at the pain in her leg, but remembers the training Erik put her through. Pain is merely perception, nothing more. Change your perception, and the pain changes as well. Making sure to keep her footsteps as light as possible, and her wits about her despite the break in her bone. It isn’t until a board creaks loudly behind her that Iri realizes she is being stalked by a predator. Turning to face the sound she finds herself face to face with a huge fucking bear, probably a grizzly if she had to guess. Before she can say anything the creature roars loudly at her, and Iri does naught but shift down and flee. She races through the half built house, and at the end of the chase she realizes her mistake. This bear was herding her, and you are never to let yourself be herded no matter what… However she had been, and now it was time for a back up plan.  
‘Lex, I need options.’ Iri mumbles in her mind only to be met with a silence that caused her to curse herself again. She had left the fox with her son, who when she checked was beginning to come to. Though before she can open a link, the feeling of a gunshot tears through her left hip, and leaves the woman speechless in both surprise and pain.   
“Grab her.” Seth’s voice orders, and Iri can do very little to avoid the group of people barreling towards her. Strafing right and then left, and then running in a zigzag pattern hoping to confuse the people lunging at her. In a last ditch effort to get away she weakens a nearby glass bay window and throws herself at it. Landing on the patchy grass Iri tries to run, but her body can physically not and she is nearing her exhaustion point. Her leg is sapping her energy rapidly, and the bullet wound does the same leaving her breathing raggedly and barely alive. The thought of death crosses her mind as she continues dragging herself forward, away from the group chuckling behind her. “Matteo put her under.” Seth commands as he watches the fox finally concede. It was times like these that he admired the human spirit, fighting to live despite the odds stacked against them. The bear man nods and pulls out a tranquilizer gun, they hear a small click and then a woman gasp; however, it wasn’t Iri rather the leopard Linda… Part of Seth’s team.  
“Seth!” Linda cries out as she feels herself drop to the ground, and they turn to see the fox staring at him defiantly.  
“You little bitch, Matteo take her down now!” Seth growls angrily, he takes it back about the human spirit because right now it was really starting to piss him off. The man next to him shoots the gun again only to watch it deflected, and after ten more shots all fail to successfully hit their target he looks to Seth for suggestions. “Where’s Becca?”  
“I killed her.” Iri huffs out, knowing they were talking about the illusionist. “Don’t ever fuck with my family.”  
“Huh, I didn’t think you had it in you, but perhaps we can make use of you yet.” Seth mutters as he edges his way towards where the fox lay broken and battered.   
“The only person who is making use of her is me, and I mean that in the most respectful way possible.” Geoff declares while walking out of the shadows, and keeping his eyes level. He makes note of the people surrounding them, and also the lack of Lexi. ‘Todd what can you tell me?’  
“No need for that, in fact Geoff I believe we know each other… My name is Seth, you might remember me.” Seth introduces himself with a smile that Geoff would never forget. This was Seth Ristau, Erik’s adopted son, and just as crazy as his father was…. well his fake father that is. Geoff remembers this kid, and he remembers that he was a sadistic fuck before Erik even got to him. As the story goes Seth murdered his entire family after years of abuse, and a little coaching from Erik which was really just the phrase. Why not? He was a sick fuck, and Erik only accentuated that. Now here at this very moment Geoff no longer saw a teenager who was restrained by Erik, no this was a man now capable of anything… He was more dangerous than Erik, and Geoff doubted any of his intentions were pure. “Oh I do so love that look you're wearing Geoffrey.”  
“Seth how long have you been back in the US?”  
“I came back from my last mission about four months ago, and can you imagine my surprise when I found out my father was dead.” Seth says as he continues edging closer to Iri who at this point fallen unconscious.   
‘Todd wake her up.’  
‘Geoff I can’t… she’s been shot. She’s basically in a coma, and needs medical care now.’ Todd explains hurriedly putting emphasis on now. ‘Geoff, she is going to die very soon if we don't get help.’  
‘I fucking hate ultimatums.’ Geoff curses silently before pulling the gun out, and popping the two guards still standing near them in the knees. They had maybe minutes before the police showed up, so this needed to be quick. “Next shot is in your head if you don’t put her down.”  
“I don’t believe that will be necessary.” Seth mutters as he places Iri down at Geoff’s feet, and backs off with his hands raised high. He goes to reach for his side arm only to feel a bullet buried deep inside his thigh. “Fuck!”  
“Like I said my wife isn’t going anywhere, except with me mother fucker.” Geoff says while leaning down to pick up the wounded vixen, and in a move that doesn’t surprise the gent in the least he hears the other’s gun discharge several times. The gent had prepared for this, and had Todd maintain a barrier around them effectively deflecting the oncoming bullets. He can hear the tiger’s frustration as Geoff holsters his gun, and takes off into the night. Leaving the man to deal with his defeat, and wounded comrades. “Todd we need an ambulance, and we need it now. Find the nearest one, and get it here.”  
“There’s one four blocks North, and they are en route to us…. Geoff I don’t mean to alarm you, but we’ve been shot.” Todd tells the man as Iri’s body shifts back in his arms, though it was purely from him forcing her to.   
“What?” Geoff mutters in confusion looking around for a bullet, and does indeed see one. It was right through his left shoulder, and now that adrenaline was wearing off he could feel it. “Straight through, or is it still in there?”  
“Straight through, but we don’t have the energy to heal it fully. Also it cracked the bone on the way out.”  
“Fuck, how far are they?”  
“A minute, and Geoff?”  
“Yeah Todd?”  
“Good job.” Todd praises the man as the ambulance pulls up. From there it was a flurry of activity, as the EMTs took over ushering them both into the vehicle. And Geoff was basically on autopilot, answering the questions as truthfully as he could without explaining it fully. He’d settled on a crazed gang attack, it was sort of a gang attack… If you squinted… or closed your ears halfway. The ride to the hospital had been a blur, and from there they’d rushed Iri to surgery while they stitched Geoff up. He waits in the ICU for news of Iri, and it comes about three hours later. Throwing the cup of weak coffee away he stands up in greeting to the doctor in scrubs. From what Geoff saw this man looked tired, and overworked.  
“Mr. Ramsey the bottom of her left leg is completely shattered, and the bullet nicked her hip bone causing some internal bleeding in her abdominal area. She has multiple lacerations covering her body, and several puncture wounds. Plus a concussion and several muscle tears. I will prescribe some medicine for the pain, possible infection, and inflammation. Also how is your shoulder?” The Doctor explains as he watches the man sigh, and gestures for him to follow him. Geoff is led to a private room where Iri lies the stillest he’s ever seen the woman, it was heart breaking to see all the bandaging, the wounds, and even her breathing was ragged despite the machine assisting her. He closes his eyes to keep himself from crying, he knew she would survive this but he didn’t want her to have to. He didn’t want any of this for his sweet Kit… Or the rest of his family for that matter, he just wanted them all safe.  
“I’m fine, just tired… How long will she need to stay here for?” Geoff asks while stroking the wounded fox’s ears gently, she was merely a bystander whose fate he’d meddled with. He believed himself to know what was right, and now she was paying for it in full with her mind and body… However, if she woke up from this at least then he supposed it could be worse, and when she recovered from this they would talk about renovations to the house… or possibly moving.  
“A few days, we want to make sure there is no brain damage.” Doctor says to him, and Geoff merely nods in understanding. “A nurse will be by soon for her vitals, and to give her morphine.”  
“Thank you.” Geoff says appreciatively before pulling out his cellphone and dialing the house. It picks up on the first ring, and Gavin’s worried tone fills the line. The gent explains the situation fully before telling him to just stay home, and come by in the morning. Hopefully she would be awake by then, after talking to Dexter and Lexi he bids them goodnight before hanging up. After the nurse came in and did her tasks Geoff laid down next to her, careful of her IV as well as her injuries. After a quick sweep of the hospital by Todd, Geoff falls asleep finally for some much needed rest. 

In the Morning 

Geoff awakes to the feeling of someone crawling over him, and resting in between them.   
“Papa, don’t worry it’s just me.” Dexter whispers tiredly, and Geoff finds himself blinked awake by that statement alone.   
“Dex… Dex how did you get here?” Geoff asks in between yawns, and Dexter refuses to answer rather choosing to cuddle himself closer to his parents. “Dexy answer me.”  
“I walked.”  
“You what?” Geoff growls groggily as he pulls the boy to face him. “Did you at least leave a note or something?”  
“I told Gavin, but he was really sleepy… I brought Lexi with me, and she was a pony.”  
“So you rode Lexi from the house to here, and you told Gavin but he was asleep.” Geoff deduces and the boy nods, Geoff sighs in frustration before texting Gavin real quick. Dexter purrs happily into his father’s arms, and falls back asleep next to him.   
“I love you Papa, and Momma as well.” Dexter whispers quietly and Geoff just purrs in response, Iri however, lays her tail over them as though to symbolize her love. 

Later that Day about Noon

This time when Geoff awakes he awakes to the sound of coughing and sputtering; turning in bed he finds Iri pulling a tube from her throat on the floor. Geoff surges forth to help her only to be warded off.   
“Geoff I’m fine.” Iri says in between coughs, and after wiping at her mouth she drags herself back up onto the bed. “Did… did we win?”  
“This time, but next time it won’t be so easy.”  
“Tch you act like this was easy.” Iri adds with a chuckle and Dexter makes a soft murmur in his sleep. She shifts onto her side, careful of her injuries, and pulls her son into her arms. “Mmm he smells like you.”  
“Yeah, and you smell like blood… When the others get here I’m going to help you take a shower.”  
“Dexter you're grounded when we get home by the way.” Ryan says casually as he and the others amble in. Gavin and Scarlett were carrying bouquets of brightly colored flowers while Ray and Felicia hold Iri’s old stuffed Vulpix. Leo and Michael held a loose flowing emerald dress that Iri wore often, it came to her thigh and had spaghetti straps.   
“Papa Ryan you can’t.”  
“No Dexter, he’s right. I don’t care if Lexi was with you. What have I told you about running away?” Iri scolds her son who quiets instantly in her arms. “You are never to leave the house by yourself, and I don’t mean with your sister.”  
“How.” Scarlett starts but is cut off by her mother’s sharp glare that seems to stare right through her.  
“Don’t you how me, I am your mother and I know everything. I know when you don’t eat your dinner and you feed it to Lexi, I know when you get bullied at Daycare and Dexter steps up to protect you, and I know that you have terrible nightmares where you scream for me and I never come. You shout in your sleep just loud enough for Dexter to hear you, and soothe away your fears… You worry that one day I won’t walk through the front door after my early morning runs, or storm in when one of your fathers piss me off, but mostly you worry that one day your Pappy or Poppy will pick you up from Daycare with a solemn speech.” Iri tells Scarlett, and the little girl’s emerald eyes wet with unshed tears, her own eyes wet as well.   
“Momma.” Scarlett nearly sobs as she crawls into the bed with her mother and brother. Leo and Felicia wore expressions of confusion rather than climbing into the bed; they’d heard their sister’s cries, but had never understood the worry their sister harbored in her heart. Their mother was invincible, or at least they thought. Dexter pulls out of his mother’s grip to allow Scarlett to be closer, she would never say it but he knew his sister appreciated it. Iri held her sobbing daughter close, and forced back her own tears. “Momma… Momma.”  
“Scar it’s okay, oh my sweet girl it’s okay… Scar, it’s alright.” Iri murmurs into her daughter's hair as she sobs into her shoulder; Iri ignored how bad her shoulder hurt and her wounds screamed for her to relieve the pressure. It wasn’t until a small pained whimper slips through Iri’s lips that Gavin becomes attuned to her pain. He reaches for the girl, but Iri just grits her teeth and pulls her closer.   
“Mama?”  
“Yes Scarlett?”  
“Don’t leave okay, just don’t leave ever again.”  
“Never my sweet girl, I promise I won’t ever leave again.” Iri swears as she pulls the girl closer, and begins humming a slowed down version of habanera.   
“Momma can you sing for us?”  
“Sure, come lie on the bed with me kits.” Iri answers, adjusting her bed so it’s in the sitting position. She sits up, the children crawl up onto the bed, and snuggle up close to their mother. The lads take seats around the room, while Geoff and Ryan exit the room to find food for the group. Iri begins her tune softly, and slowly. The tune had no name, nor words that the children understood, and when Iri thought about it neither did she. It was beautiful, but Iri had no clue what she was saying to these children… It was most likely french, and the only idea that led her to that conclusion was the feeling of nostalgia that enveloped her like a warm hug, or when your mother welcomed you home… and that was how she knew it was french. The words Iri sing may be about heartache or the happiest of times, but when she sings it… Her melody is of life. She sings of passion, despair, happiness, love, anger, and resilience… with a dash of hope at the end because in the end hope is everlasting and eternal. Contrary to popular belief, love dies; however, hope lives on in the hearts of all… as cliche as it is. When Iri finishes her song she’s breathing raggedly, and there are tears in her eyes, but her kids were softly snoring up against her.   
‘That was beautiful Mistress.’  
‘Thanks Lex, is everyone asleep?’  
‘Yes, they ducked out around the last minute.’  
“Vixen, go to sleep.” Michael murmurs quietly as he pulls the blankets up and over them. Iri was against the rail with Scarlett pressed into her chest, Leo and Felicia were next to each other, and Dexter was curled up cuddling with the Vulpix that smelled like his mom. Seeing that everyone was comfortable Iri allows herself to drift off into sleep with the help of some morphine the nurse had started a few minutes ago.   
“Love we’ll be here when you wake.”  
“Mmk… Love you… every single fucking… one of...you.” Iri trails off as the medicine takes effect, kicking her into unconsciousness roughly. The lads merely smile before Ray exits to go find the gents who were most likely on their way back. Ray strolls down the hall till he hears Geoff’s sharp tone… the man sounded angry, and it put Flynt on edge.   
“Ryan, I don’t care what you think. I’m doing what’s best for the pack.”  
“Geoffrey, I’m warning you if you do this then you’ll regret it. There will be no winning this fight, and losing it will destroy us.” Ryan vows with a growl as he pulls Geoff close. Ray can’t hear exactly what’s being said but it’s something along the lines of, “I love you, so don’t do this.”  
“Ry, Geoff did you guy’s find food?” Ray asks interrupting their hug. The men pull back quickly to face the omega staring at them. “Guy’s?”  
“Yeah Kitten, Geoff it seems that is what we forgot.”  
“Food… yeah.” Geoff mutters still lost in thought despite their presence.   
“The kits are asleep with Iri, and the others are in there.”  
“Alright, hey Geoff why don’t you go back and we’ll get food… You want something?” Ryan asks and the gent just shakes his head still lost to himself. They watch him exit the room and head towards Iri’s.   
“Is he okay?”  
“Uh, yeah… This whole thing has really messed him up. He’s just worried Kitten, don’t worry about it though.”  
“Okay… Love you.”  
“You too.” Ryan murmurs with smile as he kisses Ray gently.


	59. Fucking with Genectic Identities, and Mutated Genes... Science Ya'll

Later that Day

When Iri woke up it was long past sunset, and her children were gone as were her mates. Geoff who had been cleared to go home had checked out, however, Iri had to stay for another night at the least…. and god was she bored, literally she woke up bored which wasn’t that uncommon for her. She sat up, grabbed both the IV stand and her crutches before limping off to the bathroom. After doing her business she heads out of the room, and then sneaks past the nurses’ station. From there she isn’t quite sure where else to go, so she heads to the cancer ward… logical right? Upon heading in there she is met with one of the most depressing sights she’s ever been privy to… It was two parents sobbing over there dead child’s body, monitors were still beeping, and a doctor stood outside the room sighing heavily. His thoughts were jumbled, but mostly his mind was cloaked in regret at not being able to save that child.   
‘Lexi do you think we can heal any of these people?’ Iri inquires quietly, and she notices how Lexi hesitates to answer her. ‘Lex?’  
‘Mistress, I would love to heal all of these people and on another day perhaps, but you are sick… So no, Iri I am putting my foot down on this one.’ Lexi tells Iri authoritatively in hopes her mistress would listen… But Iri doesn’t... naturally, instead she heads into a room where a child is sleeping. ‘Iri, I really don’t think this is a good idea.’  
‘Yes because saving children is a totally terrible idea… Seriously Lex fuck off.’  
‘Iri do you understand what it will take to heal this kid?’  
‘I’m assuming a little cellular manipulation, possibly some cellular generation, and chemical alterations… also some chromosomal therapy.’ Iri fires back, and Lexi just rolls her eyes.   
‘Do you even understand half the things you said… well thoughts?’  
‘....no, not really but I know that I can heal this kid, so that’s what I’m going to do. Doors over there if you are going to be an ass about it.’ Iri grumbles as she sits at a chair by the child’s bed. ‘I’m doing this.’  
‘Fine, but don’t get us killed… or arrested.’ Lexi warns and Iri just nods solemnly before using her powers to heal the little girl lying in bed. At first Iri isn’t sure where to begin given the general deterioration of the girl’s immune system and body overall. The girl was around the age of ten, but her body was that of an eighty year old. Her system was rejecting chemotherapy, and her platelets were dangerously low. In other words she was dying and she was dying quickly, maybe a week if she was a fighter. Maybe a day if she was hopeless. However, Iri wasn’t here to conjecture, no she was here to heal this girl. Using her powers she starts to heal the mirror wounds, but stops when she realizes the body would only destroy itself again; no if she wanted to stop this she needed to cut it off at the source, take the disease out of her genetic composition completely… Hopefully she could still do this, it had been a long time since she’d ever attempted this, and even longer since she’d concentrated deep enough to make it work. ‘Take a deep breath, and remember Harold’s coaching. Look for the misplaced gene, focus on eradicating it, and then stitching it back together...focus.’ Lexi trails off feeling her mistress’ mind slip into a deep state of concentration, she doubted the woman was able to think of anything but the girl’s DNA. Splicing as Harold had called it was a dangerous business especially for someone who was inexperienced. At the compound Iri had dabbled in the art, but only with the help of Otto and Harold a pair much more skilled in the aptitude of science than she.  
‘Lex, I’ve found the cause but I’m not sure how to reconnect it and I can’t just destroy it… can I?’  
‘Well it’s a genetic defect, basically a mutation of a healthy gene… Can you find a similar gene to replace it?’  
‘Lex this doesn’t work like that, I need the correct gene not a similar one.’  
‘Well maybe you shouldn’t have cut the blue wire.’  
‘That’d be funny if I wasn’t about to fuck up this girl’s entire genetic identity… Find a doctor, and get the answer to my question please.’ Iri orders and she feels the fox disconnect to seek out her answer. In the meanwhile Iri focuses on healing what she can, and reinforcing cell structure that needed it. She isn’t sure how long it is before her vixen comes back with the answer she’s seeking, and once Lexi does Iri completes the process. The girl wouldn’t be healed for months at least not truly but she would live.. and that was Iri’s goal, so mission accomplished. Extracting herself from the girl’s mind, Iri immediately feels an overwhelming exhaustion weigh down her features to the point of near exhaustion.   
“Can you move?” Geoff’s gentle tone asks as he squats beside her.   
“No Papa.” Iri answers solemnly, and the man says nothing more before helping her to stand. She says nothing else, and Geoff only scowls but continues to help her back to her room. In her room sat Michael, Scarlett, and Dexter. “Kits, Red, what are you doing here? It is very late.”  
“Papa Geoff called you, but you didn’t answer and we got worried.” Scarlett explains while curling into her mother’s side. “Mama where did you go?”  
“I went to help a little girl who was very sick……… and… I.” Iri trails off with a yawn, at this Geoff lays on the bed beside her, and pulls the woman into his embrace; Dexter and Scarlett between the two of them. Michael shifts down and lies at the foot of the bed purring soothingly. “I.”  
“Iri shush, it’s time for bed.” Geoff murmurs sleepily, effectively silencing his youngest mate. The children fall asleep easily as does Michael; Geoff however, notices how despite his lover’s exhaustion she still remains alert.   
‘I’m sweeping the hospital Papa… just one last time for the night.’ Iri whispers in the sleepy man’s mind as she could feel his wondering. ‘... Gotta.. be safe.’  
‘I know Kit.. Would you like me to take a round?’  
‘No Papa… not… smooth… enough.’ Iri explains in a broken sentence that causes Geoff to fear she’s hurt herself. “Doctors are perceptive… Geoff they’ll sense you.” She mutters aloud too tired to even communicate telepathically.   
“Very well, now go to sleep baby girl before you hurt yourself.”  
“Yes… Papa.” Iri murmurs quietly, dropping into sleep only seconds later, followed by Geoff in merely moments.


	60. Miles and the Soul Crushing Sadness of His Boss Lady's Desk

Next Day Early Afternoon  
Work

Miles was currently storming through the annex with a drawing in hand, it was not at all what he wanted and he needed to have a word with the artist. However, Iri was no where to be found, ‘per usual.’ He thought crankily, lately he hadn’t been sleeping well due to the stress of his job and relationship trouble never helped either. Miles was eighty percent sure he was destined to be alone, one of those lonely omegan spinsters with like forty cats… and Miles couldn’t do that, he was a people a person. He needed people, or his dog… You know now that he thought about it he could just have a few dogs.  
“Yo Mile high club, what are you looking for?” Blaine asks as he notices the dishevelment of his friend.  
“Less of a what, and more of a who.” Miles answers frustratedly, sitting down at Iri’s desk looking amongst the scattered drawings there. “Where is the original?”  
“Uh Miles you might want to calm down.”  
“Don’t tell me what to do!” Miles shouts at the Alpha who bares his teeth at the growling omega.   
“Calm.”  
“Fuck off!” Miles snarls and is suddenly surprised by the ferocity of Blaine as he pins him to the ground in anger. “Blaine… Blaine.” He stutters regretfully in fear hoping to placate the Alpha. Blaine however, just keeps growling and doesn’t stop until Miles bares his throat completely. The Alpha purrs happily at his friend’s submission and nuzzles his pulse point affectionately. Miles physically relaxes when the man scents him lightly causing a restful sigh to fall from his lips.  
“Feel better?” Blaine asks while pulling off the stressed man, but Miles just follows him up. “Miles?”  
“I’m… I’m lovable aren’t I?” Miles murmurs into the man’s neck, and at this he freezes. Blaine wasn’t quite sure how to answer that question. “I… Why doesn’t.”  
“Miles stop, of course your lovable like you're the most lovable guy ever… And I’m sure Chris would agree.”  
“I would agree to what?” Chris inquires as he cocks his head at Miles and Blaine sitting on the floor, Miles was crying and that sent his Alpha instincts into overdrive. “Why is he crying? What the fuck did you do to Miles?” Chris growls as he pushes Blaine away and pulls Miles into his arms. They had been fighting earlier, but it was instantly forgotten when he saw this.   
“Dude I didn’t do anything, I.”  
“Miles are you okay?... Why does he smell like you? Blaine did you try to rape him?”  
“No no no no, I didn’t do anything!” Blaine nearly shouts while practically jumping away from the pair. “He was frustrated, I pinned him, we snuggled just a little, and now he’s crying. I swear to god I didn’t do anything else!”  
“Chris, he didn’t… Chris don’t be mad at him.” Miles murmurs softly into his lover’s chest. “I… I love you.”  
“... You… I love you too.” Chris mumbles with small smile as he pulls the omega in for a gentle kiss. “I love you a lot actually.”  
“Yeah?”  
“In fact I think it’s time we move in together.” Chris offers hesitantly, and at this Miles eyes go wide. “We’ve been together for a long time, and I think this will be good for us… Unless you don’t think so.”  
“No, no… I think that’s a great idea.” Miles agrees wholeheartedly, and Chris just smiles brightly at him. “Watson already loves your house anyways.”  
“I’d like to think it’s because I have a back yard.”  
“Fair point.”  
“So are you guys good now?”  
“Yeah… Well all that you can help me with, and that goes for both of you.” Miles answers tiredly, picking up the drawing that had started this entire ordeal. “I need Iri to redraw this because Jackson still can’t get their faces right… Has anyone seen her today?”  
“Did you check the AH office?” Chris suggests and Miles nods.  
“She wasn’t in there.”  
“Did you ask them where she was?”  
“Uh… No one was in there besides Jack, and I’m pretty sure he would have no idea.”  
“Miles, I just asked Jack and he said they took a group day off… Probably pack stuff.” Blaine answers helpfully causing Miles to groan while rifling through the desk drawers still looking for the original.   
“Baby after work let’s go out for dinner tonight.” Chris says and Miles just nods making a sound of agreement still searching. “Also what is so important about the drawing?”  
“Well if I find it then Jackson should be able to just copy and paste it onto the program…. And I just can’t use another because the face is really hard to get just right.”  
“Oh, but is rifling through your boss’ stuff cool.”  
“She’s not my boss, I just call her that because she’s bossy… and.” Miles trails off when he picks up a piece of paper. This wasn’t a drawing she’d done for work and he was sure this wasn’t even supposed to be here. Taking hold of it in his hands he can’t help the horrified gasp it draws from his lips. The image was gruesome to say the least, and horrific didn’t even begin to describe it in his mind. Miles had seen her do portraits, hell he’d received one for his birthday of him as a king on a dragon. However, this portrait was of herself and from the looks of it she was in pain... a lot of it. It wasn’t in color, but Miles didn’t need it or honestly want it, the only purpose it would have served is to intensify the image. She was splayed out on a bed, arms chained to the posts and legs as well by a dark strap… probably leather if Miles had to guess. Her clothing was nothing more than tattered rags suggesting she’d been there for a long time, and as Miles scanned the drawing he caught a glimpse into her eyes… Her normally crystal clear blue were now a murky gray that begged for release, begged for help that he knew would never come, but mostly they screamed in despair and Miles could hear the echoes… no he could feel them in his mind, and his heart. He felt each carefully detailed wound sketched into the paper, each lashing, each muscle being painfully strained, and every moment of agony that resided behind her graphite lines. Miles isn’t sure how long he’s staring at the image, and it isn’t until Chris pulls it free that the omega is dragged back up into the physical world. The one where his friend wasn’t enslaved to a madman… unless you counted Godric, but that wasn’t true slavery… He hoped.  
“Miles are you okay?”  
“Yeah… Yeah I’m fine, let’s just go. I can do this tomorrow when she comes in.” Miles says quickly, pulling the portrait from Chris’ hands before he can look at it… Soul crushing sadness was sort of a damper on anyone’s mood. He folds it up, sticks it in his pocket, and makes a mental note to ask her about it tomorrow.


	61. The Agony of Others

At The House

Around noon the doctors had cleared Iri for discharge, and after a five hour nap they were all casually lounging around the pool. Geoff was grilling something, the kits were in the pool with the lads, Ryan was reading a book, Lexi was also in the water splashing about as a fox, which might Iri add was adorable, and Iri… Well Iri sat poolside cleaning her assortment of weapons… After the attack she’d insisted this get done, and pack members without offensive powers learned how to use them. Hell she was even going to make Ray learn how to use a knife given that even he was hurt. Iri had a small arsenal of weaponry, at least blade wise. She had many throwing knives, several tactical knives, a few survivalist knives, a rapier, one katana, three daggers, and seven switchblades… plus a broadsword, but that was in storage. Her real father Klein had been a mercenary and after reading through his journal she discovered a stash of weapons he had. The swords were family heirlooms, but everything else were common weapons that he had accumulated during his lifetime. Besides the knives there were also many guns, but Iri knew very little about them. She chose to give them to Geoff who would understand them more than she did. Iri could shoot most projectiles faster than bullets could leave guns with much more accuracy, so in her opinion they were useless to her… However, the ex-soldier thought differently as he locked them up in his closet after cleaning them all, and making sure all the parts still worked properly.   
“Momma?”   
“What Dex?” Iri asks softly as her son comes over and sits beside her; she can tell his curiosity is kicking in as he stares at the glimmering metal. “Dex don’t touch.”  
“I was… I was going to touch it, sorry Momma.” Dex admits truthfully and Iri just smirks at him.  
“I’m glad you told the truth, now what did you need?”  
“What are you doing?”   
“I am going hunting soon, and these are the weapons I plan on using.” Iri explains to her son who nods with wide eyes.   
“Um what?” Ryan asks while giving her an incredulous look. “You are in no shape to hunt anything.”  
“Trust me Ryan I’m well enough for this.” Iri murmurs in a dark tone that is both unsettling and scary at the same time. Dex and Ryan both shudder at her tone, and share a look of worry.   
“Papa!” Dexter calls out, and at this Geoff puts his tongs down before walking over to the group.  
“Iri will you put those away before someone gets hurt.” Geoff says sharply with a glare, and Iri merely meets his glare with one of her own. “Don’t give me that look baby girl just do as I ask.”  
“Whatever Geoff.” Iri mutters quietly, cursing under her breath but she does reluctantly put her weaponry away. She stands up, grabs her crutches, plus the weapons bag, and heads into the house.   
“Papa, I’m worried about her.”  
“Why? What happened?” Geoff asks as he lifts his son up, and the boy fiddles with his father’s beard. “Dex?”  
“She says she’s going hunting, and I don’t think it’s animals.”  
“Wait what?”  
“Geoff, she means to hunt down Seth… She’ll get herself killed if she goes now.”  
“Iri wouldn’t go now… Would she?” Geoff asks as Ryan shrugs and the gents make a beeline for the back door. Immediately they’re met with the scene of Iri scribbling on a piece of paper, and holding a backpack. “Dexter go outside.”  
“Papa?”  
“Go, I need to talk to your mother.” Geoff snaps and Dexter nods quickly before heading back outside the house. “Iri, where are you going?”  
“Hunting.” She answers plainly, and Ryan has only seen the fire in Geoff’s eyes maybe six or seven times in his life because it was terrifying.   
“Go upstairs and wait for me.”  
“No.”  
“NOW!” Geoff bellows angrily, and Iri flinches at his harsh tone before heading up the stairs to wait for him. Leaving Ryan and him alone in the kitchen.  
“Geoff what are you going to do?”  
“I’m going to beat her till she physically can’t get up.”  
“What?” Ryan nearly shouts in surprise.  
“... Well maybe not that bad, but pretty good… She’s not going to want to go hunting when I’m through with her. Cook dinner will you?”  
“Sure Geoff.” Ryan answers helpfully before heading back outside leaving the gent alone in the house with Iri, who was currently upstairs. As he heads up he can hear the sound of a window being opened, so he sends out Todd who slams it shut.   
“Going somewhere?” Geoff asks with an impatient look, Iri says nothing choosing to stare at her tail instead. “I asked you a question Kit, and I won’t ask you again.”  
“No Geoff, I wasn’t going anywhere it was just opening it... It’s hot in here.” Iri mutters quietly while sitting on the bed, taking her tail in hand, and fiddling with it.   
“Don’t lie to me. Now what is all this talk of hunting?”  
“I was merely.”  
“No, Iri remember what I said about communication? If you have a problem, or you have to go somewhere we will talk a..” Geoff cuts her off, only to have her cut him off.  
“God damn it Geoff! I don’t want to ‘talk’ about this! I want to kick their ass and call it an evening, maybe even kill him if it feels right.” Iri argues loudly, and stands up for emphasis. Geoff however has to grab her to keep her from falling over; she tries to push him off, but he holds her tightly. It isn’t until a fist connects with his chest that he realizes how angry she was. Geoff felt her hot tears on his chest as she slowly ran out of steam, and was reduced to nothing but tears.   
“Kit talk to me.”  
“I… I don’t want to, I don’t want my leg to be broken, I don’t want him to be alive, and mostly I don’t want to ever be that afraid again… Geoff I run, I kick box, and I train everyday so I won’t ever be afraid… Yet I was. I let him beat me down till I couldn’t even stand up… I let him win, not only once but twice! Before I could blame my heat for taking my edge away, but now… Now this is all my fault… I’m fucking weak.” Iri growls bitterly with tears still streaming down her face, and she shows Geoff exactly what happened that night. She shows him how the man practically killed her, and she couldn’t do anything to stop him. Her skills had been so far out matched that it felt like she had been a child fighting a karate master. “Geoff he swatted me away like a gnat.”  
“Kit, he is a trained assassin and you are not…. It takes years to develop skills like that, and even a trained professional would have trouble with him. Fighting two of them would be nearly impossible, so you can’t expect to win every fight.” Geoff explains to the woman while tugging her down onto the bed softly. “Kit, you fought a pair of trained killers it’s a miracle you didn’t get killed….If I hadn’t shown up when I did you probably would have died… or worse.”   
“I shouldn’t need.”  
“No, you should! Stop fighting as though you are a lone wolf, you're not. You have a pack, and packs stick together and fight together. Do you think in the army I completed half my missions on my own? No, I had a squad and together we were unstoppable. We are your squad, live together, fight together, and die together.” Geoff tells the woman passionately as he pins the woman down to the bed. He places soft kisses along her neckline, and Iri tries to refuse him but it’s useless; he draws a purr from her throat, and that brings a smile to his face. “I told Ryan I was going to beat your ass, but now it seems that isn’t necessary… Are you going to go hunting?”  
“Someday… but not today.”  
“And when that day comes we’ll go together…. It’ll be nice to finally end the Ristau legacy.” Geoff comments while lying to the side, and pulling the woman into his arms. Iri says nothing other than grimacing at the sharp pain in her leg; her entire body hurt and there wasn’t enough pain killers in the world to ease it. Geoff catches her grimace and strokes her tail soothingly, “Kit do you need the pills?”  
“No, Geoff I’m just tired… I’m going to go to sleep, stay here till I fall asleep please?” Iri asks, and Geoff shakes his head at this.  
“You need to eat dinner first so come on, I’ll carry you.”   
“I’m not a princess.”  
“Mmm you're my princess.”  
“Actually she’s mine, now come your knight awaits.” Michael interjects as he bursts through the door with his ceremoniously energetic attitude. He wastes no time in swooping down beside her and picking her up before Geoff can do anything. “Come my Lass, and partake in the fruits of your pack’s labor.”  
“Your princess wants a nap, can you grant her that?” Iri jests lightly.  
“Well unless your going to nap on my cock then no.”   
“You know I’ve been asleep before so it’s doable.” Iri admits and Michael looks shocked at this.   
“What?”   
“No offense Michael or even you Geoff, I have fallen asleep during some of our sex… Though I’ve never fallen asleep with Gavin or Jackson… Jackson was fan-fucking-tastic though.” Iri tells the men who balk at this, and Geoff growls darkly. “Oh don’t growl at me like that, sometimes I just don’t have the energy to...” Iri trails off choosing not to finish that thought.  
“The energy to what?” Geoff snaps and Iri just chooses to pull herself from Michael’s arms quickly and limps out of the room. “Iridessa answer me!”  
“I love you…. A lot actually!” Iri shouts back at him playfully as she flees back outside to where Gavin and Ray were helping the kids dry off for dinner. “Gavin, hide me.”  
“Love, what?” Gavin asks in confusion and Ray too mirrors the emotion.   
“Don’t ask questions just hide me.”  
“Mommy come with us.” Leo says quickly and the kits all usher her to their playhouse. They help her into it, pull the door shut, and then try to keep from giggling too loudly.   
“Shhh, we’ve got to be quiet.” Iri warns as they all group around her careful of her leg. It isn’t minutes later that they hear Geoff asking where everyone went and soon they can hear footsteps approaching. The house soon erupts in laughter as Geoff throws open the door with a smile.   
“You guys have got to be quieter if you expect to hide from me.” Geoff tells them and they all file out save for Iri. “Are you coming?”  
“Uh… Yeah give me a sec.” Iri murmurs with a perplexing look, she felt something in her mind, and she had a feeling this was going to be a fight. ‘Lexi, do you feel that?’  
‘Yeah, it’s a predator… Well trained, but not strong enough to.’  
‘They’re trying to gain entrance, but from the wrong way… It’s like they’re trying to show me something.’ Iri whispers mentally to the fox who is swatting away their jabs like child’s play. This being was doing very little to actually gain a foothold, no this one was trying to show her something. ‘Let them in, but be ready to kick them out in a moment.’ Iri says hesitantly, and Lexi does just that. They let the consciousness in, and immediately a scream is wrenched from her lips. The pain was excruciating, and incapacitating; she could do nothing but scream as the being tore through her mind with no finesse whatsoever. It was searching, no clawing it’s way through her memories with a purpose that she couldn’t figure out… No the only thing she felt was the pain. She isn’t sure how long this goes on before an image is drug up into her mind. It was a white wolf drenched in red, and crying out in agony. His body lying in a heap on a dirt floor, the red mixing with the brown creating a murky mess that turned Iri’s stomach. She vomits harshly on the ground next to her, thankfully she’d crawled out of the playhouse before she did. Iri curls up on herself after finishing being sick and again her vision is bombarded by an image. This one however, is one Iri recognizes. It was Harold sitting beside the bloody white wolf who she now realizes is Otto, and that is why this hurt so terribly. Otto reduces physical pain, but when he entered someone’s mind it caused them both a great deal amount of pain. Harold sat healing his friend to the best of his abilities ignoring his own wounds in favor of healing his friend. Iri knew this wasn’t her memory no this was the memory of either Harold or Otto, but it was unclear given how it showed both point of views. She knew this wasn’t her memory for sure, and this wasn’t Lexi… though that was only ruled out given that Lexi had only met them a few times when her depression was too much for her to handle. The pain recedes gradually, and soon Iri is granted her vision again allowing her to be met with the terrified eyes of both her mates and children.   
“Love are you okay?” Gavin stutters out, and the woman shakes her head gently in yes. She still felt like she was dying, and her mind was being liquefied but there was no reason to worry her family anymore. Iri can’t make her mouth move so instead she reaches for Geoff, who scoops her up easily says nothing choosing only to make soothing chitters. He takes her upstairs to the bed only to have her curl into herself, and make pained noises that broke Geoff’s heart.  
“Kit, what happened? Baby girl talk to me.” Geoff asks as he goes to touch her, but she flinches away in pain. “Iri?”  
“Geoffrey please go away.” Iri whispers quietly, her hands clamped tightly over her ears. Her mind was overloaded by the other two’s sensations of agony, and she was having trouble coping with their’s plus her own. Iri’s leg didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the emotions echoing through her mind, or the feelings of pain carving a path through her own; it was getting to the point where Iri thought she might pass out from the pain alone. “Just… just go away.”   
“Kit, don’t… don’t push me away.”  
“Geoff, we need to go… Forced mind meld with a pair of injured predators.” Todd explains quickly, and Geoff nods in instant understanding. He knows the exact pain she’s going through in fact most telepaths knew this pain given that sharing minds with another being was one of the simplest tasks to do. It was easier for some like Geoff versus Iri who was more effective at gaining control of a mind. Iri was a weapon, she was offense at it’s best; Geoff was defensive rather than offensive… He couldn’t heal the enemy to death, but he could worm his way into their mind and make their memories his own in an attempt to learn all their secrets. So with that in mind he turned off the lights, pulled the blanket over her, and then left the room quietly. He figured in an hour or two she would be better, or at least well enough for him to help. Heading downstairs he finds the group somberly eating at the table, and Dexter looked as though he might start crying any second… Scarlett was just pushing her food around, as was her father. The twins and their fathers were eating, but barely. “Geez who died?”  
“... That’s not funny Papa.” Dexter snaps as he glares at his father, Scarlett too flicks her eyes in anger, and the twins simmer silently in their seats. The adults didn’t look much better though they were less angry, and much more sad. “I’m going to bed.”  
“Me too.”  
“Us as well.” Felicia says, speaking for both her and her brother as they empty their plates into the garbage and head upstairs. Geoff watches them all file off to their room, and then about five minutes later the light flicks off.   
“What happened this time?” Ryan asks tiredly, watching their omegas pick at their plates. “Boys don’t play with it, just eat it.”  
“I’m not your boy, Ryan.” Michael snaps as he stands up and puts his plate in the sink, before heading back outside.   
“I’ll go get him.” Gavin murmurs after cleaning up his plate, and Ray says nothing choosing to just head up to the kit’s room. Ryan says nothing, and Geoff didn’t need him to; he could tell the frustration in his posture. Geoff continues his silence, but works his way over to the man and begins placing soft kisses on his neck as well as kneading his tense shoulders.   
“Ry, my fearsome wolf why are you so tense?” Geoff purrs into his ear as he continues kissing up his neck, and then nibbling knowingly on his camouflaged ears. The man beneath him begins to whine quietly, spurring the other on. “Good boy Ryan, very good boy.” Geoff praises as the man relaxes a bit.   
“Geoff.”  
“Yes my handsome boy?”  
“What happened to her?”  
“She allowed another mind into her own…. I doubt she realized what was happening, and now she is merely recovering from it… A rookie mistake that if she would have let me teach her a few things she would have never made.” Geoff explains as he continues his ministrations till the gent is panting lightly. “.. Ryan why are you so stressed, hmm? It’s just Iri and you know how she is… a big bag of unpredictability.”  
“You were going to say dicks at first weren’t you?” Ryan quips as he leans back to catch the gent’s eyes alight with mischievous laughter that remained caught in his throat, but shown through in his eyes.   
“I am not a bag of dicks.” Iri comments quietly with a hoarse throat, and a reeling head. She had managed to drag herself out of the bed, and into the kitchen where her Alphas were now relaxing.   
“No one said that…. Thought it though.” Geoff teases and the woman merely rolls her eyes before hobbling over to the counter, and opening her pill bottle to take a few. However, before she can grab any Geoff levitates it over to his hand. “Give me a number.”  
“Seventeen.” Iri mutters, she hated this she wasn’t a fucking junky, and none of her behavior had ever lead the gent to that conclusion. She was reckless, but a drug addict she was not…. Though if she’d been high for half the shit she’d done, then most likely she’d be dead.   
“You realize the scale is out of ten right?”  
“Yes, and Geoffrey despite popular belief I am an adult and I am able to self meditate.” Iri says only stuttering a little bit at the end from pain.   
“Self meditate?”  
“Medicate!” Iri snaps as she rips it from his hands and pops two in her mouth, dry swallowing them quickly, and hobbling towards the door muttering curse words quietly.   
“Kit, come here.”  
“No.” Iri states in challenge, she didn’t feel like listening to him, and if he wanted to fight she would fight him. Though before Iri has a chance to say anything more the man pins her roughly to the counter with her neck bared perfectly, at this Ryan stands up and walks over. He leans in with a wolfish grin and nips her jugular roughly causing the woman to still. Geoff backs off and lets Ryan hold the woman how he wishes to.  
“Have fun Ryan.”  
“Come Iri, come play with your daddy.”  
“No…. no.” Iri stammers hesitantly only to be met with a growl that silences her completely. Ryan purrs at her new found silence before whisking her up the stairs leaving Geoff standing alone in the kitchen. The gent wastes no time in cleaning up the mess his kitchen had become, and time moves rather quickly with him just concentrating on the task at hand. It takes him about an hour to clean everything thoroughly, and by the time he’s done the counters sparkle. Poking his head outside he sees the lads sitting around the bon fire, laughing loudly at some joke the man couldn’t hear, and having a good time. He heads up the stairs, and checks on the kits to find them sleeping peacefully in a pile on the floor… Baby pack pile as the lads like to call it, and very rarely did they do this but it was generally when they weren’t feeling well or were worried about something. It was the same reason the pack cuddled in the night, it was comforting to listen to your lover’s heart beat.. or in this case your siblings. He shuts the door softly with a tired smile tugging at his lips, and he heads towards the bedroom where he can hear Iri growling weakly. Opening the door he finds Iri levitating the bed as a fox with Godric jumping at her from the ground.  
“Iri what did you do?”  
“Geoffrey she made a comment that pissed me off enough to override Ryan’s control.” Godric answers as he leaps again, and Iri is barely missed. Geoff can tell her powers are waning given that the pills she took earlier must have kicked in because he notices her eyes waver. It’s only moments later before the woman drops heavily onto the bed, and Godric jumps up onto her. He shifts back and pulls her close to him. “She’s a mouthy Omega… nothing like our quiet Kitten, she could stand to learn a few things from him… Geoffrey where is our Kitten?”  
“He’s outside with the lads.” Geoff answers the strict wolf who nuzzles deeply into the sleeping vixen. “Are you going to head out and find him?”  
“No, Lexi is getting him… Now there is an Omega, her and Lexi are almost as different as you and Todd… I suppose that is why you guys work so well together.” Godric conjectures with a smile as he playfully bites Iri’s ears, and the woman just mewls submissively in her sleep. “If only she was like this in the waking hours.” Godric sighs happily into her smoky scented hair. Geoff says nothing more before exiting the room, passing Ray on his way up with Lexi in his arms, and Gavin stumbling in with the help of Michael.   
“Boi are you going to shag me soon?... Or are you going to let me shag you?” Gavin proposes with a heavy accent, and a pair of weakly wiggling eyebrows. “Come on Kitty, Kitty let the big bad Wolf in.” Gavin coos with a drunken smile as he pulls the man in for a sloppy kiss. Michael just rolls his eyes as he kisses the man passionately. “Kitten.”  
“Gav, shut up. Your accent is kicking me in the face, and slightly off putting.” Michael scolds the man who balks at this.  
“Shut up you bloody wanker! Your being a real twat right now, and besides I can’t help the way I talk… I was born in bloody England, you mingy ginger!”  
“And you're a super loud drunk.” Iri mumbles hazily, she had just fallen asleep when Gavin and Michael stumbled into the bedroom.   
“Love, will you play with me?”  
“Gavvers, I’m tired…” Iri trails off with a yawn, and she tries to wriggle out of Godric’s tight grip only to remain stuck in his arms.  
“Kitten come snuggle with us, just Kitten.” Godric declares sternly making sure to ward the others off.   
“Go back to sleep grumpy old dog!” Gavin growls as he pulls the woman roughly from his arms, and rubbing his face on her shoulder. “Let’s have sex Vixen, I’ll use my tongue just the way you like it.”  
“... “ Iri says nothing rather she just allows the man to lead her to another room, leaving the others to rest for the night. Once in the guest room Gavin attempts to line himself up, but Iri stops him with a single thought. “Sleep.” She commands and the man drops onto her heavily at the command causing Iri to hold back a scream when he falls on her leg. Iri quickly nudges him onto his side, and cuddles into his open arms purring at the alcoholic grassy scent she finds there. From there the group falls into a deep sleep until the inevitable alarm clock rings many hours later sending them into the normal flurry of morning activity: dress the kids, feed them, and get them off to daycare. Gavin and Iri were the only two left at the house, seeing as her leg forced her to move at a slower pace and Gavin was a bit groggy from his hangover.


	62. Several Shades of Green

Eleven am  
The Office

Miles was drawing calmly at his desk when he heard the sound of crutches being used go past him. He looked up briefly to catch a glimpse of red hair, and a tail in the corner of his vision.  
“Iri?”  
“Sup boss man.” Iri answers tiredly, she hated being on crutches because it took a lot of energy out of her, but it wasn’t like she could just hobble around either her leg wasn’t healed up enough.  
“Not your boss. What happened?” Miles asks worriedly when he sees her overall state. The woman looked injured… well really she looked like someone tried to beat her to death, and he doubted it was Geoff…. He really hoped it wasn’t Geoff.   
“I fell.”  
“Fell from what? The top of a skyscraper!”  
“Miles not so loud.” Iri shushes the man as she rolls her eyes at his dramatic tone. “I just fell alright.” Iri mutters before leaving him to go to her office. Miles sits there slightly stunned by her tone, and right before he can go talk to her she slams her door shut, the sound of the lock clicking wards him away completely. 

Iri’s Office

She pulled out a compact and took a look at her reflection. The bruising on her face was still heavy, but her powers couldn’t heal it any further. Leaving a battered reflection of her usually bright complexion in it’s wake. She winces in pain when her finger grazes over a stitched up cut on her eyebrow, and the bruise surrounding it.   
“Mistress perhaps Geoff can heal it.” Lexi suggests helpfully as she sits casually on a nearby chair. Iri says nothing rather choosing to shake her head. “Iri there’s no shame in.”  
“I am not ashamed!” Iri snaps angrily cutting the fox off, several large paint cans and heavy objects fly up at her involuntary use of them. Lexi disappears suddenly and breaks their connection out of fear. She had seen her mistress mad, but the fire in her eyes at that moment terrified her to no end… Plus the blunt objects floating dangerously close to her didn’t help the situation either. Iri watches with a sigh of frustration as her companion dissipates into the afternoon air leaving the fox-hybrid alone in the mildly dark room; she had yet to turn on the lights. Without really thinking she slams the paint cans down, and accidentally flings several into the wall. The paint splatters naturally, it covers both her and the walls in several shades of green… and upon further inspection a paint can-sized hole in the plaster. It’s at moments like these that Iri wished she had more control over both herself and her powers because then she wouldn’t feel tears slipping down her cheeks, there would be no paint to clean up, and she wouldn’t be stuck in this stupid cast… She should have waited for Geoff, she shouldn’t have tried to break up Ryan and Geoff, and maybe this whole fucking thing wouldn’t have happened. Why couldn’t she just have a fucking normal family life for once, was that so much to ask from the universe? “Fuck you!” Iri shouts into the now paint perfumed air. She nearly screams into the nothingness, hoping that whatever gods or beings were there would hear her outrage. “Fuck all of you, and the ponies you rode in on!”   
“Love? Love, open the door.” Gavin inquires quietly after having been drug here by a nearby Chris, Miles, Aaron, and very worried Barbara.... They had heard banging, and yelling. Blaine was also hanging around the back whispering something to Aaron that Gavin couldn’t quite make out. “Love just.”  
“You can fuck off too! All of you can go straight to Hell!” Iri yells through the door causing the party to cringe at the severity of her tone.   
“She’s mad.” Chris states as he slings his arms over Miles’ shoulders and nips his neck lovingly.   
“Chris stop…. Now is not the time.” Miles murmurs to his lover who sighs, but stops his ministrations. “I’m going to go get Ray.”   
“I said fuck off!” Iri growls through the door which opened briefly only to slam shut loudly. “That means everyone.”   
“Come on Miles, let’s go get lunch.”  
“Chris our lunch doesn’t start till one, it’s only noon.”  
“Who care, leave her be… She won’t talk to anyone anyways.” Barbara tells them all as she drags Blaine and Aaron off with Chris and Miles not far behind. Gavin watches them leave, and just sighs before trying again.   
“Love, I’m not leaving… So either open the door or I break it down.” Gavin threatens and he can’t hear it, but his powers tell him she’s feeling doubt. “I’ll do it.”  
‘You can’t even if you tried.’ Iri murmurs in his mind before sending him back to his office. Once all her distractions were gone she limps her way over to a nearby supply closet and grabs some supplies to clean up the spilled paint…. and then to the garage to grab a hacksaw.


	63. Hacksaw versus Cast..... Hacksaw one, Cast zero!!!

About five thirty

Geoff had been in meetings all morning and most of the afternoon so it was safe to say he was less than pleased. He had hoped to film a Go today, but Jack was gone, Ray and Ryan were already getting the kids from Daycare, and he wanted group participation for this one. Geoff walks into the office to find Michael and Gavin rolling around on the floor laughing, a video rendering on the brit’s computer… At least someone was productive he thinks.   
“Go Gav, go!” Lexi cheers for the brit as she pounces on top of Michael only to be sent flying back straight onto a nearby pile of boxes. The fox chortles quietly before shifting into a small rhino and barreling the kneeling man over, allowing Gavin to pin Michael quickly. He bites the ginger lightly, sealing the other’s defeat.   
“Gotcha!” Gavin says triumphantly with a big smile and dives in for a rough kiss while grinding down on the other’s lap.   
“Good job Boi now assert your dominance in another way.” Michael purrs with a bit of seduction as the other works at his jeans. Now if Geoff had been in any other mood he would have let them continue because well let’s face it, he liked to watch but today the Alpha was grumpy.   
“Can we get home before you two start this?” Geoff says in a tired tone that startles both Omegas, they’d been too focused on each other to notice his entrance.   
“Geoff!” Gavin purrs happily at the man’s presence, he gets off Michael to embrace their sour faced Alpha.  
“Old man, how were the meetings?” Michael asks as he sits up, and Geoff shrugs noncommittally.   
“They weren’t fun, and hello Gavin.” Geoff explains as he hugs Gavin back, placing a soft kiss upon his lips. He tasted like cinnamon, honey, and faintly of tequila. “Drinking without me?”  
“Only a drop.” Gavin answers as he purrs into the kiss, and claims several more before the gent pulls back for air.   
“A drop my ass, and wait till we get home… or at least the car.” Geoff orders lightly causing the man to sigh in disappointment, but pull back slightly. “Oh don’t look at me like that Puppy, you’ll get your bone tonight.” Geoff tells the man who brightens instantly at the prospect, and heads towards his desk to save his work. The video had finished, and now they were all ready to head home.  
“Hey have you seen Iri lately?” Michael asks the gent who shakes his head.   
“Micool, he’s been in meetings all day you dolt.” Gavin says in a light tone with his bag slung over his back. Michael rolls his eyes at his boi’s answer before turning to hear the gent’s answer.   
“No Mich, I have not seen her all day… has Ryan given her any of her pills today?”  
“Uh… No…. We couldn’t find her at lunch time, and she never came to us.” Michael tells the man who sighs in frustration. “What’s wrong?”  
“She’s probably in pain, and that antibiotic needs to be taken at a certain each day. The same with her anti-inflammatory.”  
“Maybe you should have left them with her?” Gavin suggests and the Alpha shakes his head at this. “Why not? She’s an adult Geoff, she knows how to take medicine.”  
“It’s not that I just… I don’t want her to overdose on the pain pills.”  
“Geoff she’s not going to do that.” Michael states bluntly and the gent just purses his lips at this.   
“Well better safe than sorry…. Come on let’s go get her.” Geoff mumbles as he gestures to the door, the men shut off their computers, and follow him over to her office. “It’s locked… naturally.” Geoff says with a roll of his eyes, he opens the lock easily, and they open the door. Upon entering they find no Iri, but they do find what Geoff recognizes as her cast lying in about six pieces on the floor, a bucket full of murky colored water with a sponge in it, and hole in her wall.   
“Uhhhh…. Iri?” Gavin mutters quietly only to find it met with silence. The group scans the room to find her lying on the nearby couch napping on her side. “Love!” Gavin shouts and the woman’s eyes blink open wearily. Iri rolls over to face the trio of men standing in her office each wearing different expressions. Michael looks confused, Gavin has his normal cheery smile, and Geoff… well Geoff looks particularly perturbed. She cocks her head to the side, and blinks several more times before yawning widely.   
“Hey guys… Hmm what’s up?” Iri says tiredly while pulling herself up into a sitting position.  
“Iridessa. Skye. Burns.” Geoff says sharply putting accent on each part of her names, and Iri only looks to him with confusion.  
“What Geoff?”  
“Is that your cast?” Geoff asks as he points to the pieces of plaster discarded haphazardly on the office’s floor.   
“Uhhh. If I said no would you believe me?” Iri offers sheepishly only to be met with the darkest glare she’s ever seen on Geoff’s face. “That’s clearly a no, well then in that case yes, that is my cast.”  
“Get, in, the, car, now!” Geoff growls, he was in no mood for this and honestly he might kill her. Yep he could definitely strangle this woman to death right now.  
“No need for the murderous thoughts… Geez.” Iri mutters as she grabs her bag, and limps towards the door with the help of Michael.   
“God give me strength.” Geoff mumbles under his breath as he turns off the lights.


	64. Geoff?

The Car

“Geoff I don’t see why you're so angry it’s my.”  
“Finish that sentence and I will kill you. I am in no mood tonight Iridessa, I am taking them home, and we are going to the hospital so they can put a new one on.” Geoff declares in a tone that stops any resistance Iri could have at least verbally… Mentally however, well there she was cursing the man’s name to no end, and silently wondering how bad road rash would hurt right now. The man appears to hear every one of these thoughts and in an attempt to soothe Geoff, Michael places his head on his shoulder and starts purring… It was in hopes of dissuading the man from killing her. “Get out.” Geoff orders suddenly as he pulls over to the side of the road, he was done, and clearly she didn’t want his help.  
“What?” Iri asks in surprise as Geoff pulls over to the side of the road.   
“I said get out.”  
“Geoff you can’t.”  
“Shut up both of you,” Geoff says sharply cutting Michael off mid sentence. “get out, and when you are ready to be my Omega and part of my pack again come home.” Geoff states bluntly while using his powers to toss the door open. He says nothing more, rather just waits for her to exit the car before peeling off, leaving the woman standing alone on the highway shoulder. His Omegas stare out the back window at the woman till Geoff snaps his fingers drawing their attentions. “You are not to go get her tonight do you understand me? If I so much as hear a single thought about it I will tie you to the bed, and punish you till the only thoughts you have are yes, Alpha. Do I make myself clear?” Geoff threatens his boys who nod very solemnly at the man’s threat. “Good boys, now say nothing of it when we go home. Not a single word… She’ll be back by the end of the night, I’m sure.” After that the car ride is silent, and mildly awkward considering Geoff just tossed their mate out of the car.   
“Geoff?”  
“Yes Michael?”  
“What happens when she doesn’t come home?” Michael asks because he knew Iri wouldn’t come home tonight, and Gavin knew it too by the look he was giving Geoff. “What happens if that crazy fucker tries to kill her again, or I don’t know what happens if she gets hit by a fucking car! How idiotic can you be? The woman was obviously just angry, why couldn’t you just talk to her about instead of leaving her on the goddamn highway like a piece of unwanted furniture?”   
“Go upstairs and wait for me.” Geoff orders as they pull into the driveway, and he shuts the car off.  
“Fuck you, I’m going to get her!” Michael declares as he exits the car and heads to the house to get his keys. When the man comes back out he finds himself forced up against the side of the house roughly. Geoff uses his powers to make the man drop his keys, but Michael uses his to zap the man off of him. “Touch me again Geoffrey, I dare you.” He spits at the Alpha who bares his teeth in challenge. Geoff is back on him in merely seconds, and before Michael can say or do anything he has him pinned to the grass, face down with his arms behind his back.   
“I will touch you if I please Omega, and you can’t do a damn thing about it because we’re mated.” Geoff growls darkly in a very unlike Geoff tone, as minutes tick by and Michael lies face down on the ground he starts to think. Geoff wouldn’t really leave Iri on the side of the road... no matter how mad he was, and second off Geoff never got this mad… like ever, not over stupid shit like that. “Are you going to keep fighting me Omega?”  
“...” Michael doesn’t say anything, rather choosing to bare his neck in submission. The man above him purrs happily at his decision, and begins to lick at the scar on his neck. He rolls over, and stares into the man’s eyes…. they were blue, but not Geoff blue… not even Todd blue when he took over. “Todd?”  
“Todd is sleeping right now, just you and I pretty boy.” Geoff mumbles as he leans down again, and that is when the scent of leather graces Michael’s nose… Why hadn’t he noticed this earlier? This Alpha wasn’t even Geoff, but that begs a whole other question… Where was the real Geoff, who the fuck was this, and why the hell was he wearing Geoff’s face? “Come on Baby, show Daddy that pretty cock of yours.”  
“Geoff?” Gavin mutters in questioning, the brit can feel Michael’s confusion and can’t help but mirror it. “Michael?” The man doesn’t answer at first rather waiting for the Alpha to get off of him, and head towards the house.  
“This isn’t Geoff.” Michael whispers quietly to Gavin, who sobers up very quickly at his words.  
“How can you tell?” Gavin asks, knowing it was much too soon for any sane predator to try another attack…. Then again Seth hadn’t appeared to have any sort of sanity to begin with.   
“Leather…that Geoff smells like leather. Text Ryan, I want to see what this thing does.” Michael murmurs as he dashes towards ‘Geoff’, who was almost to the front door. Gavin scrambles to grab his phone and text the code word that they all knew meant something was up.  
‘Legicide… Geoff.’


	65. True Evil Never Dies

Ryan and Ray

Ryan was playing a game of twister with the kids when his phone chirps signalling a text from Gavin, twisting to the side, he reads the single word with furrowed brows….and soon his eyes narrow from interest to suspicion. Legicide was the killing of laws, and a word that none of them ever used… save in times of danger; he reckoned Geoff picked that word given the fact that none of them ever talked about laws… or at least never killing them… Could you even kill a law? It wasn’t like it was a physical thing, well he supposed you could light the bill on fire.  
‘Ryan focus, danger.’ Godric pipes up, basically bitch slapping the man out of his thoughts.  
“Daddy what’s wrong?” Felicia asks curiously, casting a look of worry at him.  
“Nothing my little morning glory, stay here and play. Dexter take my place, I need to talk to Ray for a minute.” Ryan tells the boy who had been quietly playing with Scarlett and their stuffed animals. The boy sighs, but doesn’t debate him; once he was playing Ryan heads out the door, making sure to shut it tightly. Ryan walks straight into the bedroom where Ray was organizing his fan-mail, and the Latino just smiles at his presence until he sees the look of distress on his mate’s face.  
“Ry, what’s wrong?”  
“Legicide and Geoff.”  
“Legicide, and Geoff?... Who said that?” Ray asks in wonder, everyone knew that was their word for danger but what did their pack Alpha have to do with it.  
“Gav texted me that a second ago, and nothing.”  
“Hey guys, where are the children?” Geoff interrupts as he enters the bedroom with Michael trailing much too quietly behind him. The Omega smelled a hint of fear, and Ryan picks up on this immediately, but Michael shakes his head in no. He was playing a dangerous game with this impostor, but the Alpha respects his decision and merely nods in a sign of backing off. “What’s with you guy’s today, you're all acting really fucking weird.”  
“Sorry it’s just been a long day, and we’re all pretty tired… Ryan did you put the kids to bed yet?” Ray asks as he gathers his stuff into a pile and places it into a nearby folder before standing up. The gent shakes his head in no and the pair head out of the bedroom silently. Geoff goes to follow, but Michael drags him down for a kiss.  
“Mmm what was that for pretty boy?” Geoff inquires as Michael just continues his ministrations, sending wary vibes to Gavin that the man understands instantly, and exits the room quickly. “Gav, why don’t you?”  
“Just us Daddy.” Michael chokes out as the man pushes Geoff onto the bed with a seductive smile. “Play with your pretty boy.” He whines needily distracting him from his boi, from his best friend; Michael could do this long enough for them to get the kids to safety. The man takes this as his cue react; Geoff pulls him onto his lap, and Michael almost gags on the taste of his lips… This man definitely wasn’t Geoff, and even Marcus was having trouble keeping this facade up. When Geoff kissed it was soft and sensual, unless he wanted to be rough. The real Geoff’s lips were supple, and tasted of bourbon lightly perfumed with peaches… It was smooth on the palette and only served to intensify the romance. This man’s taste was of purely leather, it was like kissing a car’s interior. His lips were cracked, and chapped causing an unpleasant sandpaper like texture on Michael's own delicate ones. Thankfully the man moves away from Michael’s mouth, and onto his neck paying special attention to the scent glands that resided there. He pulls off the Omega suddenly and forces him onto his hands and knees, the man reaches to undo Michael’s jeans but he stops him. “Geoff, not so.”  
“You will do what I say.” Geoff orders, and it’s at that moment Marcus tells him the group is gone.  
“No. No I won’t because you aren’t Geoff!” Michael accuses the man who seems less than surprised at the accusation. It is less than a second before the creature shifts into the shape of a large panther and tackles Michael off the bed. “Where is he?”  
“Wouldn’t you like to know… Tell me what information will you give me in return for him?”  
“Nothing, I won’t give you jack shit you fucking twisted psychopath!” Michael answers, and watches as the panther rolls it’s eyes.  
“Rather melodramatic if you ask me... Seth… I'm not just going to kill him.... he has use to us still.... Fine, but I'm taking him with us.... Uh-huh yeah...Alright I'll be there.” The creature murmurs to itself, and Michael listens quietly to the conversation meanwhile Marcus was charging up enough electricity to fry this mother fucker. “Well pretty boy seems today is your lucky day.”  
“And why’s that?” Michael sneers as he tries to wriggle out of the panther’s tight grip… which he might add is unsuccessful.   
“Breaking you is going to be fun… The human spirit is such a fun toy to play with.” It says with a sick smile that Michael would know anywhere…. Ristau…. “Oh don’t look so shocked, throwing my mind is simply one of my powers… Though that you should know quite well, considering that’s how your sweet Daphne perished. Twas a shame to kill such a beautiful young woman.” The man says in a tone that stills Michael in fear. He had watched his sister slit her own throat after Erik had possessed her from the closet she had hid him in. Michael still remembers the terror in her eyes as she bled out on their parent’s bedroom floor, choking on her own blood, and whispering for him to run… At the time he’d had no where to go, eventually Erik had found him, and took him away to his lab…Tested him in ways he never imagined, and pushed him to the darkest parts of himself… Showing him true darkness, and the truth about how it lived in his own heart... He escaped several months later, and when he showed up his parents were so happy that they didn’t ask questions. Michael remembers asking them about Daphne, but the blank stares that they wore said all that needed to be said. Erik had erased her from their minds, and everywhere else… it was like she’d never existed at all, and for awhile Michael thought he was crazy… but deep down he knew the truth and he would always remember her. Even after he moved to Austin he still visited the gravestone he’d bought with his first paycheck… No one may remember her besides him, but she didn’t deserve to be forgotten.  
“......Serah?”  
“Oh god she’s dead… like dead as door nails, and soon her mother shall be mine again… Just try, try, and try again I guess. Perseverance was always one of my greatest qualities, now take a deep breath and slip into the darkness all around you.” Erik whispers in a pitch black tone, it’s at that moment Michael feels something pinch him, and soon a foggy tidal wave crashes over his mind, forcing him to be swept deep down under into its darkness. The panther shifts back fully into his human shape, and picks up the passed out man. “Two down, one to go.”


	66. Will the real Geoff Ramsey please stand up?

Geoff, the real Geoff

Geoff woke up to the sight of darkness, and an aching in his mind. He heals the pain easily, and focuses on getting out of wherever he was.   
‘Todd? Todd can you hear me?’ Geoff calls out in his mind, and very slowly a groggy noise comes.  
‘Geoffrey, I’m here...what happened?’ Todd asks as Geoff stands up on wobbly legs, his shoulder ached, and he could barely stand but a sense of discipline pushed him up. Using what he suspected to be a wall for support he begins limping towards a flickering light source near the other side of the room. ‘Geoffrey where are we?’  
‘Todd, I have no idea… All I remember is walking out of a meeting, and then it’s black.’  
‘Does it feel tampered with?’ Todd inquires and Geoff just shakes his head. That was definitely his memory, but it didn’t provide him any clue as to what was going on. ‘Geoff there is several more minds in here with us.’  
“Hello?” Geoff says quietly, and he pauses to allow for an answer plus the overwhelming sense of dizziness nearly knocks him over.  
“Over… Over here.” A man’s voice mutters. Geoff turns to the sound only to find two pairs of eyes staring back at him. One was clearly a man’s while the other’s was animalistic. “Predator or human?”  
“You first.” Geoff mumbles warily, he didn’t know these two and he wasn’t taking chances.  
“Predators… the both of us.” He answers casually, and Geoff merely nods at the presence of new information. “I’m Harold, and he is Otto…. Who are you?”  
“Geoff Ramsey… What is this place?” Geoff says and he can hear a noise of surprise come from the pair of animalistic eyes. “What?”  
“You're Geoff… Harold this is her Geoff.” The wolf mumbles and Geoff just cocks his head at this.  
“Whose Geoff?” Geoff asks in more curiosity than fear, these two didn’t seem particularly frightening or threatening for that fact.  
“Daphne Marseilles, or I suppose she goes by Iridessa Burns these days.” Harold tells the man as he helps him sit down on the stone benches that were scattered about the room. “How is our girl?”  
“She’s… She’s not so great… Well especially after Seth’s ambush a few nights ago. What is this place?” Geoff answers and the men cringe at this. “Where is Seth?”  
“Geoffrey before he comes I need to.” Harold starts, but is cut off by a bright light flashed and the sound of incoming footsteps.  
“Mr. Ramsey so good to see you again, I take it you’ve all become acquainted?” Seth says with a smirk that makes Geoff’s skin crawl, and his hackles raise, even Todd was having trouble remaining calm. “I’ll take that as a yes.”  
“What do you want?”  
“Less of a what, and more of a who… Though if you're truly curious I’d love to see your expression when Erik mounts your mate.” Seth taunts in a dark tone, and at this Geoff roars loudly.   
“Impossible!”  
“Well it’s good to see you too Geoff, ole buddy ole pal.” A voice that isn’t Eriks’ says, but has the same intensity as his. The man says nothing more choosing to dump Michael’s unconscious body into the room casually as though he was a sack of potatoes.   
“Michael? Michael wake up! What have you done to him?” Geoff demands as he kneels down to where his omega was sleeping peacefully.   
“Oh relax, it’s just a mild sedative… Besides you know what I want so don’t bother asking that question… Also aren’t you even the least bit surprised, he sure was.” Erik explains while gesturing to Michael, who begins to wake slowly with a pained moan.   
“No one can kill a madman.” Geoff answers solemnly as he works to heal the man groaning on the floor, at first his powers refuse to obey but soon they divert to him. “She won’t give you what you want.”  
“No, not willingly but she will make a deal.”  
“For what? Us? You're even more insane than I thought if you think she’ll.”  
“Not you, and not him… But for all of you she’ll happily trade herself.”  
“You wouldn’t dare… Godric, and Flynt will decimate whatever army you send after them.”  
“True, but unlike us Geoffrey…. Humans are expendable, and more than willing to fight… Given the right incentive of course, everyone wants something, and it’s far too easy to make them empty promises.” Erik retorts with a laugh that unsettles Geoff even further.  
“Erik, you can’t! It will be a bloodbath, and you know it! Don’t do this, just let us go… What would Serah say?” Geoff shouts trying to reason with the delusional man.  
“She won’t say anything because she’s dead, and I will have what’s mine… Come my son, and leave this filth to rot.” Erik spits as he and Seth exit the dungeon like room, turning the lights off as well.  
“Erik don’t do this!” Geoff shouts in vain after the man, who he knew was too far gone to listen to reason... Or at least his reasoning. He slams himself against the entrance way hoping that it would break.  
“Geoffrey, he’s right you know… He does not care how many bodies he needs to throw at this, and with his connections this is an easy cover up. Geoffrey we need a plan to get out of here and stop him.” Harold states dragging the Alpha back to their reality, and away from his useless actions. “Michael are you hurt in any way?”  
“No… Uh who are you two?”   
“Harold and I am Otto. He is a healer much more capable than Geoff and Iri combined. I am morphine to put it bluntly.” The white wolf explains quickly and the man merely nods in understanding.   
“Michael Jones, I control storms…. You two feel weird, why?” Michael asks intuitively, the pair felt similar but different at the same time.  
“I am his predator… we were split physically during an experiment done by Erik many years ago.”  
“How do you have powers?”  
“We’re not really sure, but right now we need to focus on getting out of here and killing that man for sure this time… No more body jumping, no more bullshit, he will die tonight if I have to do it myself.” Harold vows and the group shares nods of agreement before coming up with a rough plan. It wasn’t pretty, and Geoff knew this might not end well but they needed to try…. If they survived this then hopefully it would finally end.


	67. Just in Time

Gavin

Running was his specialty, and Scarlett was equally as fast when she shifted down. The pair of canines streaked through the woods in search of a place to hide. They had split up hours ago in hopes of regrouping in a safe place.   
“Poppa they’re coming!” Scarlett whines in terror as she sticks close to her father’s side. Gavin can do nothing other than try and soothe her fear, but it only took the edge off. “Poppa what do we do?”  
“Scarlett, I need you to listen to me carefully. Darling, I need you to go on without me.”  
“Poppa no!”  
“Listen, I will.” Gavin starts, but the sounds of heavy footsteps interrupts him. He spins around to face the sound, and growls viciously as the squad forms a tight circle around them. Baring his teeth he snaps at the hands that grabs at his daughter. Scarlett shakes in terror at his side and keeping her close he fends off various attacks. It isn’t until a knife is thrown, and is buried itself deep into his side that Gavin is finally forced down.   
“Poppa!” Scarlett screams in horror as her father’s body crumples quickly, she rushes to where he laid, and growls lowly at the encroaching people. She prepares to bite an incoming hand until twin roars are sounded suddenly, and giant barriers of earth surround her and her father protectively. Scarlett can hear the sounds of pained shouts, and screams from behind the dirt walls but chooses to focus on her father who is breathing raggedly.  
“Don’t worry… Darling… It’ll.”  
“Poppa please don’t die, please you have to live… I need you!” Scarlett begs desperately as her father lay dying in the dirt. “Please Poppa, Momma is coming… Momma will save us.”  
“That’s a lovely thought…” Gavin whispers quietly before his breathing stops completely.   
“Poppa, Poppa! Poppa!” Scarlett cries in horror as her father lies far too still in the dirt now becoming muddy with his blood. “Poppa…” Scarlett trails off in despair, it’s at this moment that the walls of dirt drop, revealing a cougar and the familiar figure of her mother’s fox.  
“Oh god, Gavin!” Iri shouts as she rushes to his side, Lexi wastes no time in healing his body, and Clara shields the young wolf from the scene. She uses her powers to force his blood to keep circulating while Lexi healed the damaged tissue, and restarted his heart. Gavin wasn’t going to die, he wasn’t. It feels like hours before Lexi finally heals up everything, and they wait with bated breath to see if he comes back. Gavin awakes with a deep gasp, and jumps to his feet quickly. Scarlett immediately shifts back and tackles her father into a hug, joyful tears in her eyes.  
“Poppa!” She shouts happily as her father catches her and pulls her close to him, kissing her head quickly. “I told you! I told you she was close.”   
“Where is everyone else?” Clara asks worriedly, she didn’t want to even imagine what would have happened if they hadn’t gotten here in time.   
“We split up, Ryan said we would meet up at the river… Love, Geoff isn’t Geoff.”   
“I know, but right now we need to get to the others.” Iri says quickly as she gestures to the north, and motions for them to shift back. “Let’s go, and never split up again... This isn’t Scooby Doo.”

Ryan

He was waiting nervously at the riverside with Felicia hiding in a nearby tree, Ryan wasn’t sure what part of him thought splitting up would be a good idea but it wasn’t; he could only imagine what the others were going through.  
“Ry!” Ray’s relieved tone shouts as he and Leo bound over. Felicia wastes no time in jumping out of her hiding spot, and nuzzling her brother and father happily. Ryan joins in on it, until he realizes something…. Where was Dexter?... He looks to Ray who seems to understand his look when he shakes his head. “We were running.. There were so many, and I..”  
“Daddy.”  
“Fel, not now.”  
“No, Daddy look!” Felicia snaps as she gestures to a tiny fox padding over to them slowly. “Dexy!”  
“...” Dexter crashes to the ground, and they rush over to him. Ryan wastes no time in picking up the kit by the scruff of his neck and carrying him over to a nearby rock.   
“Dex, Dexter can you hear me?” Ryan asks quietly as he nudges the kit’s body gently, he can hear a heartbeat albeit it’s slow but a beat none the less. “I’ll carry him… Where’s Gavin and Scarlett?”   
“Do you think.”  
“No Ray, he’s fast and she’s even faster… They’re fine, I’m sure he just got lost… you know him.”   
“I.” Ray starts, but soon a group of four animals presents itself. There was Gavin and Scarlett, a cougar Ryan didn’t recognize, and then Iri’s own bringing up the rear limping as fast as she can. Ryan couldn’t even imagine the pain she was in right now, and Gavin looked a bit worse for wear but all in all seemed okay. He thanked whatever being there was for that, and only hoped that his other two mates were fairing well. “Skye, Gavin, Scarlett!” Ray calls out joyfully as they rush over to where the others were sitting. Iri smiles before catching a glimpse of Dexter.   
“What happened?” Iri asks worriedly as she begins using her powers on her kit swiftly, trying to discover what ailed him. She finds the problem quickly, and it takes merely seconds before she clears the poison from his system. The kit remains unconscious with his eyes still closed from exhaustion alone. Iri picks him up by the scruff of his neck and motions for Ryan to take the lead.   
“Let’s go guys.” Ryan says as he takes point with Ray and Iri flanking either side while Clara brings up the rear. Gavin was in the middle with Scar, Felicia, and Leo as a last line of defense, sure the man couldn’t fight well but he could get them to safety if it came to that. They start off into what remains left of the night, Ryan planned on taking them home, and then from there the kits would go with Burnie. He had talked to him earlier, and the pair of Alphas waited at the house ready to head to Ryan’s old house. Ray had always laughed at the man for keeping his home, but now it worked out well. The gent had a plan, and it involved leaving the lads as well as Iri behind. He knew they wouldn’t stand for it, but Ryan wasn’t going to let them all die… Hell if Godric had his way he would be going solo, but he knew logically that he needed Clara to back him up.


	68. Choices that He made, and Choices that She made

Two Hours Later  
Ryan’s House 

The plan went off without a hitch, and after sending Lexi out to see if they were followed he tells the others of his plan… Which meets as much resistance as he thought it would.  
“Enough, as standing pack Alpha my word goes, and I’m doing what is best for all of us.” Ryan booms as he cuts off the others mid argument.   
“Ryan, I won’t allow you to do this. We are a pack, we fight as a pack, and god forbid die as a pack.” Iri tells the man weakly, she had expended far too much energy and healing the others had damn neared downed her.   
“Iri, you can barely stand let alone fight, and Gavin doesn’t even have offensive capabilities.” Ryan points out and Iri doesn’t even have the energy to fight him. “Kitten, I know you can fight but when Iri finally exhausts herself completely you will be the only one capable of protecting a group. Clara that leaves just us, and I hate to ask it of you but will.”  
“No need to ask, Geoff and I served together for years… He has saved me countless times, and now it’s my turn to return the favor.” Clara answers cutting the man off mid-sentence, and before someone can something else a knock is heard on the front door. They freeze, Burnie ushers the children downstairs with the help of Gavin, and Joel takes Dexter gently from Iri’s grip. Once safely hidden in the basement the remaining predators shifted down, and Ryan signals for Iri to open the door from where they stood in the foyer. She uses her powers to throw the door open wide while placing a protective barrier around them.   
“I found some help.” Lexi says quickly to diffuse tension and behind the fox stood maybe fifteen people, well predators they guessed given the looks of the group.... also the fact that there was a tiger stepping up and into the house. “Iri this is Pippa, and her pack.” Lexi introduces and a large green eyed, Siberian tiger steps forward. The tiger shifts back to reveal a stern eyes woman who bore black tiger stripes all over her body, and a thin tail flitting around her powerfully.   
“I am Pippa Fern the leader of the Southern Alliance Pack , Jack has told me great things about you Iridessa Burns. Tonight we come to your aide, and offer any assistance you need. Gerald heal her injuries, Martin, Max, and Melania set up a perimeter, the rest of you prepare for battle. This is Charles Staton my beta, and he knows where they are holding your pack mates.” Pippa orders loudly, and several people dash off to do the tasks assigned to them. The man she called Gerald heals Iri’s injuries quickly including her broken bones, leaving the woman both astounded and confused. “Every predator is different. Now tell me the situation.”  
“Our mates have been kidnapped by Seth Ristau the leader of Predators Labs, and Jack who?” Iri tells the woman, and at that moment Jack Pattillo steps forward wearing his light hearted smile with his tail swishing slowly.   
“Jack?” Ryan whispers in a questioning tone, and the lion nods.  
“Hey guys… Caiti told me you would be having some trouble with the labs, so I managed to call in a few favors with Cory and Kristen up at headquarters. Clearly you’ve never noticed my SAP bumper sticker.” Jack explains to the befuddled people, Iri says nothing to this rather just opening the basement door to reveal Burnie and Joel growling lowly with side arms pointed up at the door.   
“Princess, what’s happening?” Burnie asks as he lowers the weapon cautiously while Joel does the same. The kits however waste no time storming up the stairs and tackling their mother happily.  
“Momma!” Dexter calls out excitedly, and rubbing his cheek on her own.  
“Guys relax, look it’s Uncle Jack.”  
“Jack attack!” Leo play roars and they all dart onto the bearded man with large grins. The adults can’t help the smiles that creep onto their face at the sight. As Jack distracts the kids the rest of the people come out of the basement, sensing there was no danger at the present moment.   
“Jack what are you doing here?” Gavin inquires, and Iri says nothing choosing to watch her children move away from Jack and back to their grandfathers.   
“I brought help, and besides what happened to you. You look like death.” Jack comments and Gavin just looks away at that, he could sense that he’d struck a nerve with the young wolf… He didn’t need powers to know that much. “.... Gav, I’m sorry… that was out of line, your hair looks great despite the situation.”  
“Thanks Jack.” Gavin mutters with a slight smile and Iri just pulls the man into her arms.   
“You did your best Gavvers.” Iri murmurs in a very Geoff-like tone as she kisses him quickly.  
“Wasn’t good enough though.”  
“Gavin, wolves don’t fight on their own and that is the reason why. You are meant to be a team, and tonight you will understand why.” Charles says suddenly in a deep tone that captures the man’s attention wholeheartedly. “Iridessa won’t be the only healer on the field this time, and your children will be safely hidden away.”  
“Wesley can show you how to distract enemies while the others take them down. You, Gavin are defensive not offensive, meant to be in the back of the line and projecting yourself over the field. I doubt you will be as effective as Wes at this point, but he can show you the basis of how to effectively use your powers.” Pippa explains to the man who nods slowly at this, an elderly man much shorter than him appears in the doorway wearing a grin. “Wes help him the best you can, show.”  
“Pippa I know just what to do, come along young man.” Wes says cheerily, cutting off the woman, and gesturing for Gavin to follow him. “Do not worry younglings, I will take good care of him.” Wes adds when he senses their apprehension, the pair disappear outside leaving the others in the foyer.   
“What now?” Clara asks as she watches the kits cling to their mother’s side, yawning tiredly. Iri stoops down to lift up Leo and Felicia with her arms, and the other two with her powers. She places them on a nearby couch, and pulls several blankets over them. However, when she goes to move away they start to whine; Iri sighs, and just sits in the middle while the kits snuggle into either side of her.   
“Now we plan, Ryan bring your pack members who are going with upstairs.” Pippa orders curtly as she, Charles, and several other people head upstairs.   
“Ryan we’re going, all of us.” Iri states defiantly, and the Alpha just shakes his head.  
“No, you, Gavin, and Ray are still staying back. Clara and I will go with them as planned.”  
“Ryan, you can’t.”  
“I can and I will. They will have a mother when this is all over, and at least some of their fathers as well.”  
“Ry don’t.” Ray whispers with tears in his eyes. “Ric talk some sense into him.”  
‘Sweet Kitten this is the sense.’ Godric’s voice tells the distraught man gently. ‘We’ll be fine Kitten, you worry far too much… We love you.’ Ray says nothing to this choosing just to pull the man into his arms, and Ryan kisses him tenderly… It was a parting kiss, and Iri couldn’t help the tears that started to fall from her eyes. Ryan offers a small smile before coming over to where she sat and kissing her cheek gently.   
“Be brave, be courageous.”  
“Be a warrior.” Iri finishes, and the gent smiles at this. “Fight with the ferocity of a wolf, but the heart of a man… Grant mercy where you can, and honor the fallen to whom you can’t.”  
“Have the guile of a fox, and the wits of a woman. Believe in yourself, and the people surrounding you… I love you.” Ryan murmurs back and Iri bites her lip at this trying to stop the tears falling from her eyes.   
“As do I you, now go get our boys, and you better come back.” Iri tells the man after gaining a bit of composure, and he nods before kissing the heads of all the children. He and Clara ascend the stairs, Jack says nothing choosing to give the woman a hug and using his powers to wash away her sadness. “Thanks Jack.”  
“Emmett promises you he’ll bring them back.” Jack offers before disappearing up the stairs; she turns to Ray who had shifted down and was padding over to her. Iri picks up the cat without even having to be asked, stroking the man’s back soothingly. She lets several more tears fall only to watch them burn away when they touch Ray’s sleek fur.   
“They’ll be fine, Iri.” Burnie says with surety as he and Joel sit on the arms of the couch. She says nothing rather choosing to stand up, and head towards the door. Iri tries to put Ray down, but he shakes his head. Nodding briskly the pair exit the house leaving the kits sleeping with their grandfathers watching over them. 

Outside

Iri had expected a flurry of activity, but it was rather calm for the situation. Several people offered her sympathetic stares as though they knew that she was staying behind… Perhaps they did know that, Iri had no clue how these people distributed information to one another. As they walk to the edge of the property Iri catches the glint of something in the distance.   
“Ray go back to the house… I want to be alone.”  
“Skye are you sure?”   
“Yeah… I just need a few minutes.” Iri tells the man who nods at this and pads off towards where Gavin was practising. She wastes no time in shifting down and slipping past the predator standing watch. Iri follows the glinting deep into the nearby woods, caution forgotten, and anger flared. She knew what it was, and she knew who it was. After sprinting quickly she comes face to face with a large black panther, and a maraguay she knew as Linda. “You.” Iri spits as she goes to tackle the man, but the ground beneath her sinks suddenly and locks her paws in place.   
“Iridessa how nice to see you again, I bet you're surprised to see me again.”  
“No, not really… Men like you rarely die the first time around, where are my mates?” Iri growls while lunging as best as she could with her paws stuck.   
“So fiesty, you know I always did love that about you…. well that and that ass of yours, truly you are a beautiful creature.”   
“Fuck off, this ass belongs to a real Alpha, my real Alpha. Where is he?” Iri demands as she puts up a barrier around her. Erik scoffs at this, and then sighs heavily.  
“I had hoped you would be willing, but I suppose I’ll just do it this way… How would you like to make a deal?”  
“Does it involve me killing you, and bathing in your blood?”  
“Kinky, but no. It involves you giving me what I want and I giving you what you want… I’ll give you Geoffrey, Michael, and the other two if you give me a child.” Erik suggests and Iri just laughs at him.  
“I knew you were crazy, but clearly you are an idiot as well. I owe you nothing Erik, save for a true death.”  
“Fine, if you truly feel that way I can just kill all of them and take what I want.”  
“NO!” Iri shouts loudly and the panther merely smirks triumphantly before shifting back. He strides over to where she stood stuck in the earth, and strokes her neck softly. “You won’t hurt them?”  
“Not a single hair on their fluffy little heads, but you will stay with me this time… There will be no escaping. We will raise that child together, whether you like it or not.” Erik explains to the fox who stills completely at the man’s proposal. “You are going to be my mate, and I can make it so you forget the others if you wish but you are mine.”  
“If I refuse?” Iri whispers and the man just laughs at this.  
“Sweetheart, by the time I’m done with you, you aren’t going to be able to say anything other than yes to me.”   
“What about work, my fathers need me for that position.”   
“... You can still go, but I will accompany you.” Erik says after a few seconds of silence, still stroking the woman's fur gently.  
“How long do I have to think about it?”  
“A minute.” Erik says and Iri feels the ground release her paws. She stares at the moon in thinking and notices how it was tinted yellow. Iri wonders how long she has before someone comes looking. “Thirty seconds.”  
“My children?”  
“I will allow you to visit them, but under my supervision and only Geoff will be present.”  
“Can I say goodbye?”  
“Of course Sweetheart, as your new Alpha I am not completely heartless.” Erik murmurs with a big smile on his lips, and his tail flitting happily. He picks the fox up easily, and carries her towards the house with a gun pointed at her head. “Sorry, but it’s necessary.”  
“Very well.” Iri says in defeat, she didn’t want anymore people to get hurt because of this man and this way only she would get hurt… maybe she could off him in his sleep tonight or something like that. The trio walks across the front lawn with the eyes of all on them. She catches the look of horror on the faces of Gavin and Ray; Iri closes her eyes to avoid the stares. Meanwhile Erik merely smiles like a hunter who finally caught his query.   
“Iri, no!” Gavin yells as he lunges at the man, but is held back by Wes.   
“Youngling don’t.” Wes whispers as he holds the man tightly against him, despite his age he was much stronger than Gavin. “Do not make this any harder for her.”  
“Skye?” Ray chokes out and Iri opens her eyes to face the Latino staring sadly at her. “Skye why?”  
“No more fighting, Ray I’m tired of living in fear and this way the kits won’t.”  
“Iridessa!” Ryan shouts cutting her off as he rushes out of the house with the others. Jack stares in horror while Burnie and Joel shake their heads in disbelief. She sighs in relief that her children were still in the house. “Put her down Erik, you're surrounded.”  
“Ryan Haywood tis always a pleasure, but you're too late she’s already accepted my deal. After we finish speaking your mates will be released, and you can all relax. My sweet Iridessa has opted to sacrifice herself so no one else is hurt, such a noble vixen.” Erik explains casually and the woman refuses to meet Ryan’s eyes.   
“Fuck you!” Ray growls as he brings up a ring of fire around him and the maraguay. “What if I decide to kill you and take her back?”  
“My dear Raymond do you believe you are faster than this gun because if you are than by all means try…. No... well in that case we’ll be leaving. Give Pippa my regards.”  
“Wait, my kits.” Iri reminds the man who sighs and releases the fox who darts off to the house. She finds her children sleeping quietly on the couch save for one, who had most likely been listening at an open window… Dexter.  
“Momma, I want to go with you.”  
“No Dex, I need you to stay here and protect the others… They can’t lose both of us, can they?”  
“Will you come home?”  
“He couldn’t keep me away, love you.”  
“Forever and always.” Dexter finishes with thick tears streaming down his cheeks as he wraps himself around her furry neck.   
‘I’ll send Lexi to you often... I'll never truly ever leave you.’ She whispers in her son’s mind before Erik enters the house.  
“Hello Dexter.”  
“Go to hell, you fuck face!” Dexter growls at the man and the Alpha raises his eyebrows at her son’s language. “I can’t wait till my fathers kick your ass.”  
“I can see he takes after both you and Geoffrey; however, it’s time to go Sweetheart.”   
“She’s my Papa’s Kit.” Dexter declares his body still rigid in angry, and if he could he would bite that man. He’d tear him to shreds, but the look his mother gave him told him to simmer down.   
“And my Poppa’s Love.” Scarlett pipes up.  
“My Daddy’s Faline, and my other Papa’s Skye.” Felicia chimes in as she and Leo stare the Alpha down.  
“My Father’s Vixen.” Leo adds with a tiny growl.   
“But mostly she’s our Momma, and never your Sweetheart.” Dexter finishes quietly, Erik merely chuckles darkly before picking Iri up, heading out the door, and to a car parked on the other side of the street. The trio drove off into the night leaving the others to watch with melancholy at the mate who sacrificed herself to save them all.


	69. Holes... And how satisfying they can be

Geoff, Michael, Harold, and Otto  
Several hours later

The sound of clicking jerks Geoff awake, and subsequently Michael as well who was curled deeply into his side.  
“Baby boy you ready?”  
“Yeah Geoff, bring it on.” Michael says as he stands up ready to kill whatever walks through the open door. However, what they see only shocks them further. “Iri?”  
“Erik just let them go, gloating wasn’t part of the deal.”  
“Oh but to the victor goes the spoils, and I figured you would want to tell them in person.”  
“What is he talking about?” Geoff inquires anxiously as he goes to touch her, but Erik growls darkly at his advance. “Iri what is he talking about.”  
“Geoff, Ryan will explain it when you get home… I’ll see you soon my love.” Iri mutters, and ducks her head in shame.  
“Kit, you didn’t… Kit tell me.”  
“Just go…. please.” Iri begs as she refuses to meet his eyes. Michael surges forward, and pulls her into his arms before either Alpha can stop him.  
‘Vixen don’t do this.’  
‘It’s already done… now go before he changes his mind.’ Iri tells him telepathically, the man pulls back unwillingly, and then tugs Geoff towards the door. However, Geoff wrenches himself free and turns to face Iridessa. He slaps her hard, and the sound echoes painfully across the stone walls.  
“Fuck you Iridessa, fuck you.” Geoff snarls as he and Michael storm out the open door, the others file out and Erik leaves as well shutting the door behind him. He may be crazy, but he understood that this was a hard choice for her to make. Lexi comes out the second he’s gone, and curls up in her mistress's lap for comfort. The vixen says nothing, and Iri remains sitting silently in her new stone prison.  
“He didn’t mean it.” Lexi mutters after a few hours of silence.  
“I know, and I don’t plan on giving that monster another child… Lexi, I need your help.”  
“What do you need?”  
“I’m going to alter… I’m going to.”  
“No… but what if.”  
“We have four beautiful children… that will have to be enough.”  
“Yes Mistress.” Lexi replies solemnly as the pair start working on her plan.

The Others

Geoff and Michael arrive at the house in a matter of hours, and the car ride is somber to say the least. They open the door to the Ramsey household to find it deathly silent save for the sound of whimpering coming from upstairs. The pair take off their shoes, and follow the sound to their bedroom. One the bed Gavin held Scarlett who was crying softly into a hoodie of her mother’s, Ray and Ryan were holding the twins tightly as they whimpered into the adult’s chests, the only child who was missing was Dexter.  
“Where’s Dex?”  
“He’s in her studio, and we can’t get… he won’t come out.” Gavin tells his Alpha quietly, and Geoff merely nods in understanding before leaving. Michael says nothing rather choosing to take Leo from Ryan’s arms, and the boy starts crying anew in his father’s arms.  
“She’ll come back soon.”  
“Why did he want her, why not some other lady, why our Momma?” Scarlett chokes out in between sobs, and at this Gavin sighs in sadness. He strokes her hair, and Ryan sits up.  
“Would you like to hear a story?” Ryan asks and the kits shake their heads. “About your mother.”  
At first they just stare at him, but eventually all nod. “Our story begins with a pair of foxes from a small town in France…” Ryan begins, and the kits listen intently to the Alpha’s tale.

Geoff and Dexter

Geoff can hear his son breathing raggedly behind the door that led to Iri's inner sanctum as the kits liked to call it.  
“Dex open the door.” Geoff asks quietly while waiting patiently for his son to comply only to hear him continue crying.  
“Go away.”  
“Dex come on it’s me, buddy.” Geoff tries hoping that he would open the door, he didn't feel like breaking it down, and right now all Geoff wanted was to hug his son... One of the last remaining reminders of Iri, and for once he wished his son was a little less like his stubborn mother.  
“No, you let this happen. This is your fault!” Dexter accuses him through the door and Geoff says nothing to debate his son because he was right. This was completely and wholly his fault, he should have never let himself be conned into thinking they were safe from him. He should have known Erik would have thrown his mind into his duplicate body.  
‘Geoffrey that’s not fair.’ Todd tells him and the man just scoffs at his fox.  
‘It never has been, that man has been one upping me since we met… and now he has our mate. He wins Todd, plain and simple… He’s won.’ Geoff mutters back as he feels angry tears slip down his cheeks, in his anger he punches the wall causing a fist-sized hole to be formed. He kicks the wall next and creates another hole, and he didn’t know why but those holes were oddly satisfying. It isn’t until the door in front of him opens slightly that the man stops destroying his house. In the doorway stands Dexter, tears streaking down his cheeks, and sniffling quietly.  
“Papa.”  
“I’m sorry Dexter, I’m so sorry.” Geoff says apologetically to the boy who rushes forward and hugs his father tightly. “I’m so very sorry.”  
“She’s brave.”  
“Yes, very much so.”  
“And caring, and kind, and loving, and fierce… Momma is very fierce.” Dexter adds in between soft sobbing, and Geoff just bites his lip while nodding to keep from joining his son. He knew she wouldn't allow Serah to happen again, and hopefully she could escape before that man permanently damaged her. “She’ll kill that man, and find a way back… I know she will.”  
“You forgot smart, your mother is damn near brilliant… Just like you.”  
“And protective like you.” Dexter adds causing his father to chuckle quietly at this. “Can I sleep in here tonight?”  
“Sure, come here buddy.” Geoff mumbles as he lifts the boy up and the pair curl up as foxes in the middle of a drop cloth, falling asleep quickly.


	70. Is this deception or the truth?

Iri   
The Next Day

She awoke to the sound of a heavy stone door being wrenched open, and calculated footsteps entering the room. The person enters the room, and Iri continues to pretend to sleep. A man’s sigh is heard, and then he stoops down to pick her up. At this moment she jabs her hand right at his throat, and makes a dash for the door while the man is stunned. She streaks past security, and into the hallway only to be met with a choice. It was a classic choice and Iri knew this was bound to happen that’s why she’d sent Lexi out last night. The path was left, right, right, left, straight, and then a side door that led out. Hopefully if she was quick enough then she could make it out without any real resistance. She makes it all the way to the side door only to be tackled off her feet by Erik; Iri wasn’t sure where he had come from but her she laid, face down, and merely feet from her objective. The man above her purrs happily, and just chuckles at her meager attempt at escape.  
“You know I specifically mentioned there would be no escape, did I not?”  
“A gal’s gotta try right?” Iri mutters defeatedly as the man wrenches her up, and begins dragging her away.   
“Sweetheart, when is your next heat?” Erik asks, and Iri just scoffs at the man. Thanks to her careful work last night she was no longer capable of having children, but her heats still came. A clever trick that Lexi had suggested about half way through to throw the man off from what she did. “You understand that I can simply have Harold do a test, it will take maybe twenty-four hours if he’s busy… Why not just save yourself some time?”  
“Yes because helping you is my top priority.” Iri states sarcastically with a glare. “In fact why don’t I just get myself wet for you while I’m at it.”  
“I really don’t appreciate that tone, and I know exactly how to change it Pet.” Erik adds and watches with a smirk at the shiver that runs through her body. “So either cooperate or this gets terribly uncomfortable for you.”  
“Well first off you can go straight to hell, two fuck you, and three I hope you die.”  
“I see we’re at the list making stage.”  
“Erik, I’m not sure what world you're living in, but I am not your mate and I never will be… This is kidnap, most likely going to end up abusive, and probably rape while we’re at it because I don’t want it. I don’t want you!” Iri explains in a snarky voice that clearly upsets the Alpha because he pins her roughly against the wall with a growl. “Yeah that’s not scary anymore, and you are nothing but a bully!” She snarls back and pushes the man off of her. Iri wastes no time in diving for the door with her arms extended in case this was a large drop, to her surprise she comes face to face with a large atrium. “No...No this was supposed to be a way out.”   
“You don’t think we would let someone as weak willed as those two know the actual floor plans… I may be a bully, but I’m not dumb.” Erik tells her with a smile as he pulls her up gently, and wraps his arms around her waist… Like a lover might do. He places soft kisses on the back of her neck and the woman doesn’t even try to fight him. “I don’t have to be mean, I can be soft and tender… I may have been a monster, but when Serah was alive… She taught me many things about myself that I never knew.”  
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything to this, she chooses to remain still in the man’s grip and fight back the tears that threatened to fall. “I don’t want to love you, Erik… and I can’t so do what you must but you will always be a monster to me.”  
“This time will be different, you’ll love me… I love you, and eventually you will love me too.”  
“I need to go to work.” Iri states hoping that this man would come out of his delusion before he forced her hand.  
“Very well… your clothes from last time are still in my room.” Erik murmurs quietly as he takes her hand and leads her to his room, well now their room.   
“Are you going to treat me like a dog this time?”  
“I’d rather avoid it, but I know how that does get you going.” He teases with a smirk that Iri just ignored, she wouldn’t let his tricks get to her, and she would escape this prison no matter what.  
“How far are we from my office?” Iri asks as she pulls out of his grip to grab a short green dress off a hanger in the large closet, and a cardigan as well; from there she heads to the dresser where her undergarments resided and pulled out a pair. The man watches her dart around the room with an ease that suited her calm tone, grabbing her clothing swiftly before heading into the shower connected to the room. He follows her in and watches as the woman undresses with no sense of bashfulness whatsoever, Erik notices several more scars that had appeared on her since his ‘death’. She catches him staring and glares harshly at him. “These are from your son, who nearly mauled me to death in an ally during one of my heats… This one is from Geoff, but it was an accident.”   
“What did he do?” Erik mutters angrily his voice clouded with venom.   
“He and Ryan got into a fight, and I tried to stop it… I fell into a glass table, but it was nothing compared to the rest of the night where your son kidnapped mine. I was on the way to the hospital when he tried to kill us, he’s lucky he didn’t get me killed that night.” Iri explains to the man as she steps into the glass shower as the man stands there listening to her rant quietly. “If you want to kill me that’s fine, but when you go after my children I have no mercy.”  
“Becca… He told me Geoffrey killed her.”  
“No, I made sure she knew true fear before I killed her… Fuck with me all you want Ristau, but never my family.”  
“What about Serah?” Erik inquires quietly as he joined her in the shower, it wasn’t as though they hadn’t done this before… albeit it was always forced but now it was just for mutual benefit. Iri needed to get to work and she didn’t want to waste time… The sooner she was there the sooner she could see Geoff, and figure a way out of this.  
“... She was different, and how dare you compare her to this! She was a child you forced me to bear, and I… I never meant to kill her… only you.” Iri spits as she lathers her body, and hands the man the soap. Rinsing quickly she grabs the shampoo, and the conditioner, swiftly working her hair till it was free of oil, dirt, and blood. The shower takes maybe ten minutes, and after wrapping a towel around her waist she starts her hair, all the while the man watches quietly from the background. Iri didn’t like the silence so she began to hum, hoping to ward the man away but it only seems to pique his interest. Right as she started singing the words, he cocks his head at her.   
“Do you even understand what you're singing?” Erik asks as he stops shaving to look at the woman who shakes her head in no. “You are singing about having rose-colored glasses as the songs name literally translates to Life in Pink… Celeste would sing that often, and I remember how they would dance… Your parents were a beautiful couple, it was a shame to hear of their deaths.”   
“I thought… Didn’t you order that?”  
“No I ordered for them to be brought back alive, but then again I was overseas when I received the call… A stray bullet killed both Celeste, and Klein.” Erik explains to the woman who says nothing choosing to stare intensely at her reflection as though deep in thought. “Iri?”  
“How do I know you aren’t just lying to me?.. It wouldn’t be the first time.”  
“What could I possibly garner from lying to you?”  
“My trust… You're a sick fuck and you always have an angle.”   
“No, I just know how to complete my objectives… Sweetheart there is nothing wrong with going after what you know to be yours. Be wary of Geoffrey, and take his truth with a grain of salt… Your parents deaths were directly his fault.”  
“Yes, because choosing freedom was such a terrible choice.”  
“Freedom… tch is that what he told you. I should have known he’d spin it to make me that bad guy, he always did. Let me guess he told you some line about how I would throw you into the breeding pens and force you to have children with whatever predator I presented you with?” Erik says to the woman who now stares at him out of the corner of her eye, and her ears turned to face the man listening carefully. “Geoffrey and I only ever had a problem when I made a bad call in Kuwait that resulted in the deaths of our squad mates, and then again after this lab became established. He has always believed that I am incapable of leading that I’m cold, cruel, and a monster but in the last few hours have I done anything to prove that… Besides the whole kidnap thing obviously. I haven’t ordered anyone’s death, and I have held up my end of the bargain. This lab has been a safe haven for Apex Predators since Kody helped me gain the funding. Yes we do have breeding rooms, but I don’t toss young teens in there and force them to procreate. Mates who wish to have children are taken to their rooms, and yes we give them several chemicals to help them conceive. I haven’t hurt anyone since… since you. Ask Harold and Otto they’re our on staff doctors, hell they’re still here for god’s sake. If I am such a cruel monster then why would they willingly remain?” Erik expresses and watches as the woman slowly lowered her hands to grip the counter tightly in either anger or distrust, he couldn’t quite tell maybe it was both.  
“But what about those picture, Kody’s research?”  
“It was research, and some predators the ones who wish to die sign up for it. I have never forced anyone to surrender their body, except for you and that I regret heavily… I allowed myself to be controlled by anger and I figured Geoffrey had already clouded your mind with his opinion of me.”  
“Geoff would never hurt me.”  
“No? How sure are you about that?” Erik asks as he runs a hand over the visible scar of Geoff's mating bite.  
“Fuck you, and your mind games! I refuse to play them, I will escape you, and whatever this place truly is!” Iri growls bitterly at the man while storming out of the bathroom, and dressing quickly. “I have projects to focus on; I don’t have time for all of this bullshit… I need a run.”  
“We can go after we get back, and if I remember correctly you enjoy sword fighting… It has been awhile since I’ve sparred.” Erik offers her, and the woman just scoffs at him.  
“I don’t want to hang out with you Erik, and I never will if at all possible.” Iri snaps hoping the man would get it through his thick skull; this wasn’t going to end like he thought it would, and she wouldn’t believe a word that came out of his mouth. After a quick check in the mirror she waited for Erik to finish dressing and the pair was off to the office.


	71. Be Swift in Showing Your Love to Me, and Perhaps Our Love Can Endure

The Office

It was a sad day for the AH office, and little work had gotten done seeing as no one really wanted to play video games today… not even Ray as he fiddled with contrasts on his footage. Jack offered them the day off, but Geoff had refused and then snapped at the man saying how would he know what was best for his pack. That had shut the beta up pretty quickly, and so they went about menial tasks all day. And it wasn’t till Geoff and the others headed out for lunch that things picked up a little… Though not much, Michael couldn’t even film his Rage Quit which spoke volumes for the Omega. It was about two when Geoff decided he needed a walk, so getting up from his desk he heads out the door. He walks with a sense of detachment allowing his feet to take him where they will. At the end of his stroll he finds himself standing in front of Iri’s office door, and notes how the lights were on. He could hear the sound of voices, and curiosity getting the better of him he opens the door to find Iri sitting at her desk with Lexi assisting her… Like normal. At the sound of the door he watches her turn, and the widest smile he’s ever seen is on her face.  
“Geoff! Geoff we don’t have long, he’s coming back. I’m so sorry, I.” Iri starts, but is cut off by the kiss Geoff pulls her into. She doesn’t even bother pulling back knowing that time was limited. “I love you, and I don’t care what he says… Or how he says it. You wouldn’t hurt me ever.”  
“Never Kit, what are you doing here?”   
“Part of my deal. I’ll come see the kits soon, Lexi will contact you.” She whispers quietly before the pair surge forward and continue kissing. “How are the boys?”  
“Terrible, Kit how could you?”  
“I didn’t want any one else to get hurt, and this way you all won’t live in fear… I miss you, all of you.”  
“God Baby girl we miss you too… Has he hurt you?”  
“No, and he keeps spouting something about you turning me against him… He’s delusional Geoff.” Iri explains to the man who says nothing more, rather choosing to just hold his lover while placing gentle nips along her jawline. She spreads her legs, and Geoff lowers a hand slowly, lifting her dress up slightly. Moving her panties aside easily he works two of his fingers into the woman easily, and begins working them in and out quickly causing ragged moans to be drawn from her throat. “Faster Papa, faster.”  
“Anything for you Kit.” Geoff purrs into her throat while finishing her off quickly, and she wastes no time in kneeling down to take care of him. “Good girl.” He praises as she takes all of him in one take, and begins bobbing her head at a rapid pace, enjoying the throaty moans he makes above her. “God… Kit, I’m...I’m almost there.”  
‘Cum for me Alpha, cum for me.’ Iri whispers seductively in his mind, and the man does. He cums straight down her throat, and watches as the woman pulls off him with a pop. She nuzzles his waist line affectionately as he rights himself. ‘Cuddle till he comes back?’  
‘Of course Kit, of course.’ Geoff answers back mentally before picking her up, and nestling them on the couch comfortably. She snuggles deeply into him, and purrs sleepily into his peach bourbon scented neck trying to commit it to memory.  
‘He wants another child… But I… I couldn’t let that happen.’ Iri whimpers quietly into Geoff’s mind, who cocks his head in confusion. ‘So I. I spliced my own fertility away… I’m sorry Geoff, but I won’t let Serah happen again.’  
“Kit… I.”  
“What are you doing Iridessa?” Erik’s sharp tone demands as he enters the room with a lunch box in hand. “Geoffrey what are you doing with my mate?”  
“Erik, she isn’t yours… Captain you don’t have to do this, just let her go.” Geoff pleads with him and the man just narrows his eyes in anger, a dark growl is sounded as he inches forward. At this Iri stands up snarling viciously at Erik, her tail lashing angrily, and her eyes narrowed in challenge. Seeing that this was going to turn into a fight Geoff jumps in front of Iri, and bats at his attacks. “Run Iri, run!” He shouts and uses Todd to throw the woman out the door. She wastes no time shifting and sprinting for the nearest exit, streaking through the office she runs straight into the parking lot.   
‘Iri just run!’ Lexi’s panicked tone sounds as she notices the fox’s hesitation.   
‘Geoff though, we can’t leave him.’  
‘Iri he told you to.’  
‘I know what he told me!’ Iri shouts back and the fox just sighs angrily. ‘There has to be a way… Call the police commissioner, he owes me a favor right?’  
‘Iri, I don’t…. Geoff’s unconscious and unless you want to be towed back to that compound I suggest we get the hell out of here and figure it out later.’ Lexi says and listens to her Mistress curse, but begin to run towards Ryan’s house. The fox sprints as fast as she can, and about halfway through the field behind the office she feels herself tackled roughly to the ground.  
“I should have known you would have tried something like this… Frankly I’m disappointed in you, Iridessa.” Erik says in between ragged breaths. “You know if you continue to behave this way then it’s going to be very hard to hold up my end of the bargain.”  
“....” Iri says nothing choosing to lay limply underneath the man, who merely stared at her expectantly.  
“Nothing to say to that?”  
“...”   
“Ah the silent treatment…. Very well, I believe it’s time for us to get home.” Erik says as he gets up and shifts back to his human form. He picks her up quickly, and narrows his eyes at her suspiciously. “If only I had gone about this differently in the beginning.” He murmurs as he takes them back to the car, and places her gently on the passenger’s seat. She continues to say nothing, and remains silent in thinking… well it was more plotting than actual thinking… Iri couldn’t help the smile that tugs at her lips when she thinks about what just happened. If this was anything it was a learning experience: one, she couldn’t outrun the man, two, he knew exactly where she had been going or at least made an excellent guess, and three, why hadn’t he used his powers to force her to stop? When he jumped bodies did he lose that ability, but gain another in his new one? Or perhaps he couldn’t remember his old power, and all he knew was this new one… whatever it was. She would consult Harold when she got back, and if he was no longer as strong as he once was than killing him would be easy… He didn’t have a natural resistance to her powers, though neither did she to his. 

The Compound

They arrive around five, and Iri jumps out of the car with a plan in mind.   
“Come here Sweetheart.” Erik orders gently, and is mildly surprised when the woman obeys, padding over to sit at his feet. He lifts her up quickly, and grins at her obedience. “Good girl, no more running got it.” Erik scolds lightly and watches with a smile as the fox’s ears flatten at his tone, showing that she was actually listening to him. “Alright now what would you like to do now?”  
“... Sparring?” Iri suggests, this was to test her hypothesis. If he could control metal than he would be able to easily avoid her attacks, and quite possibly beat her… Though she expected defeat either way because he was a trained killer, or at least he was.   
“Sure thing… I’m sure Seth could go for that as well.” Erik adds and Iri just nods at this, she wasn’t particularly fond of the tiger but it would look odd if she refused… Though this ‘submission’ game she was playing was turning out to be more effective than she thought. Hopefully by the end of the night she would have her answers.


	72. She's not the only one who can make a deal

Geoff

Geoff woke up to the worried voices of Burnie and Gus asking him what happened.  
“Geoff can you hear me?” Gus’ familiar tone asks and the gent merely nods slowly at him.   
“Good, now come on we got a RvB to voice.” Burnie says, he knows the man was probably not feeling up to it but the best way to get over sadness was to throw yourself into work… Or at least that’s how he felt about it. Pulling the man up he notices a bruise on the side of his head forming with a few drops of blood trickling down into his beard. “Geoff what happened?”  
“I fell, tripped over some of her... I just came to.” Geoff stutters and Burnie nods knowing exactly what the man was feeling. It hurt like hell to know his daughter went willingly with that madman, but he couldn’t help the sense of pride he felt for her doing such a thing. She was a courageous soul, and he had a feeling she’d survive this one… Hell she’d already done it once. The trio starts off towards the sound booth, and Todd heals his friend’s wound easily.

The Others

It was around six o’clock when Ryan told everyone to pack it up while he went in search of their pack alpha. Joel had called earlier and asked if they could take the kit’s for the weekend, and after asking everyone in the office they’d agreed to it. Tonight Ryan had a surprise for his pack, and honestly he was excited for it, save for their missing member but he would save hers for when she got back… On his way to find Geoff he follows the Alpha’s scent trail to Iri’s office where he smells something strange. It smelled fresh despite her being gone, and then he scented arousal and… cum. Looking around he also sees evidence of a struggle and the scent of a panther. He turns away from the scene to see Geoff standing knowingly in the doorway.   
“She was here wasn’t she?” Ryan inquires and the man nods. “He was here too… What did he want?” Geoff gestures for him to come over and the gent does from there he shows Ryan exactly what happened. “....Geoff do you know what this means?”  
“It means that if we play our cards right we can finally end him like the dog he is.”  
‘We resent that, but Geoff I do like how you think.’ Godric adds as he appears next to Ryan on the ground wearing a devious smirk. ‘Ryan your proposal can wait, tonight we plan… And it ends soon.’   
“What proposal?”  
“Waita go Godric… he always ruins my surprises.”  
‘I hate surprises.’  
‘We know.’ Todd answers as he appear beside the grumpy wolf, purring quietly when he pins his misty form to the ground. The wolf begins nuzzling the other canine’s neck, and nipping at his shoulder playfully while rutting against his hips. ‘Heavens above… oh goodness.’  
“Todd stop it… Ryan control Godric.” Geoff mutters as he feels the dregs of arousal start to make themselves present. “Not in the office.”  
“Geoffrey, I do believe it’s time you please your Alpha.” Ryan purrs darkly as he takes his wolf’s lead and circles him with a predatory gaze. “You do remember how to please don’t you boy?”  
“I’m not sure I like that tone Ryan.” Geoff challenges showing the Alpha his teeth in dominance, and keeps his head high. “Perhaps I should change it for you.”  
“Mmm I’d like to see you try, it seems Todd has the right idea.” Ryan murmurs and Geoff shifts his glance down to where Todd is presenting perfectly to Godric with his tail swishing excitedly. Geoff hated to ruin his fun, but this was not the time nor the place; he calls the fox back who disappears with a grumpy sigh choosing to curl away in Geoff’s memories. “Sour puss.”  
“Fuck you, I’ve had a rough day… Did anyone pick the kits up yet?” Geoff questions and Ryan shakes his head in yes.  
“Actually I plan to fuck you... Also Joel did, and they’re spending the weekend there. Come here Geoff and let me be Alpha for awhile, we’ll get Ray nice and wet so I can fuck you.”  
“I’m not seeing the correlation.” Geoff mutters as he feels Ryan wrap his arms around his waist while placing soft kisses on his neck.  
“He wants to use me as lube because I am about to be in heat… That’s also why he sent the kits to their grandfather’s.” Ray explains as he pops his head in the room, and Ryan just nods at his explanation. “But who’s going to fuck me if you two are going at it?”   
“Mmm X-ray I think Team Nice Dynamite has you covered.” Gavin adds as he and Michael appear behind the Latino wearing twin smirks of desire. “Has Lexi talked to you yet today?”  
“Lexi?” The Alphas murmur in confusion, and turn to face the boys.  
“She popped in our office about an hour ago to let us know she plans to smuggle Iri out soon… Some sort of Caster thing, she wasn’t particularly clear about it.” Michael tells the men who only continue to wear confused looks.   
‘Leave it to her to outwit a criminally insane man.’ Godric chuckled quietly at the news, she never ceased to amaze him, and he couldn’t wait for Ryan to finally ask his questions… Twas exciting in his eyes, and now that he thought about it the eyes of most.   
“Godric what has you so chipper?” Gavin inquires as he senses an unfailing feeling of happiness, when the wolf was usually has a dark mood about him.   
‘The prospect of taking Geoffrey’s tight ass, and showing him where he belongs… Mewling like an Omega on my knot.’ Godric mumbles seductively and purrs when he sees the way Geoff shivers at the words. ‘And after he’s been properly knotted, then I plan to show my beautiful Kitten how he too belongs beside him.’  
“Ric go… go away.” Ray says in a light scolding tone, he already had a raging hard on and that wolf wasn’t helping. He could feel slick starting to drip, and all he wanted to do was get fucked. As if sensing this Gavin comes up behind him, and pins him up against the door frame, rutting lightly on the man’s pert ass. “Do… n’t.” Ray drawls out in a mewl of submission when Gavin uses his powers to flood the man’s consciousness with arousal, clouding his senses so thoroughly that the Latino can barely remember his own name. It's a shame Gavin didn't have more time with Wes because that man only showed him the tiniest bit of what he could do with his powers. “Please.”  
“That’s what I thought, now arch that back for me….. Just like that, what a good Kitten.” Gavin praises as he rubs himself on the mewling man, and nips his neck sharply. Ray says nothing choosing only to grind back on Gavin while waiting. “Geoffrey, keys.”  
“Gavin, wait.”  
“What, why?”  
“Because he’s a teasing old bastard.” Michael mutters with a smile, and Geoff just glares at him.   
“I propose that mouthy over there gets tied up nice and tight in the playroom.”   
“Oooo Geoff that’s a wonderful idea, we second that!” Gavin pipes up as Ray nods in agreement.  
“Fuck you guys, I’m going to the gym.” Michael mumbles with a roll of his eyes before leaving them to head to his car. He can’t help but notice how dark it was tonight, and for some reason it’s rather unsettling… Maybe it’s just him being worried about Iri, but then again he was always worried about the woman. Though as Michael walked alone in the parking lot he felt a presence that really made him wish he’d waited for the rest of the group. He summons his powers casually, keeping Marcus alert just in case, and before he sees it a flash of silver shoots past his face merely inches away from his shoulders. Turning on his heel he flashes his teeth in warning at whatever was attacking him. A pair of amber eyes meet his own brown and before him stood Seth.  
“Michael Jones?”  
“What do you want Seth?”  
“My father wishes to speak to you.”  
“Tell Erik to fuck off.”  
“Fine, I guess killing Iridessa is what you want.”  
“Wait a second, what do you want?”  
“I won’t tell you out here because Geoffrey is most likely listening, come to the compound and you can see her as well.” Seth bargains and hesitantly the man agrees. “Good now come with me, and be quiet about it.”  
“Whatever.” Michael mutters as he shifts down and follows the man swiftly into the night. Hopefully he was back before sunrise because explaining this to Geoff was going to be difficult. 

Meanwhile at the Compound

Iri stood in a pair of running shorts waiting for Erik and Seth. Her patience was beginning to wane after about ten minutes and half of her thought maybe she should just go on without them. The fence around the building was electrified, and she doubted her ability to disarm that. If she was going to kill this man then she needed her full strength because he wouldn’t go down quietly. Harold had mentioned poisoning him earlier, and Iri had refused him because that was the coward’s way. She wanted him to know it was her as the knife plunged deep into his chest, and she wanted to feel him die as her powers forced his consciousness to remain in his body. He wouldn’t have the luxury of escape this time, no this man was dying by her hand. Right as Iri was about to head out the door to the outside Erik pops up with a pair of water bottles in his hand.   
“Sorry, and Seth won’t be joining us… He has some business to attend to.” Erik says pleasantly, and Iri couldn’t help the feeling of unease that came over her when the man smiled at her. It reminded her too much of the times where he would chain her to a wall and then stab her hands and feet to it… She would have to force them out herself, or take over the mind of someone nearby to rip them out. Iri could still feel the now faded scars, and sometimes when Gavin wasn’t around the nightmares made her relive the terror. Todd would often try to ask her about the dreams, but Lexi chased the fox out so she could deal with it on her own.... which was really just burying it deep down into her consciousness.  
“Are you ready?” Erik inquires, and the woman merely nods before the man opens the door. He leads her to a pathway that went deep into the surrounding woodland, and around the edge of the compound. At first they keep pace, and around the sixth mile Iri notices how he begins to fall behind though only by a step or two. Upon noticing this she slowly increases her pace hoping to lose the man completely, and send Lexi off for the night.   
‘Mistress are you sure?’  
‘Yes, this isn’t my first rodeo.’  
‘... I still don’t feel good about leaving you alone with him.’  
‘Lex, I’m not going to force you to go this time… If you want to stay I don’t mind.’  
‘Now you're guilt tripping me into going, you know they want news… devious fox.’  
“I try, now will you.” Iri mutters as she stops around the entrance of the gate, and notices how the gate was slightly ajar. ‘Lexi?’  
‘It’s a trap.’  
‘I don’t doubt it, but I think he’s far enough away for us to slip out.’  
“Sweetheart the path is over here… Unless you're done?” Erik’s casual tone says interrupting her thoughts of escape, and replacing them with her reality. He walks past her and pulls the gate close, completing the circuit causing the fence to whir to life. “Come on let’s go get cleaned up, and see what they’re serving for dinner.” The man tells her as he tugs the woman away by the hand towards the large stone building. It isn’t until she’s halfway there that Iri breaks free, and shifts quickly into her fox form a feral growl on her lips. He merely shifts down, and begins circling her threateningly. “Do you really think you can beat me?”  
“Huh you sound threatened… Care to make a wager?”  
“I don’t make bets, and neither do you... Besides if you win then I’m sure you’ll figure out some way to leave while I’m down.”   
“You act like I’ll let you live.”  
“Hmm I don’t think you have it in you to be completely honest, it’s not as though I’m threatening your family this time… What will you do without that rage guiding your hand?” He inquires with a smirk as Iri launches herself at the mammal. If she could catch him off guard then this would be an easy task, but her hopes are swiftly knocked out from underneath her as he bats her aside easily. From there he pounces on her before she can even move, and has her pinned with a smile as he licks her throat till the woman inadvertently purrs. The feeling lulls her into submission as her frustrations slip away into the night air, and the fox bares her neck with closed eyes… though that was more for her sake than his, imagining that it was Geoff’s body on hers, and his rough tongue lapping at her soft fur. Images from another time, and it isn’t until the Alpha above her scoffs that reality once again comes crashing back. “Your heat is coming soon… Your scent is extra potent tonight.”  
“Fuck off.” Iri growls righting herself in embarrassment… fuck him and his soft touches, and his smooth scent, and everything else that seemed to be different about him. It was hard to maintain her hatred when he acted like this. “And it isn’t heat, I just miss Geoff.”  
“No.. well your body misses Geoff, but your pheromones are that of an Omega about to be in heat… I give you a week or two at the most. I still have to talk to Harold about that.” Erik says as he shifts back, and offers a hand to the woman who sits pouting on the ground in front of him. Her face was a mix of disappointment, and distrust. “Come on, don’t you want dinner?”  
“No, not really.”  
“You won’t starve yourself on my watch, I remember watching you drop in weight after Serah died… I have been watching you for a lot longer than you think.”  
“Then why did you send Seth after me?”  
“Because I forgot how brutish he is.” Erik snaps as he lifts the woman in his arms, and throws him over his shoulder. Iri squeaks loudly, and the man can’t help the smile that crosses his lips at such an adorable sound. “Also he was merely to unsettle you.”  
“I don’t believe you Erik, and you can try whatever excuse you please but I won’t believe any of them… fucking monster.” Iri mutters under her breath and suddenly she finds herself pinned to the stone building roughly.   
“I am not a monster, but if you continue to act this way then I will be forced to be. Now stop acting like a belligerent child, and come with me.” Erik scolds darkly in her ear, and Iri has to fight the urge to mewl submissively.   
“Yes Erik.” Iri mumbles obediently, he was right if she continued to poke the bear eventually he was going to snap at her… and if she was truly preheat then this wasn’t the time. There would be time for insults, and it wasn’t now. However, upon entering the building she catches the familiar scent of cinnamon, and honey… and her gaze is filled with that of an unhappy Michael. “Red, what are you doing here?”  
“Vixen!” Michael calls out happily as he surges forward to wrap his arms around her protectively, and purrs deeply when he feels her lips meet his. It isn’t until a growl fills their ears that he pulls back to stare darkly at the Alpha. “Don’t tell Geoff.”  
“Why are you here? Iri inquires worriedly hoping he hadn’t been taken as well.   
“I may not be particularly fond of this one, but he can stay if you will.”  
“No! Absolutely not, Michael go home right now! I will not allow you.”  
“Are you going to forbid me, and besides this way it’s a bit more enjoyable for you… Considering you wouldn’t let us all fight to the death over you.” Michael challenges and watches as the woman’s eyes shift to a dark, dangerous shade of blue that made the Omega rethink his words.   
“Go. Home. Right. Now. Before. I. Call. Geoff.” Iri threatens and at this Erik raises a hand.   
“If I may, Geoffrey can’t do anything from the outside and I doubt he’d be stupid enough to try. This is a registered sanctuary, and I have several witnesses who can attest to him claiming it. No one can drag him out of here, and as director only I have the authority to force him to leave.” Erik interjects, and the both watch as the woman clenches her fists tightly raising anything that wasn’t tied down into the air. The pair watch in shock at the amount of furniture, rugs, papers, and pens are suddenly pointed threateningly at them. “Iri settle.”  
“Shut the fuck up!” Iri screams in rage as she throws a large couch at the man, but before it connects she feels a prick in the back of the neck… Her vision begins to blur, and soon she starts to wobble completely; her powers dropping everything onto the floor roughly. Iri still tries even as she is fading to do something, raising several pens up though only inches into the air. Michael rushes to catch her right as her legs finally give out, and she passes out completely in his grip. The Omega places a soft kiss on her brow before giving Erik a deathly glare.  
“She stays with me, and that was part of the deal.”  
“Actually no, you stay with us was what you agreed to… You should really listen better Michael.” Erik points out with a smirk that makes Michael roll his eyes. “Come here Chaton.”  
“Keep your French to yourself Asshole.” Michael spits as he carries the woman easily, and follows him to a bedroom just past the large atrium. The bed would easily fit four, maybe five if they were all Iri’s size. He places the woman down gently, and watches as the man crosses the room with a smile. Erik comes up behind him, and Michael has to lock his muscles to keep from punching the man as he tugs at his clothes gently. The ginger has to close his eyes, and will away tears when he undoes his pants. “Please..”  
“Shush… Despite my earlier act before I’m not as rough as I used to be… Be good my Chaton, and get on the bed.” Erik murmurs and Michael forces himself to obey, he had expected this when he had agreed to stay with her. It wasn’t fair to her that she be in this hell all alone, and he hoped she had a plan… Or fuck he’d even settle for Gavin at this point if he had a plan... Though knowing him it would be a half formed plan that would probably only kind of work. Erik angles the man’s hips upwards and smiles when Michael leaves them there… Even though the man shook like a leaf, and it wasn’t from muscle strain. The Alpha sighs in frustration, why was everyone so god damn afraid of him. It took the pleasure out everything when your partner feared for their life. He decides that tonight would be better served settling these Omegas rather than frazzling them anymore than they already were. “Michael just lay down with us.” Erik murmurs quietly while tossing the man his boxers, and watching as he shimmies into them quickly. Michael wastes no time in pulling the sleeping woman into his tight grip, and does his best to ignore the Alpha laying his hands on him… Or the sound of contentment that came from his throat when he did. Michael could do this, they could do this…. He knew they could.


	73. Procrastination only prolongs the inevitable

Saturday   
Noon

Geoff couldn’t help, but notice the lack of certain red-haired pack members. He knew Iri probably wouldn’t show up, but Michael… well where was Michael, and what the hell was so important that it took him all night to complete? Gavin felt the man’s unease instantly, though he chooses to ignore it knowing that Michael was most likely binge playing some game he was too embarrassed to talk about. However, it was a shame that he had to miss Ray’s heat… The lad himself was currently on his knees in front of the couch blowing Ryan in hopes of earning a knotting.   
“Mmm Kitten keep that up, and you might just get your prize.” Ryan purrs in between tiny gasps as the man below him swirls his tongue around his lover’s shaft. Ray wished he would hurry up and knot him already, the pain was beginning to become unbearable and he doubted he could keep this up much longer… Maybe Geoff would.  
“Pay attention to the cock in front of you Ray, and not the one you wish was fucking you.” Geoff mutters knowingly as he cuddles with Gavin in a nearby recliner.   
“Bad boy Ray, very bad boy.” Ryan scolds as he pulls his cock out suddenly despite the sounds of distress that come from Ray’s mouth. “Go apologize…. The right way.” The gent commands and at this Gavin slides off of his Alpha to laze about on the couch. He wasn’t really feeling in the mood right now, so he took off leaving the Alphas to play with Ray. Gavin heads outside where he notices how the sun shines brightly in the afternoon sky, and stripping down to his boxer he eases himself into the pool. Closing his eyes he enjoys the way his skin soaks up the sun’s rays, and makes a sound of contentment in response. After a while, maybe an hour or two he hears the sound of a glass door being opened, and the sight of Ryan carrying a tired Ray out to presumably soak in the sun. The cat was particularly fond of sunbathing after sex, when he was able to… they didn’t have daytime sex often when the kits were home. It isn’t until Ryan slips into the water beside him that the lad truly opens his eyes more than a crack. He is treated to the scene of a naked Ryan lowering himself down into the cool water, the younger Alpha’s muscles catching the sun beautifully. It was times like these Gavin wished he had a camera. “Gavvers what are you doing out here all alone?” Ryan inquires while finagling himself to sit behind the sleepy Omega.   
“Nothing much, just enjoying some me time.” Gavin retorts with a lazy smile that makes his Alpha chuckle quietly.   
“Well now it’s time for some us time.” Ryan whispers in his ear, nipping gently at his lover’s neck till the lad cocked his head to the side slightly, providing him with perfect access to his neck. “Mmm you smell good.”   
“I always do.” Gavin purrs softly at the man’s mouth, and the gent only chuckles in response before working his hands down his chest slowly, tweaking his nipples as he went.   
“Pompous.” Ryan murmurs before his hands stop at the waistline of Gavin’s shorts, he could tell the Omega was willing but was he wanting... Gavin would almost always have sex, but whether or not he truly wanted it right now was a whole different story. “Pliant, and supple.”  
“Play with me.” Gavin says quickly cutting the gent off mid sentence, he didn’t want to hear the man’s voice anymore. No Gavin wanted friction, and he wanted it now. He wasn’t sure why, but something in him had snapped and it was like a wave of lust fell over him like a tsunami. It wasn’t heat, and he thought it might be frustration until a smirk was felt in his mind. ‘Lance what are you doing?’  
‘Nothing we don’t enjoy.’  
‘Lance not now please.’  
‘Gav, what’s wrong with you today? First off you barely eat, next you don’t want sex, and now you just feel wrong.’  
“I just lost my mate you asshole, so fuck off!” Gavin growls out loud causing Ryan to cease his ministrations. “Sorry, that was meant for Lance.”  
“Gav are you okay?” Ryan inquires noticing the man’s distress, and his lack of initiative… Usually Gavin was all for any activity that involved his dick, but now he seemed apprehensive. “Come here, and we’ll talk.”  
“I’m fine Ryan, just... “  
“Gavi don’t lie to me.”  
“Ry.” Gavin starts but is cut off by the sudden hug he’s forced into.   
“Skye’s a smart, careful girl, and smart girls don’t lose.” Ray adds as he stands up and pads over to the water’s edge with a smile.  
“She’s reckless at best, but damn near brilliant sometimes… when she uses her brain that is.” Gavin comments as he feels himself pulled in deeper to the gent’s strong shoulder. “Ry… Can’t breathe.”  
“Then use that big nose of yours.”   
“Hey where’s Michael?” Ray asks suddenly after having finally noticed his fellow Omega’s disappearance. “Did he ever come home last night?”  
“No, and it worries me.” Geoff answers as he walks outside the house wearing a distressed expression. “He won’t answer his phone.”  
“I hope he’s okay.”  
“So do I.” Geoff mutters as he continues trying the man’s cell only to come up to voice mail. 

Michael and Iri

Michael awoke to the feeling of Iri kissing his neck gently with a playful smirk. He shifts around, and grins when the woman begins to straddle his lap grinding slowly.  
“Mmm someone’s in a good mood… what’s the occasion?”  
“I miss the other’s and I want a distraction.” Iri mumbles with new determination as she dives down to kiss the man roughly.   
“... Oh yeah.” Michael trails off as the memories from last night come rushing back, and he realizes fully what he’s done. “I should call Geoff.”  
“And what tell him to come rescue us?” Iri retorts with playful kiss to the man’s exposed nipples, suckling on them both till he moaned lustfully. “Geoff can’t save us Red, the balls in our corner.”  
“I ought to put you in a corner, and fuck that despair out of you.”  
“It’s not despair, it is called being a realist.” Iri adds with a quiet chuckle, turning back to the man beginning to writhe at her ministration. It isn’t until he bucks up that Iri finally releases his pink peaks wearing a confident smile. He mirrors her smile and flips the pair so she’s on the bottom, spreading her legs wide in anticipation. Michael starts to kiss her passionately, and he trails a finger down to play with her aching pussy. “Michael… Michael please.”  
“Please what?” He says teasingly, and the woman whines in need causing the man’s resistance to waiver slightly. “Use your words Vixen.”  
“I want you to fuck me till I forget my own name, till I don’t know where I am, and till this isn’t happening anymore… Till we’re home.” Iri chokes out as her eyes fill to the brim with tears. Michael pulls the woman up to sit on his lap with tear tracks starting down her cheeks.   
“It’ll be over soon Vixen, so very soon.” Michael whispers to her while holding her tightly against his chest. He isn’t holding her for longer than ten minutes before his phone rings in its usual Darth Vader tone signalling a call from Geoff.  
“Papa.” Iri mutters her tears flowing harder at the utter of his name; she wills the phone to them, and then Michael presses the answer button.  
“Where have you been? We’re worried sick! Michael.”  
“Papa.” Iri mumbles into the phone, and they hear the line go silent for a few seconds.  
“Iri?”  
“Geoff don’t be mad, but.”  
“Michael Vincent Jones!”  
“Geoff please we don’t.”  
“Get your asses home now!”  
“It’s not that easy, I made a.”  
“No… don’t you dare finish that sentence, I swear to god I’m going to kill both of you when I rescue your asses. Where are you?” Geoff inquires and Iri shakes her head quickly. She didn't want Geoff to come because that is exactly what she made this deal for, she didn't want any of them to die. “Michael you tell me where you are this instant.”  
“He’s coming.” Iri mutters quickly as she feels a shred of Erik’s consciousness come into range.  
“Geoff love you, see you soon.” Michael says swiftly before turning the phone off completely, and pulling Iri to lie down in the bed with him.   
“Sweetheart, Michael it’s noon time to get up.” Erik says softly, and gently pulls back the covers to find Michael holding a shaking Iri. “Sweetheart what’s wrong?”  
“You! I want to go home!” Iri screams at the man from Michael’s protective arms. “Please just let us go.. Please.”  
“Vixen, shh… It’ll be alright. Shh.” Michael whispers trying to soothe the woman crying into his chest... He should have never answered Geoff's call, he should have known that this call would throw her into hysterics. Erik says nothing choosing to pull the woman from his grasp, and into his own arms. “Hey.”  
“Iridessa, you know I can’t let you go. I let Michael stay with us because I thought you might feel better that way, and give up this silly notion of escape… But I guess I was wrong, I had hoped you would just give in. I guess it’s true old dogs can’t learn new tricks.” Erik murmurs in disappointment as he starts to drag the woman to the end of the bed. “Bend over Pet.”  
“No… Erik don’t.” Michael starts, but is cut off by the glare he receives from the man however, he wasn’t going to stand by and let this man rape his mate. The air around them begins to crackle, and with Erik distracted Iri throws the man against a nearby wall knocking him unconscious.   
“Go! Michael let’s go.” Iri states quickly, and with the help of Lexi she erases his entire memory of her. Anything that had anything to do with her she gets rid of hoping to eradicate herself from his mind. “I can’t… I can’t kill him, but I did erase his memory. He won’t remember me, to him I won’t even exist and Lexi told me that Harold is already wiping me from their files… The only loose end is Seth, and he.. He I have no trouble killing.”  
“Wait why can’t you just kill him? Wouldn’t it just be easier?”  
“He and I… This place will need a director, and with me out of the picture he’ll leave us alone. Plus I doubt Seth would be able to run this place effectively, he's a killer not a leader.” Iri explains and despite their history Iri couldn’t bring herself to actually kill the man. She had piece of glass in her hand, but even knowing who it was she couldn’t kill him… In the end he was only searching for love, it just so happened to be in the wrong place. Michael looks at her as though she’s crazy, but makes no move to change her mind choosing rather to grab his clothes. Once he’s dressed the pair shift, and lock the door behind them hoping no one had been expecting him. Dashing through the halls Michael leads her to the entrance, and the pair can’t help but notice how empty the halls are. However, they didn’t have time to ponder the reasons why, no they needed to run. They make it to the electric fence, and Michael shorts it out easily with his powers. The pair jump over it, and with freedom in hand they sprint like mustangs who had just slipped out of a ranch hand's lasso.   
“Michael?” Iri mutters in between gasps as the pair slows down slightly about seven miles from the compound. “Didn’t that feel to.”  
“Easy.” Michael finishes, and Iri nods her head. It might be only seconds after saying that does a pair of large cats appear in their field of vision… a panther, and a tiger… Ristaus.  
“Sweetheart, you're going to want to try harder than that if you want to be free of me… However, this exercise has provided some very much needed info like it seems being nice to you has no effect on your demeanor, and neither does having Michael around.” Erik explains as he begins circling the woman with a wolfish smile causing her to flinch at his implications. Michael on the other hand just growls fiercely as he stands next to his mate protectively. “Now what will it be Iri? A fight, or will you come back willingly?”  
‘Iri we can take him.’ Marcus voices in her mind to the fox as he charges up power. ‘If you can keep him distracted I can shock him once I charge up.’  
‘Kill them.’ Iri answers back as she shakes her fur out, and leaves Michael’s side to face the felines. This man would never stop, and now she knew that for sure. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he would always find a way to come after her despite all the mercy she showed him. He deserved no mercy, no pity, and no more chances. If he didn’t die tonight, then he would die another. She wouldn’t let any of his deceptive words or his soft touches derail her from her task.  
“A fight, very well… though I can’t say I’m surprised.” Erik mutters with a sigh as he steps forward to challenge the fox. Iri merely stares him down, as the pair size each other up. She had no idea what powers he had or what he didn’t have… Fighting blind as Geoff had called it.  
‘Mistress his left fore-paw is weak.’  
‘How can you tell?’  
‘He refuses to put his full weight on it, and the bone is slightly out of place.’  
‘Very good Lexi, keep watching.’ Iri tells the vixen who nods in response, and with that she lunges for his left fore-paw. Erik strafes to the side, and counters with a strike to her side that narrowly misses. From there it turns into a bloody battle that Iri was more than prepared for. She dodges, and darts making sure to keep her attacks light while working to protect Michael from Seth. Lexi keeps a watch on them telling Iri of their weak spots when she can, and the pair continue fighting till their breathing hard with bloody claw marks covering them. Michael manages to call forth a gust of wind that blows back the other two giving Iri slight repose, though only for a second. ‘Marcus how much longer?’  
‘Iri they’re moving too quickly for me to hit, back off and let them come to me.’  
‘Marcus, she doesn’t have much more in her. Hurry up.’ Lexi scolds and the cat merely nods before Michael leaps into battle. Iri takes a deep breath and uses her powers to slam them against a nearby tree, it’s so powerful that the tree starts to crack. At that moment Michael zaps the tree, hoping to shock the pair but instead it just sets the tree on fire. The fire spreads until it is surrounding them like a ring causing the attacking felines to be cast in an eerie glow.   
“Why don’t you just give up Sweetheart we both know you don’t have it in you.” Erik asks with a smirk as he circles the woman and then pins her swiftly causing the fox to wriggle desperately beneath him. "We both know how this ends, and you can’t deny that.”  
“No… No I know how this ends for you because you are a monster.”  
“Say that all you like, but it doesn’t change the truth that I’m not.”  
“What the fuck are you talking about? You killed my sister in cold-blood, you're a fucking monster!” Michael growls as he leaps at the panther, tackling him off of Iri who scrambles to her paws.   
“... Well she shouldn’t.”  
“NO, you are a murderer and there is no excuse. You’ve killed countless of innocents, and for that you will pay with your life.”  
“Michael that’s cheesy even for you.” Erik taunts with a look of disappointment. The bobcat says nothing to that, and Iri takes this moment to pin the panther with her powers, trapping him completely. As if he knew what was about to happen Erik starts to struggle violently in an attempt to throw Iri off. “Iri don’t.”  
“Fuck you.” Iri growls before reaching down and ripping the man’s throat out with her teeth. She watched with a face of stone as the blood drained from his body, and the light from his eyes. It took merely minutes for the man to die, and even in death he wore a smirk as though he’d somehow won... Perhaps he did, in the end his training was always working towards the goal of making her a killer, and well in the end that's exactly what she'd become. This wasn't the first time she'd killed, and this probably wouldn't be the last... Lexi searches the man’s body, and mind for any trace of life; she finds nothing and Iri turns away from the corpse to face Seth who Michael had pinned underneath a tree branch. “That Erik from before, that was Samuel wasn’t it?”  
“Yes, and you killed him…. It didn’t look like it at first, but he had been stabbed in the kidney.”  
“Any last words.” Iri says in a stern tone that reminds Michael of an executioner.  
“Bitch.” Seth chokes out as Iri crushes his throat suddenly, she didn't care what this worthless man had to say. The blood lust singing through her veins and causing a smile to fall upon her blood stained face, a triumphant feeling falls over her that she knows will turn into disappointment... Killing was a necessary evil, and Iri knew that now. She watches with a satisfied smile as the man finally draws his last gasp, and stills completely underneath the heavy branch. Michael turns to face Iri who is now wavering on her paws. Her energy was gone. The strength it took to kill those two was more than she had, and soon she would fall into the darkness that was calling her.   
“You okay?”  
“Just tired… Let’s go home.” Iri mumbles tiredly as she shuffles forward, and Michael shifts back before picking her up. He doesn’t bother searching for a car knowing that Geoff was already on his way anyways, and if he had to guess they’d run into each other eventually. Iri falls into a deep slumber in his arms, her smile replaced with an expression that Michael had never quite seen on her. It was a look of deep peacefulness, and he guessed it was from killing that man.... Marcus too wears a similar look, and appears beside him as they walk off into the night.


	74. How did you do that?

Geoff

He didn’t tell anyone what his plan was and honestly Geoff was glad he didn’t because watching his sweet Kit rip out a man’s throat… well it was far more graphic than he would like to admit. He’d seen people die from that kind of injury countless times, but watching his young mate perform such a brutality shook him to the core. To know that this is what it had come to was upsetting to say in the least. Geoff follows Michael for about a fourth of a mile before finally making his presence known to the man, and taking Iri from his arms. The feline looked a little tired, and had mild injuries but nothing he couldn’t heal.   
“Geoff, I know.”  
“Michael, I only arrived at the very end.”  
“She killed him… Like they’re both.”  
“I know… She needs a bath.”  
“Naa I think the blood of her enemies suits her.” Michael mumbles sarcastically as Geoff opens the car door for him, and then places Iri on the back seat.   
“Yeah about that... Did she say anything afterwards?”  
“No, should she have?” Michael asks as Geoff starts up the car and pulls onto the road.   
“It’s just the way she killed those two. The passion in her eyes, well it’s just a little unsettling... like she had.”  
“Geoff, Erik did what he always did… He found her weak spot, and played upon it till he got the response he wanted. And in some sick way he probably wanted this… I can’t imagine a man like that who wanted to live knowing all the terrible things he’s done.” Michael explains as he lays his head down onto Geoff’s lap, yawning tiredly. “Killing him couldn’t have been a bad thing.” Michael murmurs quietly while the man above him strokes his hair soothingly. Geoff says nothing choosing to continue driving with Michael resting peacefully on him.   
“Go to sleep baby boy, I’ll wake you when we get home.” Geoff murmurs, though the man was already sleeping judging by the sound of soft snoring emulating from him. From there Geoff drives at a relaxed pace versus the frantic one he took to get here. It takes nearly twice the amount of time to get home, but when he does Todd alerts him that Iri was just starting to rise. “Morning Kit.”  
“Mmm.” Iri murmurs holding back several groans of pain that were just on the tip of her tongue. However, just the fact that Geoff was greeting her was a god send…. Also it meant that she’d really killed him… She had really killed the man who had been causing her problems, and that was fantastic! No longer would she have to worry about being followed, or her family being threatened. They were safe, and life could hopefully go back to normal.  
‘Is life ever truly normal for our kind?’ Lexi interjects quietly, drawing Iri from her thoughts and back to the present. ‘Mistress?’  
“Kit?” Geoff inquires when he notices how quiet she was in the back seat, he glances in the mirror only to catch her staring out the window intently. “Iri are you okay?”  
“Yeah… Just fine Geoff.” Iri mutters in response as she stares deeply at the reflection staring back at her. This was the face of a killer, an animal, and a… a monster. She had killed several people tonight, and while she could say it was in self defense or to protect her family but in the end she still took two lives… Plus Becca, and Serah. Iri had killed four people to complete her goal… Watching her reflection she notices how two tears create salty trails from her eyes to her chin, and then one of them slips over the dark scar on her throat as if to remind her of the man she’d just killed. Geoff can’t hear her thoughts, but he knows exactly what she’s going through. He’d seen plenty of people go through this, and even he himself had trouble coming to terms with the thought of killing. Even when it was done in defense or for the greater good… It never felt good when you were forced to play God. “Stop staring at me Geoff.” Iri mumbles bitterly when she notices the man looking at her intensely.   
“Oh and why shouldn’t I stare?”  
“Because I’m nothing to stare at.”  
“Psh that’s a fucking lie and you know it, Kit you are always something to stare at.” Geoff says snappily and watches a small smile sneak onto her face.  
“Yeah that’s only because I’m a trainwreck, and you don’t want to look away.”   
“Kit, I’m just trying to compliment you and you're just being difficult… Don’t make me come back there and beat your ass.” Geoff threatens only to hear the sound of chuckling in response. “What’s so funny?”  
“Only you would compliment me while I’m covered in another man’s blood… well actually two men’s blood. I hope none of them had any blood related diseases.” Iri mutters as Geoff parks the car in the driveway, and before she can make it two steps from the car a pair of arms wraps itself tightly around her waist. Said arms then pull her into the house before she can even say hello. The arms which still haven’t said hello continue dragging… well it was more of carrying than actual dragging. Eventually after a flight of stairs Iri finds herself deposited in the large bathtub with vanilla scented bubbles next to Ray who was mewling into Gavin’s gentle touches, helping to clean the unwilling Omega. Ray hated showering when he went through his heats so it was often a challenge to get the man clean.   
“Skye?”  
“Yeah it’s been a long day Ray, how are you feeling besides the whole heat thing?” Iri asks quietly before trying to climb out only to be growled at sharply by Ryan who was sitting on one of the stools in front of her. “Ryan can’t I do this.”  
“No Faline, and besides bathing a mate only serves to deepen the bond.”  
“Been reading scientific studies again I see.” Iri mumbles huffily and practically screams when she feels her clothes suddenly flash burned off. In her fear she had jumped up and nearly fallen out of the tub. “What the fuck!”  
“Skye relax.”  
“Dude warn a girl next time!” Iri shouts as she stops thrashing, and Ryan motions for her to sit down in front of him. “I’m washing myself.”  
“Come here, and let me help.”  
“Ryan, you're being weird right now.”  
“Love he’s not being weird he was just worried… like we all were.” Gavin adds as he scrubs Ray’s hair while the man purrs happily at the attention.  
“Yeah, no I get that, uh completely… but it’s just that you aren’t trying to bathe me like I’m a child.”  
“Well I do call you my kit, so you can’t help it if we tend to baby you. Iri just enjoy your bath.” Geoff orders sharply before disappearing again leaving them back to what they were doing. “And yes I know you're not a child, but don’t forget you are much younger than us, and that instills a certain protective instinct in us men-folk.” They hear Geoff say from down the hall.   
“I’m like twenty-five, a woman in her prime. Also I don’t need protection, I’m perfectly capable!” Iri shouts back while Ryan just rolls his eyes as he washes her body gently with a wash cloth until she flinches away from him. She still had wounds to tend to, and this man was being far too thorough for her body’s liking. ‘Fucking Alphas.’ Iri thinks angrily when Ryan hits a particularly sensitive claw rake.   
“Faline what’s wrong?”  
“Nothing… Just give me the rag.”  
“Love just let him do it.” Gavin says as he helps Ray out of the tub and into a fluffy towel, which the man didn’t need as he uses his powers to dry quickly. The brit sighs and nips the man’s ear playfully causing him to chuckle, while flipping him off and heading towards their room. Leaving Gavin, Iri, and Ryan in the bathroom. Iri was slowly inching away from Ryan with the Alpha reaching for her. “Iridessa, what are you doing now?”  
“I’m trying to get a washcloth so I can clean myself like an adult does, what are you doing?” Iri grumbles while trying to work the cloth from Ryan’s hands with her powers, but for some reason the room was getting a bit fuzzy. “Ry?”  
“Yes, Faline.” Ryan answers watching the woman unceremoniously give up, and come closer to him. “Are you alright?” He asks with a knowing smile as Gavin stares at her with a stern look.  
“Of… Of course I am… So fine.” Iri trails off but not before she leans towards the Alpha reaching to grab her. She isn’t quite sure, and neither is Lexi why her body felt particularly pliant, like she couldn’t care less that Ryan was being thorough… In fact she kinda wanted him to go a bit deeper.  
“Iri what’s wrong?” Gavin inquires mockingly, he knew she was far too relaxed to pick up on his tone.  
“Fuzzy… and sorta horny… Where’s my Papa at?” Iri mumbles quietly not even fighting when the man reaches between her legs to continue cleaning. “Geoff!.... Geoffrey!” Iri shouts into Ryan’s shoulder effectively muffling them to her just loudly talking.   
“Love be quiet, shhh just relax and let Rye-bread finish up.”   
“Gav why… Gav you sound kinda rapey… what am I feeling?”  
“Relaxed, I thought you needed some help.”  
“Mmm definitely rapey.… but this is... nice.” Iri moans, a low purring sound in the back of her throat. She closes her eyes and attempts to rock her hips into Ryan’s hand only to feel a sharp slap connect with her ass. Iri yelps in shock and stills her hips instantly, burying her head deeper into Ryan’s shoulder…. In what can only be described as childish.   
“Good girl, now come on let’s get you rinsed off and into some pajamas.” Ryan cooes as he holds the relaxed woman while Gavin grabs the showerhead. Iri allows her body to be rinsed off, picked up, and then wrapped in a towel. She goes to stand up, but Ryan scoops her up before taking her to the bedroom where Geoff, Ray, and Michael were already curled up peacefully. “Faline, don’t fall asleep just yet… Come on we need to get some clothes on you.”  
“No.”  
“Yes Faline, now sit up.”  
“Fuck you.” Iri quips still working through the dregs of Gavin’s powers. “You're potent you know that?”  
“Love, quiet they’re sleeping.”  
“I… I need to… I have to do something.” Iri mutters suddenly as she feels several cuts re-open reminding her of the stitches she still needed to give herself because her telepathic ones weren't quite doing the job any longer. “Ry, I’m serious this can’t wait.”   
“Shh Love, just let him.”  
“No!” Iri growls softly at him trying to be respectful of her mates trying to sleep a few feet away. “I need to do this, so back off.” She orders while standing to her feet, and trying to push past the pair.   
“Iri what’s so important that you can’t stay here and cuddle with us?”  
“Stitches okay? I can’t heal myself yet, and I didn’t want to wake Geoff because he’s probably been super stressed and he needs his sleep…. He’s old and the last few days have been rough for him I’m sure…. I just need the medical kit in the bathroom, okay.” Iri explains angrily to the pair who stares at her in concern. “Why do you think I wanted to wash myself Numb-knuckle?”  
“So that’s why you were so flinchy.”   
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything else choosing rather to shoulder past him, and then into the hallway letting the towel drop at their feet. The pair turn to find her already gone again, and the corridor empty. Ryan picks up the towel which he notes is streaked with several thin lines of blood. A sense of concern flares up in both of the men when they see the blood, and then the lack of sound only furthers to aggravate their worry.   
“Iri do you need help?” Ryan asks as they make their way to the bathroom where she was; he didn’t know much about stitches but he might be able to help at least morally. “Iri?”  
“Leave me alone okay.” Iri growls while shutting the door quickly to keep the pair from seeing her disheveled state. She wished Geoff was awake so he could help her with this, and maybe hold her because she didn’t know why but an overwhelming sense of guilt was lodging itself in her mind. However, the pair don’t leave and Ryan continues knocking on the door until Gavin produces a key. Upon opening the door they find Iri sitting in the bathtub with her knees drawn up, and tears streaming down her face, sobbing softly. “I.. I don’t… I don’t know how to do this, and I can’t breathe, and I don’t know why but I can’t stop crying, and I’m scared… And I just… I’m sorry.”  
“Oh, Love there’s nothing to be scared of… Shh it’s alright.” Gavin soothes as he sits on the edge of the tub only to feel a wall surround her. “Iri what are you… Love take down the wall.”  
“I… I don’t know how, and neither does Lexi… We’ve tried everything, and nothings working.”  
“Hey it’s okay we’ll work this out together… Faline you need to relax your mind, and lower.”  
“I tried that Ryan! It didn’t work do understand how frustrating this is? These are my god damn powers, and I should be in control of them! So don’t feed me that bullshit line about relaxing, it doesn’t work.” Iri snaps at him tears still streaming, and almost immediately she felt terrible afterwards… “I.. God damn it what’s wrong with me! I’m sorry Ryan.”  
“Kit, Todd tells me you're in need of some gentlemanly assistance.” Geoff says gently as he appears in the doorway with his casual smirk.   
‘Well actually it was Lexi, but that’s a minor detail.’ Todd answers as he appears beside Lexi on the bathroom floor.  
“Anyways… Kit what’s going on?”  
“I can’t.. I can’t heal these, and I don’t know how to.”  
“Iri, why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Geoff asks with a heavy sigh as he motions for the other two to leave. “Come on let this down so I can stitch you up Killer.”   
“I..”  
“Don’t give me that bullshit you know exactly how to take it down, now do it.”  
“Geoff.”  
“I said now Iridessa.” Geoff growls in a stern voice, and Iri merely nods in response. It can’t take more than ten seconds for her to figure it out, and Geoff smiles kindly. “That’s Papa’s smart girl. Now where’s the cuts?”  
“Geoff how did you…” Gavin mumbles in shock as he watches Iridessa instantly comply to his wishes. Geoff just smiles and shrugs before picking up a needle and threading it. The man wastes no time in starting to stitch together the shaking woman’s skin.   
“Baby girl you need to stay still.”  
“Sorry Papa… It hurts.”  
“I know Kit, but if you don’t stay still I’m going to have to redo them.”  
“You were right.” Iri admits after several minutes of silence causing the Alpha to stop in his task.  
“About what?”  
“You told me a long time ago that I couldn’t… That I couldn’t do this alone, and you were right. I don’t think I would have had the strength to… to fight him if you, and… If all of you hadn’t pushed me to. Long story short I love you… All of you, even when you piss me off.” Iri manages to stutter out, and Geoff just laughs… Like a fully belly laugh that throws Iri for a loop. “What’s so funny?”  
“The fact that you think we’ve made any difference in you… Baby girl, you would have still been the same hard-headed, angry, passionate woman you are today. Maybe a little less violent, but hey that’s really just circumstantial. Hmm probably a little more wound up sexually, but that’s also circumstantial.”  
“It’s not my fault I fell in love with five amazing men with great bodies.” Iri teases as she watches Geoff roll his eyes.   
“I think you fell in love with all of us because we each have a personality to suit yours.”  
“Mmm that’s true. Gavin is my bubbly puppy with energy that has no end, Michael is my short-tempered ginger who personifies the color red perfectly, Ryan a charming wolf who shows me the meaning of sensuality, then there’s Ray… I mean what more can I say than Team Stray, and lastly there’s you… My strong, but sweet Papa, my Alpha, the man who showed me that my place was in his pack but mostly his heart.” Iri tells him with a smile as he finishes up his work, and places a light kiss on her lips. She leans over the ledge and follows him when he pulls back Iri huffs. “Papa please.”  
“Please what?” Geoff asks with a smile, as he picks her up and puts her on top of the counter. He grabs a nearby rag and begins washing off the remaining blood before grabbing a bottle of rubbing alcohol as well as a few bandages. “Also do you have broken ribs?”  
“...”  
“You do don’t you? Christ Iri tell someone something once in a while will you!” Geoff growls as he opens the overhead cabinet in search of a body wrap and pain killers.   
“I feel like I just told you a lot Geoff, so back off.” Iri says in a sharp voice as she hops off the counter, and heads towards the stairs. “I’m sleeping on the couch tonight.”  
“Kit, I didn’t mean it like that… I just. You worry me, you know that? Out of everyone in this entire house, out of all the kids and everybody; you worry me the most… well you and Dex, especially when you're together.” Geoff explains but is cut off by a glare, and a growl… As well as her slamming the front door. “Todd?”  
“Yes Geoffrey.” Todd says as he appears beside the gent sitting on the coffee table.  
“Is she okay?”  
“No, not really. Geoff she just killed two people, and it lingers on her… The poor girl is so distraught she’s barely keeping herself together. Do you remember the first time we killed?”  
“I do… Ironically enough it was to save Erik.”  
“Then I believe you also recall how terrible it felt.”  
“Yes, but it was different.”  
“It always is.” Todd answers with a roll of his eyes, sometimes he wondered how Geoff could be so unempathetic and be such a caring man at the same time.   
“You know I can feel that… Also I’m a conundrum I know.”  
“Good word choice Alpha, now are you two coming to bed or what?” Ryan interjects as he walks down the stairs only to see Geoff standing alone by the door. “You let her leave?”  
“Well less of a letting, and she just ran out...However, not before calling you charming.” Geoff adds and watches the man stare at him in disappointment. “Don’t look at me like that, she’s difficult.”  
“Yeah she is, and that’s how you know she needs you the most… I’m going to find her before something else does, or she does something stupid.” Ryan says while nabbing a set of keys and heading out, closing the door softly behind him.


	75. Ominous... Even for you

Iri and Ray

Iri wasn’t shocked by the pair of shining amber eyes that were following her, but she was rather frustrated given that they belonged to an Omega in heat. Especially given that it was nearly two am and that Omega should be snuggled up in their warm bed, resting till the next wave of his heat hit… not chasing her around.  
“Ray go home.”  
“Come with me.”  
“I don’t want to, I’m going to the office to finish up some work for Monday.” Iri answers as she stops padding along the sidewalk to stare at the ocelot trailing her quietly. “I’m not taking you with me, so go.”   
“Skye can’t you just do it at home?”  
“No, not these ones. I need a few reference sheets, plus a script, and all of that is at the office.” Iri explains and truthfully she was actually heading to the office… Hopefully doing some work would help kick her out of the mood she was in. Also Geoff had kinda pissed her off so just another reason to head there.   
“Well I’m coming with you.”  
“No you aren’t, Ray Narvaez Jr. go home.” Iri commands adding emphasis with her powers, and watches the man turn himself around and head back to the house. Once Lexi tells her that the man made it safely back in the house they continue their journey to the office which takes a solid hour in her fox form. Though it only took that long because she was being extra careful in making sure she didn’t draw attention to herself. Upon entering the building she heads to her office, and fishes out some of the clothes she keeps there for moments like these. Pulling on an AH hoodie, a pair of leggings, she rolls up her sleeves and goes to work. 

Ryan

It was about four a.m. when Ryan had finally decided to try the office, and he was hoping that she was there because she wasn’t anywhere else. He had even called Miles in hopes that the woman was with him, and it was there he received a very tired. "Try her office." So here he was at the side entrance to the Annex where he office was, and after opening the door he instantly sees several lights that someone had either turned on or left on… He doubted the latter seeing as Matt was a bit of a stickler about that kind of stuff. Making his way towards the lights he finds exactly what he was hoping for… Iri working diligently at her desk, and Lexi sleeping quietly on the nearby couch, music playing in the background, and her voice murmuring the words tiredly.   
“Let’s have some fun this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick.”  
“You know I never took you for a Lady Gaga fan.”  
“There’s still a lot that you don’t know about me.” Iri answers casually without even turning to face the man, she had felt him come in a long time ago so it was no shock that he was here. “What are you doing here?”  
“I feel like you know the answer to that question… What are you drawing?” Ryan inquires as he grabs a nearby chair and rolls it over to where she was sitting at her desk. He picks up a piece of paper, and finds it a doodle of Geoff in a very compromising position. “You know not that I don’t appreciate a submissive Geoff, but I have a feeling this is a little unrealistic on your part… We all know you don’t like to dominate... Or have a strap on.”  
“Tch, I might learn... Also I could, you never know.”  
“Tell me what’s wrong Faline.” Ryan murmurs softly into her ear, and nibbles the furry white tips till the woman makes a quiet sigh. “Tell your Daddy what’s troubling you.”  
“It’s just been a hell of a day Ry, and besides some things I think I need to work out on my own… Also don’t ever call yourself Daddy, it’s kinda creepy.” Iri answers while leaning away from the Alpha to hunch back over her art. Ryan however, was not taking no for an answer as he persists in his ministrations only this time he works her shoulders knowing that his claiming mark was a particularly sensitive spot on her body. “I… oh… Sto.” Iri starts to stutters, but gives up and instead chooses to roll her shoulders back to give the gent more access. Ryan purrs eagerly at her response, and begins biting her harder. Iri however, had no intention of giving in as she suddenly twists around and pushes him up against a nearby wall. Using her knee to part his legs she begins devouring his mouth, and grinding up against him roughly. Ryan tries to flip them, but Iri uses her powers to keep him pinned so she can do as she pleases. She takes her time kissing him, teasing him with her tongue, and forcing the Alpha to be the submissive. When she finally pulls back for a breath Ryan stares down at her in surprise. However, his surprise is short lived as he let’s Godric take over. The wolf wastes no time in pushing Iri back, and sweeping her feet out from under her. He catches the woman right before she falls, and pins her to the floor with a smirk. The wolf gathers both of her wrists in one hand, restraining them above her head and using the other to rub her through her leggings.  
“You know these are far too thin... I don’t think these can even be considered as pants.” Godric teases as he shifts a little to give himself claws, starting at the top of her neck he slices through the hoodie’s fabric and then through the thin material of her leggings. “Hmm no undergarments… Living vicariously I see.”  
“I don’t keep underwear at work… that’d be weird, now let me up.” Iri mumbles and bucks up attempting to throw the man off but it only results in a mild upset. “Godric, get off.”  
“Oh hush, and spread your legs Omega.”  
“... If I wasn’t totally into being dominated that would be terribly demeaning.” Iri mutters with a small smile, and Godric just smirks as he begins trailing his claws down her body careful of the stitches. He makes note of the heavy bruising around her midsection, and continues on to her thighs leaving thin red lines that Godric knew she could heal very easily. Once at her thighs he cuts through the remaining cloth causing a small needy whimper to come from her throat. With a smile he pulls the shredded cloth from her body, and moves down to her pussy. It was a cold day in hell when Ryan gave oral, but Godric on the other hand loved it. Placing soft kisses on her sex he begins licking gently at her clit causing raucous moans to fall from her lips, and her hips to buck up slightly.   
“Stay still Iridessa, or I’ll make you stay still.”  
“What are you going to do? Turn me invisible.” Iri taunts as she bucks again, and yelps loudly when she feels herself flipped over. “Hey don’t be so rough.”  
“Whatever you say Princess.” Godric says with a roll of his eyes and slaps her ass harshly.  
“Ow, what the fuck Godric?.... Don’t call me Princess.”  
“You. Need. To. Learn. To. Behave. And. Do. What. You. Are. Told. To. Do.” Godric states punctuating each word with a hard slap to her ass. “And I’ll call you whatever I please.. Prissy.”  
“I feel like you made that sentence much longer than it needed to be.” Iri mumbles under her breath to low for Godric to hear, and that must have upset him because of the next five hits that he delivered came particularly fast and hard.  
“If you have something to say, say it loud enough so I can hear… Otherwise we might be at this all night.. Maybe even till Monday. Can you imagine the look on your father’s face when he sees his precious little princess spread out on the floor getting her disobedient ass spanked?” Godric whispers in her ears, and watches as they immediately turn downward in fear. “Oh, nothing to say to that huh?... Is it because you know I’ll do it Bambi?”  
“Ric, please don’t.” Iri begs with a fearful whine as her legs begin to shake from exertion, normally she could go all night just fine but right now her body just wanted to be fucked and put to bed…She was horny, but also tired a strange mix. Godric just sighs before trailing soft kisses down her spine, and rubbing her sore ass gently.   
“Are you going to be good Princess?”  
“Yes Ric, whatever you want… Just not so rough please.” Iri moans out as the man begins working a few fingers in and out of her slick hole. “Please… Please.”  
“Please what?” Godric asks as he pulls out his fingers, and starts massaging the base of her tail.  
“.... Jackson… Oh… God yes Jackson… “ Iri says in pure pleasure, and at the sound of another’s name Godric stops completely. “I meant Godrickson.”  
“Who is this Jackson?” Godric asks as he grips her tail tightly, and plunges himself into her deeply.   
“A friend… Godric… Oh God faster please.”  
“No, I’ll go as fast as I please and what do you mean by friend?”   
“He… We...Coworker.”  
“Here?”  
“Godric, I’m so close.”  
“That doesn’t answer my question Princess. Now where does this Jackson work.” Godric asks as he speeds up his thrusts, and leans down to bite her shoulder, right under several lines of stitching. He listens as she cries out loudly, and her pussy clenches tightly around him signalling that she had came. Iri feels herself worked through an orgasm, and Godric goes for another two leaving the woman panting into her arms, her tail and ears both lying flatly in exhaustion. “Bambi where does Jackson work?”  
“Here… in the… community department.” Iri tells him as he finally cums in her, his knot catching, and securing him to her. “Ric, why does it matter?”  
“No reason, simply curious as to who was such a superb lover that you would remember him so vividly.”  
“You sound jealous.” Iri comments as the man rocks his hips gently causing her to mewl quietly.  
“Not jealous, just interested and besides you seem far too content on my knot to ever leave.”  
“He was my first love... what can I say a girl always remembers her first love.”  
“I thought Gavin was you're first love?” Godric inquires and she shakes her head in no.  
“Gavin was my first lust that just so happened to turn into love.” Iri explains tiredly, and with this Godric seems to be satisfied enough as he settles down beside her on the floor. “A happy coincidence in my opinion.”  
“You're lucky that it was me and not Geoffrey.”  
“I know… I am sorry about that by the way… I’m just really tired.”  
“.... Well then I suppose it’s time for you to call it a night Prissy.” Godric whispers quietly as he pulls the woman into his grip only to feel a sharp flick on his nose. “Ouch, what was that for?”  
“Do not call me Prissy, Godric.” Iri warns with enough venom to let the wolf know she meant it.   
“Very well Bambi, now go to sleep and in the morning we’re going home.” Godric acquiesces with a sigh, and waits for some noise of agreement to come from her but the only sound that does is a quiet snore. The wolf says nothing more, and finally allows Ryan to surface again… even though he hadn’t been fighting particularly hard to take over.  
‘Godric, she loves us right?’  
‘I don’t doubt that she does for a second… she just forgets sometimes.’  
‘That’s ominous even for you Godric.’  
‘It’s hard for her to know…. Erik destroyed her sense of trust, and then Geoff’s secret a few months back only serve to shake it’s rickety foundation further. I’m surprised she’s still here for the most part, at least mentally… She’s trying very hard, and I think it’s purely for the children… And perhaps Geoffrey.’   
‘Why only Geoff?’  
‘Because he’s her Alpha. The same reason Ray still chooses to spend time with us versus the others, or Gavin and Michael and Geoff. It’s not a matter of who they like more rather it’s who’s their Alpha.’  
‘I..’  
‘We’ve suspected that for a while, I know. You just never choose to say it… Never forget that you are me, and I am you for better or worse, we’re stuck with each other.’  
‘So do you think that’ll ever change?’  
‘Never… It’s nature Ryan, and in the end nature always wins.’  
‘Again with the ominousness.’ Ryan communicates only to feel the wolf roll his eyes before disappearing deeper into his mind, leaving the gent holding the sleeping woman who was snuggling deeply into his side. “Sweet Faline, stay won’t you.”  
‘Always Stag.’ A voice whispers in his mind, and with that the man let’s sleep overtake him.


	76. Your silence is deafeningly annoying

Next Day  
Late Afternoon

Ryan awoke with a pain in his back, and a bad case of morning breath; wrenching himself up he finds the office empty save for him, and the art supplies. Pulling on his pants and grabbing his shirt he stands up looking for Iri once again.  
“Damn girl never stays like she should.” Ryan grumbles as he exits the office in search of her, until his phone starts vibrating. He pulls it out to find several texts from Geoff, and a few from the others asking where he was and if she was with him. Responding quickly he tells him that they spent the night at the office and should be home soon. After shooting them the texts he stretches, and truly begins searching for her only to be drawn to the kitchen area by the smell of coffee. Upon reaching the large open kitchen-like area he spots Iri standing in front of the stove naked with her tail swaying gently to the sound of classical music just loud enough for him to barely hear… The surprise symphony if Ryan remembered correctly, and he was just in time for the crescendo. Keeping his steps silent, and his gait easy Ryan creeps forward toward the unsuspecting woman making coffee. As the music gets softer and softer Ryan inches closer, and at the perfect moment he shouts boo in time with the sudden forte. He isn’t prepared for the vixen’s quick reaction. Ryan doesn’t even have time to contemplate dodging before he feels a strong punch to the gut, and a kick to the groin sending the man to his knees rapidly.   
“Oh shit! Stag I’m so sorry, I just.”  
“... I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have done that… It was in poor taste on my part.” Ryan chokes out as he falls to the floor trying desperately not to appear as weak as he was… by the look of concern in Iri’s eyes he was doing a terrible job.   
“Stag I’m really sorry, I just… I don’t know what I was thinking, who else would it be besides you. I didn’t think. Are you okay?” Iri rambles regretfully as she nuzzles his shoulder in apology. “I love you.”  
“I… I wish you didn’t kick so hard.”  
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything to this choosing to help the man up into a sitting position and she curls into his side silently, purring quietly when he runs a hand through her tail gently. She continues nuzzling the man till he picks her up fully, and places soft kisses on her lips till she offers him her neck in submission. Nipping her skin roughly, leaving dark bruises in his wake he creates a trail down her collarbone, and pausing at her breastbone to suck a dark mark before the start of her cleavage. He pulls back to find her eyes flickering in content, and her lips slightly parted as though she was beginning to pant. The air around them was scented lightly with her natural smokey smell, and his own dewy one.   
“As much as I’d love to play with you Bambi, I think your Alpha may be a bit perturbed if we don’t head home soon.” Ryan comments, and notices how the vixen deflates at the mention of Geoff. Pulling her in for a kiss, he smiles when her tail perks up in interest. “Where are your clothes?”  
“Godric decided that I looked better without them.”  
“Mmm not that I don’t totally agree with him, it makes it a little inconvenient to get you home.” Ryan says with a sigh before standing up with her still in his arms. Iri wraps her legs around him, and the man takes this as a sign that he was carrying her. “You're lucky you're adorable.”  
“I know Stag, I know.” Iri says with a little more feeling than he thought it deserved… As though the woman thought he meant something else. Ryan however, doesn’t push it as he heads towards the exit and Iri turns off the lights easily with her powers. The gent takes a quick look around to make sure no one is around before carrying Iri to the car. He goes to place her in the passenger’s seat, but the sound of a whistle stops him dead in his tracks.  
“Damn girl talk about being a free spirit.” A snarky voice comments, and Iri bares her teeth in response before Ryan shuts the door quickly to keep her in.  
“I really wouldn’t tease her if I was you, she’s got a nasty bite.”  
“Oh don’t worry about me Mister, I can take a little teeth.”  
“Shut the fuck up, and go suck a knot!” Iri growls viciously through the crack in the window.  
“Bambi settle down, and you should keep walking.” Ryan orders with a stern tone that seems to ward away the youngster completely. He climbs in the car, and the pair start off toward the house Iri curled as close to Ryan as she can be. “Bambi?”  
“Yes, Stag.”  
“Did you almost die?”  
“... Almost several times...Why?” Iri admits quietly with a purr as he strokes her tail.  
“Because you're always a bit more affectionate after near death experiences… Not that I’m complaining.” Ryan comments with a smirk that causes the woman to blush darkly. “That’s what embarrasses you? Iri here you sit naked in my car, and you're embarrassed by the fact that you love me… Bambi, I’ll never understand you.” He states as they pull up into the driveway, where he puts the car in park, and the pair just stay sitting.   
“It’s probably best that way.”  
“Most likely… we should head in before Geoffrey comes looking.”  
“My Papa will always come looking regardless.”  
“Damn right I will, now get your ass in the house.” Geoff states as he opens the door to find her curled up by Ryan, and he couldn’t help the pang of jealousy he felt seeing his Omega cuddled into another Alpha… Even if it was just Ryan. “Where are your clothes?”  
“It’s actually a funny story.”  
“Bambi, what part of Godric cutting your clothes off of you before fucking you is funny?”  
“... Well when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound very funny.”  
“Kit it wasn’t funny in the first place… Here take my shirt and cover yourself.”  
“And if I refuse?”  
“Geoff, I’m pretty sure she saves this rebelliousness for you because earlier she was compliant as could be… Bambi just put on the shirt so you don’t give some teenager a wet dream.”   
“Too late Mr. Haywood.” They hear shouted from the sidewalk by a pair of teenagers who lived a few houses away, it would be a lie if Iri said she hadn’t caught them watching her sunbathe.  
“Afternoon Xander, and Wilson.” Iri bids them cheerily as she dons Geoff’s shirt quickly. “How’s your mother doing?”  
“She’s great Ms. Burns, and wanted to thank you for helping her with Zoey.”  
“Anytime, it was my pleasure.” Iri answers as they pair continue down the path. “Great kids those two, and really helpful with the kits.”  
“Wait, what do you mean?” Geoff inquires as they enter the house, Iri doesn’t answer him choosing to head upstairs to shower. “Ryan what does she mean?”  
“Uh… I have no clue.” Ryan answers with a shrug. “Go ask the boys maybe?”  
“Will do… Also what do you mean she was compliant last night?”  
“Here I’ll just show you.” Ryan offers as he allows Geoff to enter his mind easily. The gent watches as the pair interact with little to no fighting, and then the Jackson situation appears. Geoff thought for sure Godric would have torn her a new one, but instead the wolf reacts calmly only spanking her enough to gain answers.   
“She doesn’t trust me?”  
“She doesn’t trust any of us for the most part, I doubt she trusts anyone but the kits.”  
“How long do you think she’s felt this way?” Geoff asks worriedly, and the man only shrugs unknowingly. “Is this why she never tells us what she’s doing?”  
“It’s possible.”  
‘Why does it matter?’ Iri adds quietly in the back of their minds. ‘Just leave it alone guys.’  
‘Iri we are having a conversation after you get out of the shower.’ Geoff answers back, and waits for her to say something, but the only sight they see is the one where Iri saunters down the stairs in lingerie. She had on a black corset with bright blue lacing she had on a matching black lace thong that tied on each side into bows. Her hair was tied into two pigtails held together by a black ribbon, and her tail had a matching bow at the base. On her legs she had on long black stocking that stopped midway up her thigh.   
“Papa do we really need to talk? Wouldn’t you rather play with me?” Iri murmurs in a sultry tone as she makes her way over to where Geoff stood next to Ryan. She doesn’t wait for an answer choosing to nuzzle her Alpha’s chest, affectionately nipping him softly with a purr deep in her throat. “Come play with your sweet Kit.”   
“How… How did you even… When did you have time to put that on?” Geoff manages to stutter out as he runs a shaky hand through her tail.   
“God damn Skye… You clean up nice girl.” Ray says as he and the others enter the room to find Iri lapping at Geoff’s hand from the floor. They watch with the ut most attention as the woman sits on the hardwood floor nuzzling his crotch and sucking on his first two fingers. Geoff feels himself harden at the feeling of her behavior.   
“Bambi, aren’t you just a vision.”  
“Yeah a real fucking lusty one.”  
“Michael she’s like an incubus.”  
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.” Iri whispers in a seductive tone, moving from his hand to mouth at the gent’s tenting crotch.   
“Love, I want you to be you. Not the whore you are acting like right now.” Gavin pipes up as he feels the hurt radiating from her, not only was it physical pain but emotional as well. The omega chooses to say nothing in rebuttal rather nuzzling her Alpha contently. “Love, do you really think this little act changes anything?”  
“He’s right you know Vixen… The pain radiates off you, despite the facade you put on.” Michael adds quietly, and Iri still remains silent against Geoff as if trying to hide from the truth. “Not that this isn’t appreciated, it’s just not the right time and you know it.”  
“....”   
“Still nothing to say Kit?” Geoff inquires as he leans down to pick the woman who was curled tightly into his legs. He picks her up easily and takes them over to the couch where she attempts to scramble away, but Ryan sits on the other side sandwiching her in. Iri still tries to wiggle away, but the twin growls stop her in her tracks. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be Iri, just talk to us.”  
“....” Iri chooses to stay silent, attempting to sink deeper into the couch in hopes of suddenly becoming one with it. Gavin watches her carefully like Wes had taught him to do. Wes had told him that if he was observant then using his powers would become easier… Because most people display their emotions through body language, and other gestures such as tone or their eyes. Windows to the soul as the popular saying goes, and Wes told him it was true. A lot could be told through a person’s eyes, they could portray joy, or hope as well as the greatest despair or distress… and as Gavin looked right now he saw a desire to hide, to be anywhere else but here, but mostly to run… She wanted to run far, far away to a place where she didn’t have to deal with herself, and the sense of distress. Iri may sit silently as the Alphas talk at her, but she was still coherent. She saw the way Gavin was watching her, and attempting to gauge her mood… It was curious to see the man using his powers, but not truly using his powers. He was using them in such a way that she’d never seen him use them before. Rarely did the man ever just watch, no Gavin always participated or threw himself into a situation. She couldn’t help the smile that graces her lips, and becomes even brighter when the sense of confusion falls over Gavin’s face. “I’m a conundrum remember. Did you really think it would be that easy?” Iri mumbles interrupting Geoff’s quiet monologue about dealing with killing people. Honestly the more she thought about it the less it was beginning to bother her. Those men had truly been evil, and killing them was probably way better for their kind in the long run… Though she wished she wouldn’t have had to do it , and it would probably always leave a scar on her soul but what was another one to her marred heart in the end… As long as she could keep it together for the kits, she could handle it, and if things really got bad Lexi would always step up to help.  
‘You know I will Mistress because I love you.’  
‘And I love you as well Alexia, now do you think Geoff will ever stop blathering about the aftermath of our actions.’   
‘If you two would listen then Geoffrey could stop talking sooner.’ Todd interjects sharply into her mind causing the two to jump. ‘In fact it is rather disrespectful for you to be ignoring him.’  
‘Not really ignoring… just…’  
‘Just not paying attention.’ Lexi finishes and kicks Todd out with the help of Iri. ‘I feel like that’s going to have some repercussions.’  
“Damn right it will! Are you kidding me right now? I have been working my ass off trying to console you and you don’t even feel bad!” Geoff shouts at her in outrage causing the woman to return to her mute state, and a fearful expression on her face sinking back into the couch. “No, now don’t do that… God damn it Iridessa you are frustrating! Loving you is nearly impossible you know that?”  
“.....” Iri remains silent choosing to stare demurely at the coffee table while the man next to her rants.  
“Sometimes it’s so easy it’s like breathing, but other times I feel like I have to force myself to… Is that what you want? Do you like feeling unloved?” Geoff yells at her, hoping to provoke some response other than the solemn head shake. “So you do like feeling loved for the record… You don’t like when I kick you out or you feel the need to leave?”  
“Geoff just because you are our Alpha it doesn’t give you the right to be an ass.” Michael mutters quietly in defense of Iri, he could tell the woman was starting to reach her limit by the fact she refused to speak.   
“I’m not being an ass Michael, I’m just curious as to why one human being would actively pursue feeling abandoned. Seeing as there is absolutely no reason for it, and she knows it.” Geoff argues as he pulls the woman to face him gently. “I am never going to leave you Iridessa, and that’s the fact of the matter. I don’t care how many times you push me away or try to run away, I will never leave or let you go… I’m your god damn shadow baby girl, and that’s it. Nothing more nothing less.” Geoff tells her passionately pulling her into his arms for a tight embrace, resting his chin on her head as she rested contently on his chest. “You're mine, and there’s… but more importantly ours. You belong with us, forever and always.”  
“....” Iri doesn’t quite know what to say to this declaration of love, of course she wanted to believe him. She truly did, but something… that tiny little voice in the back of her mind that wasn’t Lexi told her that maybe it was too good to be true… No matter how much someone claimed to love another, it could never truly last like they promised.  
“Love, does your sense of doubt truly run that deep? Has your heart been shattered so thoroughly that no ounce of trust can reside there?” Gavin questions when he catches the glimpse of doubt cross her face, it was only a shimmer but it was more than enough to catch his eyes. It was at that, that Iri finally felt a true pang of guilt… Was she broken?... Had life finally managed to wear down her resilience till she refused to try again?... Iri doesn’t dane the man with a response no she stands up swiftly to leave only to find her path blocked. She didn’t want to fight, but this was a question that she didn’t wish to even contemplate right now. Geoff was the first to act, he went to grab her arms so Iri quickly jumped to the left only to fall into Gavin who attempted to restrain her. Iri jabs him with her elbow in the side just enough to get him to release her, and from there she finds Ryan on top of her. Shifting smoothly she dashes for the door, but is suddenly trapped in a ring of fire. Looking to Ray in disbelief she finds the man biting his lip and staring off to the side in anger.   
“Skye, you're bleeding.” Ray states, and Iri looks down to find her fur matting heavily with blood, several puddles had formed around her paws. They watch as the vixen shifts back and is forced to the ground by her injuries. Iri can’t help the sense of dizziness she feels, and how her body soon commands her to lay down. It was comparable to an animal that realizes it is too injured to fight, so it curls tightly in on itself trying to hide from it’s impending fate. “Skye, stay still before you hurt yourself further.”  
“It’s my body…” Iri manages to stutter out right before she collapses in a pool of her own blood. Ray had extinguished his fire, and Geoff leans down to examine her wounds.   
“She told me, she healed.” Ryan says, and Geoff merely shakes his head in no. “I… I saw her this morning… These weren’t… Geoff you have to believe me these weren’t here… I would have never.”  
“Ryan, it’s alright… I should have known she would have hid these.” Geoff answers the frazzled man as he takes the kit from Michael who had ran to go get it as well as a towel. Gavin came back from the kitchen with a bowl of water, and a rag. “This was the real reason she ran away last night, it wasn’t that I hurt her feelings… No she didn’t want me to discover how hurt she really was.”  
“Why… why would she do that?”  
“Because she is strong, and she doesn’t like to admit weakness… She was raised in an Alpha household, and where there is no room for weakness.” Michael answers, he knew what she felt being the only omega in an all Alpha household.  
“No… well it could be, but it was Burnie and Joel. Not your typical knotheads, and besides I was around her growing up with Margaret and Kodie. This wasn’t the same as you Michael, no she just doesn’t like to let people in… It’s been six years and she still doesn’t think we’ll help her.” Geoff mumbles as he looks to Ray who is watching him closely. “Ray, was.”  
“Yeah… pretty much so, but.” Ray hesitates to go further, remembering the promises they made many years ago… A friend was only as good as the secrets they kept, and she had many… It took him a few minutes, and by then he had all ears. “I remember the first time we met, and it couldn’t have been more than a year or two of me moving down here… She had to be about sixteen at the time, and in the middle of a panic attack. I remember because I followed the sound of gasping to her. She was sliding down the side of one of the offices, I think it was Burnie’s or probably Joel’s. I waited at first to see if someone was in there, but after about two or three minutes I rushed over there to find her barely conscious… I had no clue what to do, and for some reason my first reaction was to hug her… Now you guys know me, and I am not a hugger but she looked like she really needed a hug… Or an inhaler. Anyways she must have been out for twenty minutes before coming to, and when she did the first thing she did was purr… Like one of those sleepy, adorable purrs she does, the one that makes you wonder how you could ever be mad at someone who made that sound. And then nuzzled my chest… Fucking cuter than hell, and fell back asleep. She must have realized that I was someone else because seconds later I felt a punch to the face and her scrambling away from me like I was on fire.” Ray explains and pauses to smirk at the woman Geoff was currently undressing. “From there she had profusely apologized, and said it was reflex which later I came to believe was true… especially when we would cuddle.”  
“Wait why did you two cuddle?”  
“Because we were lonely, and it was comforting… It felt nice to know someone who knew what you were feeling, and we took solace in each other… A shame she was underage at that point though because the sex would have been fantastic and I probably could have had her all for myself.”  
“Selfish Ray, really selfish man.” Michael comments as Ray just shrugs playfully.   
“Well I probably could have broken her of her mistrust hopefully… Then again that’s a problem only enunciated by Jackson… God he was a douche.” Ray mutters as he watches Geoff begin to clean her wounds. “He left her for an Omega woman far more complacent than her, and a lot more slutty… like her clothing was barely considered clothing… Iri has always had a knack for falling in love with assholes who left her.”  
“How many love interests did she have before us?” Ryan inquires, and Ray just shakes his head.  
“Too many for a woman as beautiful as she… She becomes withdrawn whenever I mention it, and sometimes if she got drunk enough she would talk about it… But we’re talking like nearly blackout drunk.” Ray tells them as he settles beside her head making a low purr in his throat, and she makes a return one causing him to smile a little. “Fucking asshole is listening right now.”  
‘Fuck off you know I can’t speak, at least physically.’  
‘How are you even talking right now?’  
‘Lexi took over at the last second, sensing that I should hear what was being said for myself. I can see you are sharing secrets.’ Iri mumbles dejectedly in his mind, as she takes the form of a fox near her body. It was a bit disorientating disconnecting herself from her body, and also really fucking cool. She watches Geoff work on her body, and them sit around it.  
“Lexi, what are you doing?” Gavin asks as he notices the presence of the fox.   
“She’s not Lexi, she’s Iri.” Ray says instantly outing the woman to keep her from slipping off like she probably planned to. She merely glares at the man who picked her up quickly to prevent escape even further.   
“Let go.” Iri growls quietly as she feels Ray’s grip on her tighten. “Ray, I will bite you.”  
“So about earlier Iri.” Geoff starts, and watches the fox instantly freeze in Ray’s grip. “You can’t just refuse to talk about it.”  
“....”   
“Well actually she can Geoff.” Gavin points out as the Alpha flicks his eyes to him in annoyance.  
“Iridessa if you don’t say something to me in the next five minutes I am going to take you upstairs and beat you till you do. Do not test me on this.” Geoff snarls as he watches the fox cower into Ray’s arms. She makes a quiet whine, and Ray only attempts to soothe the vixen with a purr.  
“Just talk to him Skye…. Save that beautiful ass of yours a beating.”  
“...” She says nothing just glares at Ray before biting his hand and marching upstairs.  
“Get back in your body, I’m not adding animal abuse to my list of crimes!” Geoff commands and watches as the woman humphs, but does as she’s told. Lexi however, still decides to separate sensing the incoming beating. Iri now in her body stands up with quickly only to fall back down, banging her head on the nearby table creating a gash on her head. “Seriously…. Kit you are killing me.”  
“Geoff she’s actually killing herself at this rate.” Gavin answers helpfully, but the glare he receives from the gent tells him it’s not as helpful as he thought. “Love are you alright?”  
“So… great Gavin.” Iri mumbles as she heals the wound easily… well actually not so easily now that she thought about it… Room was sorta spiny, and if it wasn’t for Geoff hauling her up she probably couldn’t stand.   
“It speaks, now unless you are going to talk to me we’re going upstairs right now.” Geoff asks and she shakes her head. “I swear you like getting put in your place.”  
“Ha, my place… that’s funny Geoffrey, and where exactly is my place?” Iri questions with a smirk, expecting a witty answers but instead receives a dead serious one.  
“Collared, leashed, and by my side always waiting for the moment when I decide to fuck you into tomorrow… Or and there is a second choice would you like to hear it?”  
“...” Iri only gulps, and shakes her head in no… She didn’t need another option because it was most likely worse than the first.  
“Well I think you should hear it… I could tie you down in the play room nice and tight with your pert little ass in the air, knotting dildos in your ass and pussy vibrating constantly keeping you fantastically wet for your Alpha… and your pack of course. It’s quite relaxing to know our sweet little Kit is waiting ready to please us.” Geoff says with an expression that let’s Iri know he might not be kidding. “Mmm what do you say to that boys?”  
“Sounds nice.” Ryan comments and the others murmur in agreement causing Iri to shudder in Geoff’s tight grip. “Bambi how much vacation time do you have left?”  
“....” Iri chooses not to answer that question because they knew she had about two weeks worth of paid vacation.   
“You know better Iridessa, you answer when we ask.” Geoff scolds as he slaps her ass suddenly causing the woman to yelp painfully. “You know ever since I first did this I knew it would be a recurring activity.”  
“You just like dominating people Geoff.” Gavin says and the gent scowls but then shrugs.  
“No… well yes, but it’s also because she enjoys this much more than she likes to admit don’t you Kit?” Geoff asks and waits for a response that doesn’t come, so he slaps her again. “We can play this game all night if you like.”  
“Let us know if you need help.” Ryan adds as the pair disappear into the playroom leaving the others mopping up the blood in the living room.  
“You know if someone were to ever use a black light in our house they might think we murdered someone in here.” Gavin states as Michael picks up the once light green towel now turned to a murky mix of red and green. Ray nods in agreement as he organizes the kit before taking it back to it’s place in the downstairs bathroom. The group from there falls into pairs. Michael and Ray turn on the Xbox to play some games, while Ryan and Gavin head out to the pool. Upstairs they can hear shouting, and crying but choose to ignore it because Iri could always safeword out… or just fight her way out if she really needed to.


	77. Just Like His Mother

Many Hours Later

Ryan and Ray were just finishing up making dinner when they hear a knock on the front door. Michael puts his game on pause before going to get it, and there stood the kits and Joel.   
“Sup Poppy.” Michael greets the tired looking Alpha who just glares at him. Joel hated when Michael called him that and he had a feeling the Omega was doing it on purpose at this point.   
“Hello Michael, where’s Geoff?”  
“He and Iri are working on some stuff right now.”  
“I see… well here’s the kiddos. Felicia isn’t feeling well, and neither is Scarlett. Leo and Dexter have been bickering all weekend, so it’s been interesting to say the least.” Joel explains as he passes a sleeping Scarlett over to Michael who takes her gladly. “She’s had a fever all night, and so has Dexter but he’s putting on a tough guy act.”  
“Just like his mother.”  
“Speaking of… She’s back isn’t she?”  
“Yeah, and I’ll explain it to you but not in front of them.” Michael murmurs quietly as he rocks the fussy girl in his arms. “Shh Scar, shh it’s alright baby girl.”  
“Dada, where my Poppa?”   
“He’s outside doing something. Let’s get you inside and into bed baby girl.”  
“Can I sleep with you tonight?” Scarlett asks sheepishly as her body shakes from fever. Michael nods as he cools his skin down a few degrees to help the girl who felt like she was on fire. The rest of the kits head inside as Joel waves before leaving. After taking off their shoes they settle on the couch where Ray and Ryan were lounging. The children amble past their fathers tiredly before following Michael upstairs to their bedroom. Michael sets Scarlett down for a second only for her to start crying quietly.   
“Scar, let’s get some pjs on and then I’ll take you to bed.” Michael says and the girl still cries, but nods in understanding as he dresses her quickly. She soothes instantly after he picks her up again, and he watches as the others climb into their beds. Felicia bunks with Leo like normal and Michael kisses their foreheads softly before turning off the light. Dex follows them to the master bedroom where he curls up onto Geoff’s side of the bed whimpering softly. “Dex, you want me to go get your Dad?”  
“No Papa Michael… Can I… Can I snuggle with you guys?” Dex whimpers pitifully, he wanted his Dad but there was no way in hell he’d admit that.   
“Of course Buddy, come here.” Michael tells him, and watches as the blue eyed boy scrambles over to curl up. Scarlett pulls her brother in swiftly, and purrs into his side. Michael runs his soothingly cold hands over their burning bodies, and frowns at the fever he feels. “Shhh go to sleep guys it’ll be better in the morning.”

Iri and Geoff

Geoff had long broken Iri, and now she was just sobbing quietly in his lap. Telling him how sorry she was, and how she loved them… both things Geoff knew she meant and would say. He had hoped she would talk about what Erik had said, but she refused and with the kits home he didn’t want to risk drawing attention to them. Right now he was content with the words she’d said, and also he didn’t want to really break her down anymore. The lashes on her back looked painful, and the gent was beginning to regret giving her so many... He hadn't realized how frustrated he had been until looking at the aftermath.  
“Kit, shh… Come on shhh it’s alright.”  
“Papa?”  
“Yes Kit?”  
“You… You love me right?” Iri asks sheepishly, she’d heard his declaration earlier but it… it never hurt to hear him say it again. “You do don’t you?”  
“Of course I do Kit, and I’ll never stop… Now let’s get you cleaned up, the kids probably won’t appreciate seeing you with semen all over you.” Geoff teases as he urges the woman into the nearby bathroom to get cleaned up. Iri doesn’t argue with him when the man runs a bath for her, and helps her get clean plus redress the wounds. He smiles at the soft purring emulating from Iri as he dresses her in a satin nightgown. Geoff runs his hands through her fluffed up tail and kisses her neck gently licking at the newly formed bruises he left there. Overall she had many more bruises, welts, and whip lashes on her backside but nothing that wouldn’t heal in a week or so.   
“Mmm Papa.”  
“Sorry Kit no more tonight, it seems we have guests in the bed.” Geoff mumbles after placing one last soft kiss on her lips before pulling back, but holding her near by the metal ring on her collar. She tries to pull back further however the Alpha shakes his head. “You are to stay by me do you understand?”  
“How long?”  
“Till I’m sure you won’t run off, and you're healed up. I will be checking to see how you are healing everyday, and this collar only comes off when I take it off.” Geoff orders strictly and watches as the woman nods in understanding, he releases her waiting to see if she truly got the memo. Iri obediently stays by his side, and he smiles brightly at her. “Good girl.” He praises, and she smiles happily at his words her tail swishing proudly. They enter the bedroom to find Michael doing his best to soothe the fever ridden kits whimpering quietly.   
“Scar, Dex what’s wrong babies?” Iri cooes softly at her sick children, who almost immediately smile at her presence.   
“Momma! You're back!”   
“I am, now tell me what’s wrong?” Iri asks as she settles on the bed beside Michael who was sitting up near the head. Michael grins at the sense of ease that seemed to radiate from the woman which helped to relax the kids as well.   
“My tummy hurts, and it’s so hot.” Scarlett answers as she snuggles closer into Michael’s cooler side. “And my body feels laggy.”  
“Laggy?”  
“Like look…. See it’s laggy.” Scarlett states as she moves her hand weakly.  
“Oh Scar you truly are your father’s daughter.” Iri tells her as she feels her daughter climb into her lap. “Dex do you feel laggy as well?” She asks and her son doesn’t verbalize, but he does nod his head in yes. Iri beckons to the boy who pulls from Michael’s side to snuggle into Iri’s. With the children resettled Geoff turns to leave, but a sound from Dex stops him.   
“Papa stay.” Dex mumbles weakly, and Geoff nods quickly before slipping in the bed. The kits fall asleep rather quickly, as do Michael and Geoff leaving Iri still awake. Once they had all been asleep for about an hour Iri pulls herself from Scarlett’s grip, readjusting her on Michael. Exiting the room quietly she pads down the hall to where her other children were to find them both sleeping peacefully. She leans down to place a hand on their brows to check for fever, and indeed finds one, sighing quietly she heads to the bathroom to get a cool washcloth for both of them. When she returns she finds Leo in the middle of the floor shaking violently.   
“Leo? Leo are you alright?”  
“Mommy… Mommy.” Leo stutters out as he tries to stand only to fall back down. Iri rushes to him, and wastes no time in scooping him up only to feel his temperature ridiculously hot. Her mind has never worked so quickly in moments like these, grabbing Felicia too she begins running a cold bath in the closest bathroom. Running into the bathroom she doesn’t even bother undressing them before putting them in the chilled water. Using her powers to keep them upright, but still in the water as she searches for the thermometer. She can hear their cries, and casting a glance backwards her resolve slightly wavers.   
“Lexi help… Please find that damn thermometer.” Iri begs as the vixen splits quickly, and dashes off in search of the machine. “Shh, I know it’s cold but it needs to be to cool you off.”  
“Mommy it hurts, please stop!” Felicia nearly screams in pain, and Iri feels tears starting to stream down her face… Iri says nothing as she holds her two feverish children in the water, by the sounds they were making it was like she was killing them…. and Iri couldn’t do it even if it was to help them. Her breathing was starting to become labored and the thoughts from earlier came back. She was a bad mother, and… she was hurting her kits… only monsters hurt their children. Iri lifts them out of the water, and takes the pair into her embrace not able to take the voices accusations any longer. “Mommy it hurts.”  
“I know Felicia, I know.” Iri whispers into her freezing wet hair as kisses her head.   
“Mommy where’s Daddy, or Papa Geoff?”  
“Leo they’re with Scarlett, and Dex… Gavin!” She calls out hoping the man was in the house or hopefully someone heard her. Ray and Ryan had gone out for medicine, she had heard them leave earlier. “Gavin!” Iri shouts louder in panic, she didn’t want to bother Geoff and Michael. After what seems like forever, Gavin comes dashing into the room to find Iri holding two soaked, shaking children.   
“Love what’s happening?”  
“Gav, the fever, and I.. I couldn’t keep them in the water… It was.. they were crying, and I.. I need the thermometer, Lexi and I can’t find it anywhere.” Iri stutters out in a frantic tone with tears thick in her eyes as she held the whimpering kits, rocking them gently. “Please… Please help.”  
“Sure, Iri. I’m positive the bloody thing’s got to be around here somewhere.” Gavin mumbles calmly, trying to soothe the frantic woman who nods slowly. “I’m sure… Here it is Love, right here.” Gavin tells her helpfully as he finds it in the closet behind a stack of towels. Clicking it on he places it under Leo’s tongue gently and then waits for it to beep, before moving on to Felicia. The readout says 103.1, and Gavin immediately balks at this. “Love we need to get them to the hospital.”   
“Go check Scarlett, and Dex. They weren’t feeling well either, but Michael was cooling them.” Iri stammers telling Gavin what she knew before lifting them up, and heading downstairs. Gavin dashes off to the master bedroom to find Michael rocking Scarlett in his arms, and Geoff rubbing Dexter’s back.   
“Gav, what’s wrong?”  
“Fel and Leo are burning up, we’re taking them to the hospital. How are those two?” Gavin asks quickly and the Alpha immediately changes his calm expression.   
“How bad?”  
“103.1 Geoff, and Iri… She’s not looking so great either.”  
“These two are okay, their fevers broke about an hour ago… You guys go, I’ll let Ryan and Ray know… And Gav you drive.”  
“But Geoff.”  
“You drive, she’ll be too distracted by them. Take them to the one by the office, it’s closest!” Geoff shouts as Gavin dashes out the door, it wasn’t often Gavin drove but now it would probably be best if he did. Iri was most likely incapable of doing anything that didn’t involve holding them. “And today just gets better.”  
“You worry too much old man, I’m sure they’ll be fine… Kids get sick all the time.”  
“You’re probably right Michael, it’s just been a long day and sick children never help.”  
“I’m sorry Papa.” Dex mumbles apologetically into his shoulder, and Geoff just shushes him.   
“It’s not your fault.”  
“But it is… I asked if we could play in the rain on Saturday, and… and now everyone is sick.” Dexter starts to sob in his father’s arms. “And now… Now they have to go to the hospital… It’s all my fault.”   
“Dex, it’s not your fault… and why did your grandfathers let you go outside in that storm?”  
“I.. I don’t know, but.”  
“Shh Dexy it’s not your fault, and the doctors will make them better. So we can all go yell at you're Poppy and Pappy together.” Geoff tells him with a smile shifting the boy so he was in his arms, and rocking him like he did when he was a baby… not that he wasn’t still practically a baby.  
“Papa, I’m four years old… I’m not a baby.”  
“Of course you aren’t…. Just like your mother.” Geoff says under his breath remembering the fit she had when Ryan had bathed her yesterday. “Dex are you feeling any better?”  
“A little, Papa you smell funny.”  
“Hmm?”  
“You smell… sick.”  
“But I’m not sick.”  
“... Then.. Momma is sick.” Dexter says with surety as he looks up into his father’s eyes, a sleepy look falls over him. “Her smoke is darker, and colder.” Geoff doesn’t know what to say to that as his son falls back asleep before he could ask him what it means. He turns to Michael who shrugs, and places Scarlett down on the bed.   
“I gotta use the bathroom, and I just heard Ryan’s voice so I’m going to get some medicine for these two.” Michael tells his Alpha who nods before sitting down on the bed beside the sleeping girl. Upon sensing his arrival she gets up to claim a spot on him.  
“Daddy Geoff?”  
“Yes Scar.”  
“He’s right about Mommy, she doesn’t smell normal… But it’s not sickness, it’s stress.” Scarlett clarifies, and the gent nods at this.   
“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t stressed, but I think she’ll be better now.”  
“I know, but Dex worries about her and she worries about him… and you worry about them both.”  
“Are you saying we worry too much?”  
“Yeah…. How can you learn to trust when you're always worrying?” Scarlett answers quietly before slipping under leaving Geoff to contemplate that nugget of wisdom alone.   
‘She’s bright…. and right.’ Todd mutters softly in the background.   
‘Fucking smart like her father.’  
‘Well you are talking about the man who asked if oxygen was really that big of a deal.’  
‘Yeah…. But when he’s right he’s right.’  
‘Hmm that’s fair. How do you think the ER is going?’  
‘With Iri there probably not well, she’s most likely raging momma fox demanding that doctors stop to help them… She might even use her powers if need be.’ Geoff conjectures, and can’t help but hope she wasn’t doing any of that…. But he probably knew that as soon as they got there she would nab the nearest doctor to help. ‘Or she’s a gigantic ball of anxiety… I’m glad Gavin is with her at the very least, hopefully he’s got her under control.’  
“Geoff, Michael just filled me in. Have you guys heard anything?”  
“Ryan they’ve been gone for like twenty minutes top, I don’t expect any news for awhile… You know how ER’s are.” Geoff mumbles as the Alpha sighs quietly before sitting down on the bed.  
“How are they?”  
“Not too bad, the fever broke a little bit ago and right now they’re just resting… Apparently Burnie let them play in the rain Saturday night, and now Dex blames himself because he asked.”  
“.... Just like his mother.”  
“I said the same damn thing.” Geoff mumbles, and Ryan shrugs. “I suppose it’s not the worst quality he could have.”  
“He could be a heroin addict.” Michael pipes up as he appears with a bottle and a spoon in hand.  
“My son is not going to be a heroin addict.” Geoff states with a glare as the other two just chuckle quietly.   
“Are you sure?... He’s kinda sketchy sometimes, like how did he escape during the attack.”   
“I.. He… I don’t know, and he won’t talk about it when I ask… Does Ray know anything?”   
“Sorry Geoff, I don’t know… It was so hectic, and I… The people, they.” Ray starts, but soon devolves into a stuttering mess. Geoff immediately felt terrible for asking him about it, that night seemed to leave it’s mark on everyone especially Ray… It must have been something awful the way Ray shuts down whenever someone mentions the night. “Their skin.. Fire.”  
“Kitten hey don’t worry about it, it’s fine… Another Ramsey-Burns mystery.”  
“I’m sorry Geoff, I.. I just lost track of him, I didn’t mean to.”  
“No, no Ray it’s fine and he’s fine and you're fine. It doesn’t matter Buddy, I’m sorry I asked.” Geoff apologizes quickly as he watches the man’s usually bright amber eyes cloud over. He says nothing more choosing to pull Ray down into the bed where Scarlett curls into him instead of Geoff’s side. Ray doesn’t say anything else he just holds the sleepy girl. Michael takes this time to crack the seal on the bottle, and pour some onto a spoon for her.   
“Scar wake up… Shh come on wake up little wolf, it’s time for some medicine.” Ray urges the small girl who was whining a bit at his gentle shaking. “I know little wolf, but you need to wake up for this.”   
“Where’s my Poppa?” Scarlett asks a bit disorientated by the sudden waking. “I want my Mama.”   
“We know, but right now there at the hospital with Felicia and Leo… How about you take the medicine Daddy Michael has, and when you wake I’m sure they’ll be here.” Ray bargains, and the sleepy girl growls lowly at him. She didn’t want them, she wanted her Mama or her Poppa not them! The girl shifts quickly and then scurries out of the room just as fast. “Fuck…. I’ll go find her.”  
“Dexter take this please.”  
“What?” Dexter mumbles in confusion as his father nudges him back awake, and presents him with a spoon full of something sharp smelling. “No...I don’t want it.”  
“Dex, it’ll make you feel better.”  
“Where’s Scarlett?” Dex asks deflecting the spoon with his hand effectively spilling it on the sheets. “Momma!”   
“She’s not here right now bud.”  
“What did you say this time Papa? What did you do?” Dex accuses angrily a growl sounding in his chest. “Huh?”  
“Dex you got it all wrong.”  
“No you did something, you always do something, and now she’s probably crying… You are so mean sometimes, I saw her crying.. Why do you say things to make her cry?” Dex yells as he shifts down, and pounces on his father growling weakly. He felt woozy, and now his head hurt even more from shouting; plus his throat felt a little scratchy.   
“Sometimes.”  
“No the answer is no, there shouldn’t be a reason. Daddy Ryan, Michael, Ray, or Gavin never make her cry like you do! I hope Momma leaves you!” Dexter snaps spitefully as he dashes out of room, and to the nearest closet he could find. He shifts back, and throws it open before locking himself in looking around quickly he realizes this was his mother’s art studio closet and it smelled a bit like paint but also like her too. Dex isn’t sure why he’s crying, but the tears won’t stop and for some reason being alone didn’t help… Usually it did. It was what he normally did when he had thoughts like these, he’d just hide until they went away and eventually they would… they always did. A sudden wave of fear washes over him, and it’s like the air around him was gone. His breath starts coming in ragged gasps that he can hardly take. Thinking quickly he opens the door in hopes of getting more air, but his lungs refuse to cooperate leaving him sprawled out on the floor gasping for air.   
“Geoff I found him! Dex what’s wrong?” Ryan asks as he finds the boy on the ground breathing raggedly, and his eyes barely open. “Dex? Dex can you hear me?”  
“Can’t… Can’t breathe.” Dex chokes out in Ryan’s grip as the man picks him up, and begins making soothing sounds.   
“Shh, focus on me. See how I’m breathing, you need to focus on breathing like me…. I know it’s hard, but you need to try…. Slow, deep breaths Dexy. Slow, deep breaths…. yeah just like that Dex…. Very good, now calm down… Just take it slow okay?” Ryan coaches as the boy slowly begins to breathe normally.  
“Why… What was that?” Dex asks in between breaths from Ryan’s comforting embrace. The gent just hushes him as he rocks gently causing the boy to relax a little. “Papa Ryan what was that?”  
“That’s called a panic attack, and they're very common your mother gets them often when she’s not with Gavin.”  
“Why?”  
“Because Gavin helps her to be relaxed, and she gets them when she’s stressed.” Ryan explains to the kit who nods in understanding, and nuzzles deeply into his neck. “You know, you were very hurtful to your father.”  
“He was hurtful to Momma, and she refuses to fight back… So I fought for her.” Dex says hesitantly, the more he thought about it the less he actually hoped she left because that would me they would all have to leave… and he loved his family…. His dad, not so much.   
“Hmm, I suppose that was very kind of you but do you think if he truly hurt her that she wouldn’t fight him?” Ryan asks and watches the boy peek out, and nod slowly. “Exactly, so what makes you think saying those things to him would make it better?”  
“Made me… Made me feel better.”  
“I see.” Ryan murmurs as he continues rocking him. “But did you ever think your father says those things because that makes him feel better, and the reason your mother doesn’t say anything back is because she knows that… Sorta like why sometimes she goes off by herself to paint, it makes her feel better.”   
“But he’s mean.”  
“Yes, but so is your mother… Not very often, but sometimes she is. Do you think it’s fair you only take it out on Geoff?”  
“....................................... No.” Dexter answers after a little bit, and before Ryan can say anything else the boy coughs harshly into his shoulder. Ryan grimaces at the way his little body shakes at the forcefulness of it. “I… I should apologize.”  
“You should, and you should take some medicine.”  
“Okay Rapa.”  
“Rapa?” Ryan questions as he carries the boy back to the room where Geoff sat with Scarlett, and he was attempting to coax medicine into her.   
“I’m tired of calling you Papa Ryan, so now you are Rapa.” Dex states, and the gent just rolls his eye before sitting himself down on the bed. “Papa?”  
“Not now Dex, I’m trying to do something.”  
“Yes Papa…. Scar just drink it, you’ll feel less laggy.” Dexter tells his sister who looks to him with a pout, but the glare he gives her let’s the girl know he wasn’t playing. She hesitantly opens her mouth, and swallows it before coughing a little at the taste.   
“Your turn Dex.” Geoff orders, and the boy just takes it dutifully. “There’s a good boy, now what did you need?”  
“I’m sorry… about earlier I mean… I hope she doesn’t leave you.”  
“Me too bud, me too.” Geoff responds heavily with a sigh as he takes the boy from Ryan’s arms and tugs him down to lay beside him. “Go to sleep, and hopefully they’ll be back soon.”  
“Yes Papa.” Dex answers tiredly and wonders if that was the sleepy kind of cough syrup… Probably why it tasted so bad he thinks to himself before falling asleep beside his father.


	78. A light to all

Meanwhile at the hospital

Iri couldn’t stand hospitals, and she certainly couldn’t stand ER’s especially at midnight on a Sunday night. It was calm, quiet and Iri kept expecting something to happen but it never did… Perhaps it was her sense of impending doom or merely her high stress levels, and the looks of shock she received from several doctors... She still hadn't figured out what they were looking at her like that for. Gavin bless his heart was attempting to keep her calm, but his powers could only do so much and the woman liked pacing. He wouldn’t lie, watching her walk back and forth was a bit hypnotic, helping the time to tick by as they waited for word on the twins… Plus the short nightgown Geoff had dressed her in made his thoughts wander.   
“Stop being gross Gav.”  
“Oh because shagging you is gross now?”  
“Right now it is because I look like Frankenstein's wife… The prettiest thing about my appearance is this green satin nightgown Geoff dressed me in.” Iri argues and is shocked by the sudden dragging she feels. Gavin drags her up for a kiss by the metal ring on her collar.  
“You forgot this beautiful accessory… Come sit down and wait with me Love like a normal person.” Gavin urges as he tugs her over to sit on his lap, and the woman goes to get up, but he growls lowly warning her to stay.   
“Gav we’re in public.”  
“And the only other people in here are the several drunks with ear aches, so as long as your quiet we could easily get away with this without the knot heads catching wind.” Gavin murmurs as he gestures to where the group was clearly watching with interest, and Iri just rolls her eyes at him.   
“They’re watching quite intently, but I suppose we could give them something to look at while we wait.” Iri teases with a flirty smile, and begins grinding on his lap her hands braced on his shoulders. “God Gav I wish you could knot me with that smooth cock of yours… I’m tired of being fucked by Geoff’s puppy knot. I just need an Alpha who can really give it to me you know?”  
“Love, are they watching?” Gavin asks with a smirk as the woman continues working his clothed crotch, and watches how they two of them seem to switch seats casually. “Big finish?”  
“Gavin, I’m not wearing any underwear and I’m so wet it aches… Won’t you play with your sweet Vixen?” Iri moans filthily with the face of a porn star right before someone fucks them into a panting mess, and feels Gavin harden completely at this.   
“God I wish Anita was that hot.” Guy one says with a sigh as he watches the woman grind casually on the man’s lap like she was born to do it.  
“Nick, I don’t think you could handle it if she was and besides that woman reeks of Alpha… I’d bet she has at least two trying to keep her in check.” Guy two comments still glued to the woman with a tail, and the foreign man accompanying her. They’d been there when they’d arrived though at that time she’d been verbally assaulting a nurse who was trying to get her to remain calm.  
“She’s fiery to say the least, and besides Anita is cheating on me anyways.” Nick tells his friend with a sigh. “I smelled him on my sheets a week ago.”  
“Aww man that’s rough… Wasn’t your anniversary last week?”  
“Yeah, and that’s the worst part Dave it’s been seven years... That’s the worst fucking part, so maybe a change of pace would be nice… Falling into our sheets with a passionate woman like that might make them worth keeping.” Nick says to his friend with his head in his hands and a set of tears beginning to trail their way down his face. Iri couldn’t help the sense of guilt that falls over herself as she gets off of Gavin, and sets down beside the pair.   
“I’m Iridessa, and the man I’m with is Gavin… how are you?” Iri greets as she offers the men a weak smile.  
“H..h. Hello, I’m Nick and that’s Dave… Uh I guess it’s safe to say we’ve been better, and yourself?” Nick stutters out, he hadn’t realized she was paying attention to them and frankly he was a bit embarrassed by it. “Are those real?”  
“Yeah… genetic defect. Do you want to feel?” Iri offers flicking her tail onto the man’s lap and smiling when he grins at her. She tries to hold back purrs at his soft touches, but eventually they leak out causing the pair to chuckle in surprise. Dave scratches her ears, and Iri downright moans at the feeling. It isn’t until Gavin clears his throat that the men stop, and he joins her by the guys, pulling her into his lap protectively.   
“That’s… That’s really awesome, way cooler than Anita.” Dave jests and his buddy just laughs at him before nodding in agreement.   
“Yeah Anita definitely doesn’t have a tail.” Nick adds playing with the tip of her still nearby tail.   
“So what are you here for?”  
“Partied to hard, dumbasses over there had to get their stomachs pumped… We just happened to be the semi-responsible drivers. You two?”  
“My twins are very sick, and Gavin just came with me… His daughter is at home less sick with my eldest who is also sick.” Iri explains simply and nearly laughs when the men cock their heads in confusion. “I’m part of a six person pack.”  
“Oh that makes a bit more sense… Four kids… Jeez I have two myself, but aren’t you a little young?” Dave asks and Iri just shrugs.  
“Everyone wanted kids, and I… I just sorta said yes, though they’ve been one of the best things to ever happen to me.” Iri answers casually pulling her tail into her lap, and fiddling with it nervously.   
“Well didn’t you have dreams? Like travel the world or I don’t know go sky diving.” Nick inquires and they watch as the woman suddenly shuts down turning towards her mate, curling into his neck.   
“Love?... Love… I’m sorry about this she’s normally not so... quiet.” Gavin apologizes, and wonders what had made her go silent. “Excuse us if you will… It’s been a long evening, and I’m sure she’s just tired. Aren’t you Love?”  
“Yeah… It was great meeting you two, good luck with Anita.” Iri bids as she has to force herself to breath slowly… Her heart rate was rapid, and all she wanted to do was pass out in a dark room. The sudden sense of anxiety that had washed over her was nearly incapacitating, and fighting it was beginning to get difficult. Gavin could tell she was panicking but he didn’t know why… Perhaps it truly was just from the long day, and the thought of their children being sick. The image of her nearly freaking out by the bathtub with Leo and Felicia in her arms wandering into his mind. “I.. I need a walk.”  
“Sure Love, I’ll go with.”  
“No, stay here in case they need us.” Iri stutters in between labored breaths, her hate was racing like a thoroughbred and no amount of Gavin would soothe it… Spinning on her heel she dashes towards the exit with a speed she rarely ever used, and pulling out Gavin’s phone she dials the house phone. 

House

Ryan awoke to the sound of ringing, and blinking rapidly he rolls over to grab the phone.   
“Hello.” Ryan greets sleepily, and is shocked by the frantic tone of Iri. “Iri, Bambi what’s wrong? Is everything alright?”  
“Ry… Ry I can’t… I can’t breathe.” Iri stammers over the phone.  
“Bambi calm down, where’s Gavin?”  
“He’s in the waiting room, and I.. and the man asked me a question… and I… I had dreams… I didn’t want this… Or maybe I did...I… I… Ry…” Is the last thing Ryan hears before the line goes dead.   
“Iri? Iri can you hear me? God dammit!” Ryan curses loudly waking the nearby adults.  
“Ry what’s… What’s wrong?” Michael inquires tiredly as they watch the man stumble around trying to find clothes.   
“Geoff she doesn’t leave the house without us anymore.” Ryan declares and the gent just blinks in confusion. “She had a damn panic attack at the hospital, and apparently Gavin isn’t around.”  
“What?” Geoff mutters still barely awake, and Ryan was already out the bedroom door. He follows him down the stairs, and watches him fish out a set of keys. “Ry, do you want me to go?”  
“No, I’m sure Felicia will be happier to see me… Besides she called me didn’t she?”  
“... I know you aren’t implying something right now Ryan because.”  
“Geoff she probably didn’t want you to leave Dex, or is still concerned about your stress level.” Ryan states, cutting the man off mid-sentence.  
“Why is she so fucking worried about my stress level? It’s not like I’m eighty years old and going to drop at any second, besides Todd will literally save me before she could dial a phone.” Geoff growls in frustration causing the other to shrug.  
“Iri works in mysterious ways, and I’m sure the fox appreciates the sentiment even if you don’t.” Ryan tells him after finding his keys, he pulls the man in for a quick kiss and grimaces at the taste.  
“What?”  
“Morning breath…. It’s terrible.” Ryan adds causing the pack Alpha to chuckle before nipping his neck playfully. “Mm someone’s frisky despite his session with his Kit.”  
“You should just consider yourself lucky I don’t need Viagra yet… Four hour knot.”  
“God I can’t imagine that… However, I’m going to see if I can’t soothe our frazzled Omega. It’s a shame she didn’t just stay home.”  
“I know, tell her I love her will you?”  
“Of course old man.” Ryan teases as the gent steals another quick kiss before the man exits the house leaving Geoff alone in the living room, a sigh heavy on his lips.   
“I’m not that old.”  
“Yo Dino, you coming back to bed?” Michael’s flippant tone asks causing Geoff to mutter obscenities. “Daddy, I’m only teasing.”   
“Damn right you are, I ought to fuck that insolence out of you.” Geoff grumbles while flicking Michael’s ear causing him to hiss angrily. At the sound Geoff grabs him by the hair, and pulls him down to his crotch. “What have I told you about hissing?”  
“...”  
“I asked you a question baby boy, and I want an answer.”  
“...”  
“Fine, if you aren’t going to answer at least put that mouth of yours to it’s proper use.” Geoff commands as he drags the man to a nearby room. Clicking the door shut and flipping the lock, he forces Michael to his knees and unzips his own jeans. The Alpha had a pretty good chub going when Ryan had been kissing him, so when he forced Michael to his knees his cock became even more interested. “You know what to do.”  
“Yes Daddy… Ten licks per hiss.” Michael says regretfully, he wasn’t sure what Geoff had against hissing but this was a lesson he’d learned many times. Pulling out Geoff’s cock he begins lapping at the length starting from the tip and going all the way to the root. The man above him makes a pleased sound with each lick, and becomes even happier when the omega starts sucking him.   
“Good boy… God damn.” Geoff praises in between little gasps of pleasure at the man’s actions. He works his hand through the ginger’s curls causing tingles to flow down his spine, and intern moans to vibrate through the omega’s chest. “Mmm I forgot how much you love having your hair messed with.” Geoff purrs continuing to run his hands through the man’s scalp, teasing him barely with his nails and watches with a smirk as he humps his hips forward a bit. Michael speeds up, bobbing his head at a quicker pace and the Alpha only scratches his harder.   
“Daddy… Daddy don’t stop.” Michael begs as he continues licking the Alpha’s cock, mewling submissively at the sensation. Geoff smirks while keeping his hands on the man’s head.   
“Keep licking then…. You know the deal though don’t you?”  
“Yes… I’m fucking close though.”  
“Would you like me to help you with that or can you handle it yourself?” Geoff asks seriously even pulling Michael's’ head back to look at him. “Can you be a good boy or do you need help?”  
“I… I can.” He moans quietly in orgasm, and attempts to hide it by shutting his legs.  
“Baby boy what was that?” Geoff inquires working his foot between the guilty omega’s legs, and feeling the wetness that resided there. “Hmm?”  
“I… I don’t even.”  
“So close Kitten so close.” Geoff sighs as he force the man onto his back gently, and Michael just growls angrily at him trying to deter him. “Hush or I’ll put you on the table all night.” Geoff warns the grumpy Omega who pouts as he feels his pants pulled down exposing his cock to the cold air suddenly causing a hiss to draw from his lips. “Michael, hissing!”  
“I’m sorry Daddy.” Michael mumbles through gritted teeth trying to hold back a moan, and the man’s rough treatment of his member. “Please don’t… Not tonight.”  
“You know the rules Kitten, now stop squirming or I’ll give you a reason to squirm.”  
“...” Michael doesn’t say anything rather choosing to fall still as the man works the vibrating cock ring down to base of his member, and has to fight the purrs that threaten to flow from him. Geoff could smell the spicy sweet slick beginning to drip from him, and if he hadn’t been bad perhaps he’d have fucked him but rules are rules… Flipping the man over he runs his hands through the slick mess he was, and begins working a single finger in him slowly. The moans Michael gives him cause a small purr to rumble through Geoff’s chest, and he works another finger inside him.   
“Don’t pout Kitten because you couldn’t control yourself.”  
‘Maybe if someone had fucked me sooner then I wouldn’t be so easy.’ Michael thinks bitterly to himself, and the gent just slaps his ass roughly.   
“I heard that you know… And all you had to do was ask… Or come sit in my lap, I would have gladly taken care of you.”  
“Is that before or after you spent like five hours working on your Pet?”  
“.... You sound jealous Michael.” Geoff comments quietly as he pulls out his fingers and starts working his cock despite the ring. “Are you implying that I don’t pay attention to you?”  
“....”  
“Michael, you know I love you… but I hate this silent treatment thing you two are starting to do.”  
“....” Michael doesn’t say anything choosing to flip back over and cross his arms on the floor.   
“You are being a bit childish right now…. Michael don’t… I’m going to punch you if you don’t say something.”  
“Something.”   
“Smartass.” Geoff mutters as he notices a smirk residing on Michael’s lips. “Fucking cheeky bastard…. You are lucky the kits are sick, and in our bed.” Geoff says as he straddles the man below him, and starts kissing his neck gently.   
“Before Ryan left he told me something interesting about your little Pet.”  
“Oh, and what was that?”  
“I… I always knew she didn’t trust us fully, but… But I think it’s gotten worse, and Ryan does too.”  
“... I know Michael, and I think that’s one of the reasons I…”  
“Geoff I was only trying to get a rise out of you, I’m not really jealous… It’s just heartbreaking to watch her...” Michael trails off suddenly not sure if he really wanted to finish his sentence. He knew that of all their mates Iri required a bit more individual time with Geoff than even Gavin did.  
“Spiral?”  
“Less of a spiral and more of a crash, I just don’t want to wake up with a knife to my throat one morning…. Or her babbling about Nam.”  
“Well first off PTSD isn’t something to joke about, and I doubt you’d ever have the knife to your throat… It would probably be mine, and besides Lexi would stop her long before it got that bad. She’s not going blue eyed butcher on us anytime soon.” Geoff assures him, and watches the Omega beneath him grind on him slightly. “Not tonight, you know how this works.”  
“Buzz kill.”  
“Mmm only for you.” Geoff teases with a smirk as he rolls them over, and palms Michael through his boxers till the man is bucking needily. “Cum for me.”  
“Can’t... you know that Asshole.” Michael pants as the man strokes him under his underwear causing a violent moan to rip through his throat. “Geoff… Geoff don’t.”  
“I’ll do as I please because I’m your Alpha, and I told you to cum. Now unless you want a whipping I suggest you cum for me in ten seconds…. Ten.”  
“Geoff I.”  
“Nine, and I don’t want to hear it.”  
“Daddy please.”  
“Eight…. seven….. six.”  
“I.. I need.”  
“Five… Do you need more?”  
“Yes Daddy, I…. Oh god.” Michael purrs as he practically cums when he feels something work him open through his shorts. “Daddy, what are…”  
“Four, and you really should be focusing on what I asked you to do… three, I can always collar you too.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.” Michael whines as he feels himself reaching the pinnacle of pleasure, and it’s a whispered try me from Geoff as the unseen forces plunges into him deeply that pushes him over causing a loud shout that the Alpha has to quickly muffle with a hand to be sounded. As Michael works through his pleasure Geoff uses his powers to force about a knot-sized ball to form, stretching the man wider than normal, loosing tiny whimpered meows from him. It was a rare day that Michael meowed, and it was only in times like this when the man felt surprised.   
“Awe, my precious little Kitten mewing happily from his Daddy’s powers.” Geoff purrs teasingly and watches the man breathing raggedly on his chest turn bright red. “I just tested that little trick on Iri tonight too, seems you all love it.”  
“What… what did you do?”  
“Sorta like an invisible dildo that I can make appear any time I like.”  
“... fuck.” Michael curses knowing that this wasn’t going to be a good thing for anyone, especially him and Iri. “How long can you do that for?”  
“Let’s find out.” Geoff says as he picks up the man with a little bit of difficulty, and takes him back to the bedroom. He places him on the bed with a sigh, and snuggles in behind him knowing that the man in front of him was a bit uncomfortable considering what was happening. However, before he can tease the man anymore he notices the bed devoid of one person….his son. “Dex?”  
‘He’s in his room…. crying. Lexi is with him.’ Todd whispers to him quietly, and Geoff kisses Michael’s sleepy forehead before rolling Scarlett towards him giving the man something to snuggle with…. Ray also rolls in too, sandwiching the girl between them. Getting out of bed he heads to the kit’s room, and finds Dexter curled into Lexi’s red fur crying softly.   
“Dexy, what’s wrong?”  
“Momma… Momma.”  
“What’s wrong with your mother?”  
“She can’t… She can’t breathe, and I... “  
“Dex slow down, what are you talking about?”  
“Geoffrey, they’re connected somehow and I can’t reach her to severe the connection… I think this is the reason for their panic attacks happening so close to each other. She is feeling what he feels, and vice versa.”  
“What?... How is that even possible?”  
“Momma put a tracer… so I wouldn’t… So we wouldn’t ever be apart, but now… I’m hurting her Papa.” Dex stutters, and Geoff just narrows his eyes forcing his way into his son quickly by passing her barriers. Todd severs the link swiftly, and pulls out to find his son slowly calming down. “I… I can’t feel her.”  
“Oh Dex, I’m so sorry Buddy… I didn’t know she did that.. What was she thinking?” Geoff mutters in apology to his son who is shaking his head.  
“I..I begged her to… At first it was only one way, but then I started to panic earlier… and I.”  
“She panicked because you panicked… I see, Dex.”  
“Don’t be mad at her.”  
“I’m not Dexter… Come on let’s go to bed, and in the morning I’ll explain why that is dangerous for both of you. Lex, you too.”  
“Coming Geoff, Iri says thank you.”  
“No doubt, and is she awake yet?”  
“Not yet, and Ryan just made it there…. Gavin is in the room with the kits, doctors say it’s pneumonia… And that if any of the others have wet sounding coughs they should be taken in.” Lexi answers helpfully as the gent picks the both of them up carrying them to the bedroom where he and Dex settle in behind Michael. The fox heads to the foot of the bed where she begins grooming herself casually. About half an hour later she feels a pair of eyes watching her, turning her head she finds Dex shifted down, and whining softly. She leans over, picking the kit up with her mouth, and leaps off the bed to lay them on the large comforter in the corner after padding in a circle several times. Dex snuggles into her side, and she wraps her fluffy tail around them. “Sleep well Dexy, and remember a fox’s heart is a light to all… even the darkest of hearts.”  
“That’s why Erik loved her, he wanted a light of his own.” Dex murmurs back, and Lexi says nothing more choosing to lay down, falling asleep as well… Unaware of the presence of Todd whose own wispy form settled beside her.


	79. The Line

Hospital  
4 am

Iri awoke to the feeling of lying on a gurney, and it was moving. Looking around blearily she can barely make out the form of a man, and a woman pushing her.  
“What’s… what’s happening?” Iri mumbles in confusion as she tries to move, but finds her arms too heavy to move. “Where… Where am I?”  
“Miss can you tell me your name, and what day it is?” The man’s voice asks, and Iri just turns her head to the side catching a glimpse of red.  
“What… what happened?” Iri stutters again, trying to focus her vision but for some reason it wasn’t working. As a last resort she attempts to use her powers to kick start the process, but for some reason they weren’t quite working.  
“Miss can you hear me?” He says again trying to prod her into answering, but Iri still refuses to respond too focused on her current state. “Hilary, she’s not responding. What’s her status?”  
“Gary, a nurse found her on break about twenty minutes away. She seems to have hit her head, but upon checking we’ve discovered several lacerations that were roughly stitched together and a few were bleeding profusely… Given her state of consciousness, I’d say she has lost several pints of blood and is severely dehydrated. Though that’s it from what I can tell, she’s wearing a collar but there is no tags so that was a dead end there. However, we did find this phone and the phone is registered to a guardian of two of our patients in the ICU.” Hilary explains to the doctor who was looking the young woman over, waiting for her to answer him.   
“Which two?”  
“Felicia Loralei Haywood and Leonard Augustus Jones they seem to be suffering from pneumonia.”  
“My kits… Those are my children.” Iri pipes up suddenly having finally given up on healing herself, and that’s when it dawns on her… Lexi wasn’t with her, they probably split and that’s why she was having difficulty using them. “I am Iridessa Burns.”  
“Oh… can you tell me the day?”  
“Sunday…. well I think technically Monday morning now.”  
“Ms. Burns do you remember what happened?” Gary inquires and she merely shrugs as the man continues to stitch up her bleeding wounds. “Did someone hurt you?”  
“What… Uh… No?” Iri stammers not quite sure how to really answer that question, she hadn’t been prepared to formulate a lie tonight. “I just fell… really hard.”  
“...Iri is that you?” Ryan’s voice asks as his face appears behind the blue curtain separating the rooms. “Bambi, there you are! I’ve been searching everywhere… What happened?”  
“I fell… I.” Iri starts, but stops when she notices the looks of suspicion the doctors give her. Ryan seems to notice this as he slips into the room, and stands by her head quickly placing a soft kiss on her brow.   
“She was here with one of our mates, and began having a panic attack on the phone. I got here as fast as I could, but by the time I did she had long passed out… I asked the front desk, and they pointed me towards here. I’ve been searching for the last hour.” Ryan explains to the doctors however they seem less than convinced and the nurse nods before exiting the room swiftly.   
“Can you explain these wounds?”  
“She fell.” Ryan offers not knowing what else to tell him, and it’s at this point he knows for sure the doctor is already calling security.   
“Stag what’s happening?” Iri asks with wide eyes as she tries to sit up, but is hit by vertigo instantly. “Don’t… Don’t leave me!”  
“Bambi, shhh it’s alright… Iri it’s just a bit of a misunderstanding, and I’m just going to clear it up.” Ryan assures her as a pair of big burly Alpha security guards appear in the room. “Bambi stay here okay?”  
“No! No Stag! Please, Please he didn’t hurt me! Don’t take!” Iri begs the doctor as she tries to stand again only to be pushed back down by several nurses as she watches Ryan be escorted out. “Ryan!” She shouts frantically, and growling angrily she pushes the nurses off dashing towards the exit only to be grabbed quickly by the doctor. “Geoff!” Iri screams desperately, her rational mind told her that he wasn’t here, but she wasn’t feeling all that rational right now. Pushing at the arms, and people frantically trying to get away, only to feel herself pinned to the bed and a sharp pinch in her arm.   
“Miss Burns just to help you relax, we understand that the loss of an Alpha can be quite stressful. Why don’t you just take a bit of a rest?” Gary offers the unwilling Omega who is still growling at him as the nurses chain her down to the bed so she won’t run away. “Shh, it’ll be alright… no one is going to hurt you here.”  
“Geoff!” Iri slurs out before the medicine forces her to succumb to sleep. With her under the doctor finishes his work quickly, and hooks up the appropriate IVs. He watches the woman sleep, and can’t help the scowl on his lips. It was a damn shame that so many Omegas fell prey to abusive Alphas, and it was even worse that they seemed so convinced they love them. Judging by the overall bruising pattern this had been an intentional beating, not just a fall down the stairs or wherever… No this Omega had been beaten, cut, and left to bleed out. He hoped this woman pressed charges, for her sake and the sake of her children… Then again hadn’t she said she was part of a pack, he hoped they weren’t all like her. Looking at his watch Gary was already off the clock so maybe he should just wait here… He had to work in a few hours anyways. Sitting in one of the chairs he falls asleep slowly, nodding off to the sound of the woman snoring lightly on the bed in front of him. 

Two Hours Later

Gary awoke to the sound of pained groans, and metal restraints clinking loudly. Rubbing his face he blinks rapidly to find his patient undoing her restraints, her IVs were ripped out, and creating a tiny pinkish puddle on the ground.   
“Miss what are you doing? Stop!” Gary orders only to find her growling ferally at him, and he surges forth to hit the call button only to find himself forced to the ground by her. The woman moved at a speed that shocked him, and the fact that she had him pinned was amazing in the first place. “Iridessa, you need to.”  
“Shut up, and tell me what you did.”  
“I stitched up your.”  
“No! Where’s Ryan?”  
“Bambi, let him up… Let the nice man up.” Ryan says soothingly, it had taken forever to explain to security that those bruises and cuts had come from a particularly rough session of sparring… He had decided that the truth probably wasn’t the best option here. After they had released him, he’d ran back to her room and that brought him to now; where Iri had the doctor pinned to the ground, growling like she was going to kill him. “Bambi, release.”  
“... Ry?” Iri whispers hesitantly and the gent merely nods striding over to her quickly. He makes a quiet rumble in his chest that causes the woman to purr in response as she practically jumps off the man to nuzzle him.   
“There’s my good girl, now apologize to him.”  
“No… he took you away in the first place.” Iri grumbles softly into his chest, and the Alpha just clears his throat angrily.  
“Don’t make me tell your Papa, you assaulted a man.”  
“I’m sorry Gary.” Iri mutters in response, and the doctor can’t help but wonder what that means… Nothing good by the way it makes her change her tone so quickly. He just nods in understanding before the pair exit the room, the woman nuzzling her Alpha happily.  
“Sorry about that Bambi, I didn’t think that would take so long.” Ryan says apologetically as the woman just continues purring in his arms as they make their way to the pediatrics ward. “Also are you alright?”  
“Fine…. As always.” Iri responds cheerily, she couldn’t stand hospitals especially after that last incident. She just wanted to take her kits home, and cuddle up till everyone felt better but she knew they needed care for pneumonia. The pair enter the room to find Gavin and Leo wrestling with Felicia laughing loudly. “I see we’re all terribly sick in here.”  
“Momma we feel so much better, and the doctors say it’s a miracle how fast we’ve healed.” Leo says cheerily as he mock pins Gavin to his bed.   
“Love they say it’s as though the hand of God healed them himself.” Gavin explains and scoops the boy up into his arms. “Though I would say it’s more of the hand of a goddess than a god.”  
“....” Iri doesn’t say anything to this, and it was true she had helped them out a bit… but only a little, and they had naturally fast healing thanks to ability. She had even made sure that trait had been passed down to them, and it had been one of her best decisions so far. Though healing them last night had been a far worse idea than she thought it would be… she hadn’t anticipated how connecting Dexter to her would affect her overall mental stability, or how healing them would only further to weaken her mind… Lesson learned, don’t heal, connect, and maintain high levels of stress at the same time.  
“Momma why didn’t you just do that at home then?”  
“Because despite what they say I am not as powerful as they believe me to be… I needed a quick rest after healing your brother and sister that’s one of the reasons they weren’t as sick.”  
“That’s fair, and besides we got to meet some really cool nurses anyways… Did you know this one used to be a stripper?... I’m not sure what that is but she’s really pretty so she must have been very good at it.” Felicia says suddenly and the woman who had been checking their machines blushes brightly.   
“Morning glory, I’m sure she was wonderful at it… Now Miss when can we take them home?”  
“They’re free to go after the doctor checks them over.”  
“When will he be in?” Iri asks quickly, she couldn’t wait to get home… Couldn’t fucking stand this place.   
“Um.. Here he is now… Dr. Gary here’s their vitals.”  
“Thank you Melody, and what a coincidence.”  
“Not really, the only reason you knew who I was, was because you were treating my kits. Now are we free to go or what?” Iri snaps with venom as the man checks over the chart.   
“Sure… I’m prescribing them antibiotics to help them through this.”  
“Wonderful, come on you two… We’ll be in the car.” Iri states as she lifts the two kits up happily, and takes them out of the room. After she leaves the doctor turns to face the two.   
“She really doesn’t like hospitals does she?”  
“Well that and you… but you were only do your job so don’t worry about it.” Ryan tells him politely with a smile as he and Gavin leave. Gavin goes to say something, but Ryan shakes his head telling the man to drop it. “A story for another time perhaps.”  
“So when did she have time to heal the kits? Was it before or after her panic attack?”  
“I think it may have been in between… She’s been with you for most of the time, did she ever disappear?” Ryan asks and the man only screws up his face in thinking.  
“I… I fell asleep for about an hour or two, and when I woke up she seemed much more tired than before. You know now that I think about that it was right about then she was a few minutes from her panic attack… So it must have been then.” Gavin explains to the Alpha who nods in understanding.   
“I wonder who heals her.” Ryan mutters softly causing the Omega to sigh in frustration. “Gav?”  
“We’re supposed to heal her, but her damn walls are so thick that no one can get through. She’s stuck in a perpetual emotional hell that only continues to repeat until she just gives up one day… And that day is going to be.”  
“That day is never going to happen because we’re not going to let it.” Ryan interjects cutting off the scowling Omega who just rolls his eyes.  
“A person can only take so much before snapping.”  
“Maybe you should stick close to her then… You and Geoff both, if you're worried about her seemingly inevitable meltdown.” Ryan proposes as they walk over to the car where Iri is snuggling with the kits on the hood, all of them purring contently. “Bambi, you know you could have opened the door.”  
“This was warm, and they looked like they needed snuggles.” Iri answers trying to avoid the topic of her powers seeing as they weren’t working fantastically right now. She believed it was the fact her and Lexi were separated, but she had another feeling that it was due to her mental/emotional instability. It would take about an hour alone to try and figure this out she hopes, but with semi sick kits she might not get that hour for a little bit. After everyone had filed into the car, gotten some groceries at Iri’s request, filled the medication, got the medication, and were finally on their way home did Iri receive a very angry text from Geoff.  
HE’S YOUR SON!- Silver Fox. To the attached angry text was a photo of Lexi, and Dexter (shifted down) coated in red paint… as was most of the room they were in. Thankfully it appeared to be Iri’s studio, so cleaning it up shouldn’t be too bad.  
He is, but he’s also yours and we both love you very much Geoffrey :). Also we should be home in five. - Loose Whore. Iri texts back, she wonders if her contact info was still under Slick Bitch or had he changed it to a more appropriate name.   
“Hey Gav?”  
“Yes Love.”  
“What’s my name in Geoff’s phone?”  
“... Hm I think he changed it from… Slick Bitch to…. I think it’s Loose Whore.” Gavin answers in a nearly whisper tone to not alert the children sitting quietly playing on Ryan’s tablet.   
“Momma?”  
“What can I do for you meine Licht?” Iri asks shifting to the side to find a tablet presented to her face.   
“We can’t figure out this word, can you help?”  
“Sure thing…. A person who is devoid of emotions, and often lashes out in violent ways….. What game are you playing?” Iri asks the two who shrug, and look to Ryan for answers.  
“Oh… Oh that’s my crossword game, usually the words aren’t so difficult.”  
“It’s Sociopath by the way.” Iri answers helpfully as she types in the word, and hands the tablet back to her smiling kits.   
“Thanks Momma.”   
“No problem…. I’m going to head in, and see how the other two are doing.” Iri tells the group as she leaves the car quickly. Grabbing all of the groceries in one go, and heading to the house. Once inside she hears the happy yips of Scarlett, the laughter of Michael, and the frustrated growls of Geoff and Dex coming from upstairs.  
“Hey guys, what did the doctors say?”  
“Should be better soon, and to take this medicine…. what’s with those two?” Iri inquires as she sets the food down, and begins unbagging it with Michael’s help. Scarlett had just tackled her father’s legs when he walked through the door. “Scar be careful not to knock anything over.”  
“Yes Mama.”  
“You know how those two are, butting heads one minute hugging it out the next… Though from what I can tell scrubbing paint off Dex and Lexi isn’t much fun. Also are you okay?”  
“Yeah, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” Iri questions, putting several things away, and giving him a strange look.   
“I just know how you hate hospitals and I wondered… And Vixen.”  
“Yeah?”  
“The milk goes in the fridge, not the oven.” Michael mumbles pulling the gallon of milk from the top oven she had put it in. “You sure?”  
“I’m fine Red, just tired is all.” Iri assures him cutting Michael off before he alerted the others who were starting to make their ways to the kitchen. “Kits.”  
“Yes Momma?” they respond quickly, turning their heads to face her.  
“I’m going to work, can you be good for your fathers?”  
“Skye there’s no reason to go in, Burnie already told Miles you weren’t coming in.”  
“And I’ve received several angry texts from Gray about missing work, so I think I’m going to go… Last thing I need is to get on his bad side.” Iri says to them as she kisses each of their heads softly. “Be good for your fathers and don’t get into any trouble… Don’t forget to take it easy, I know you all feel better now but let’s not wear down your immune systems anymore.” She orders before heading upstairs to find Dex bent over Geoff’s knee, and being spanked.  
“Dexter Griffon Ramsey-Burns, I have told you time and time again about taking that tone with me. You are lucky I’m not grounding you!” Geoff growls sharply after delivering the last blow, and pulling crying the boy into his arms. “I love you.”  
“Whatever Papa, I’m going to Rapa.”  
“Where?”   
“Pére, that’s what he calls Ryan now.”  
“No, you are staying right here with me.”  
“Dex, come here for a few seconds.”  
“Okay Momma.” Dex says cheerily pushing himself from Geoff’s arms gladly, and follows his mother into the nearby bedroom. “Are you okay?”  
“Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes Dex, I’m fine but that isn’t what I wanted to talk about. Ryan told me you yelled at Papa last night.”  
“I… He… I said sorry.” Dex finally mumbles quietly as his mother lifts him up to sit on the bed in her lap. “Why do you let him hurt you?”  
“.... He… I… Dex that isn’t fair.”  
“Momma do you love him?”  
“I… I do… Do you?”  
“Yeah, but sometimes… Sometimes I forget.” Dexter admits regretfully into his mother’s arm unaware of the sobs that were on the verge of surfacing.   
“Me… Me too.” Iri stammers quickly, kissing his forehead softly before letting the boy slide off her lap and dash off towards the living room. Changing swiftly into a pair of leggings and a hoodie, she throws her hair up into a long ponytail, and then grabs her purse. However, before she can find her keys and leave, Geoff gives her a confused look and pulls her into his arms.   
“Where do you think you're going Kit?” He asks while wrapping his arms tightly around her from the back, and nips her ears.   
“Work, and he really is my son.”  
“Hmm, how could you tell? Was it the finger painting, or the way you both seem to bring out my bad side?” Geoff jests with a smile that quirks slightly when he feels her start to shake.  
“Probably both, I have to go though… Miles needs me.” Iri mutters ripping herself from his grip and practically fleeing from the man, and out the front door. She barely makes it to her car before the sobs start, and at first they were just soft quiet controlled ones that soon morphed into a broken soul crushing sounds that destroyed her. Iri was barely able to breath, driving as cautiously as possible… Pulling over twice to get control of herself only to find that it was impossible and kept going. That was her motto right? Just push through, and hope for a better day… Fuck that shit who was she kidding her motto was more like if you can’t run from it kill it, and if you can’t do either of those things let it emotionally scar you till the end of time… Yeah that sounds more like it she thinks, and Lexi makes a quiet sound of agreement in the back of her mind as she pulls into the parking lot.  
‘Mistress perhaps it might be best to get control of yourself before going in there… You might cause a bit of alarm if you walk in like this.’ Lexi warns her, and the woman just shrugs while pulling the hood over her head then starting towards the entrance. She makes it about halfway there before Ashley catches her.  
“Hey Iri long time no see! How are the kids?”  
“They’re… They’re sick, and I need.”  
“Have you been crying?” Ash inquires worriedly cutting her off as she pulls the hood back to see Iri’s state of dishevelment. “Are those bruises? Iri what happened to you…. Did Geoff do this?” She asks unaware of the several people listening quietly, and one of those people happened to be Joel… and there were many layers to Joel, but one layer that was the most dangerous one was protective Joel… Especially when Iri was involved.   
“Princess what did he do? Is that a collar? Where is he?” Joel demands angrily, he didn’t care that this man had given him one of his precious grandchildren… No, that wouldn’t save him from his rage. “Iridessa Skye Burns, tell me where he is.”  
“... His… his house…” Iri stutters knowing it would be best to just let Joel work this out himself.   
“Show me what he did.” Joel growls after he dragged them back to his office, and slammed the door shut causing the Omega to shudder in fear.  
“Papa, I’d.. I don’t.”  
“NOW!” Joel demands loudly and Iri takes off her sweater to reveal the heavy bruising and fifty or so whip marks on her back. He pulls down her pants glimpsing similar whip marks, and much of the same bruising on her upper thighs. “God dammit, Geoff!” Joel curses as she goes to pull her clothes back on, but he stops her. “No, I want you to show your father.”  
“Papa, no! He’s just going.”  
“Show me what?” Burnie asks curiously as he walks in the room to find Iri in a sports bra, and underwear. However, his eyes are soon pulled to her back side where all the wounds are. “Oh my god, what happened?.... did Geoff do this?”  
“He.. I.”  
“Iridessa, did he do this?”  
“Yeah…” Iri trails off pulling her clothes on quickly, and going to leave only to find Burnie blocking her pathway.   
“Iridessa, why did he do this?” Burnie asks hoping Geoff had a hell of a good reason for this. He watches his daughter stare silently at the floor submissively. “Come here Princess.” Burnie murmurs taking her into his arms gently, and pulling her onto his lap.   
“I.. I should have just told him what he wanted to know.”  
“Or used the safeword… I’m sorry Princess, I’m so sorry.” Burnie whispers to the woman who whimpered quietly in his lap. “I’ll talk to him Iri… I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again. Does Ryan know about this?”  
“Not… Not really, but. But don’t tell him, don’t make Geoff any madder than he already is.”  
“I’m calling him now, Iridessa this isn’t okay, and I’ll piss Geoff all I want… I’ll kick his ass if I want for hurting my Princess… I knew he was rough, but this… This is overkill Iridessa. and you know it.” Joel says to the shaking Omega who is curled tightly into her father’s lap.   
“He’s right, Iri and if you aren’t going to stop him then I will.”  
“You always meddle.”  
“Yeah it’s a father’s job to meddle, and for once you can’t turn this around to make me the bad guy.” Burnie says as Joel leaves the room briefly, he returns about ten minutes fuming. “Darling?”  
“He told me that if she has a problem with how she’s treated take it up with him not go crying to us. I’m going to kick his ass.”  
“No, don’t! Don’t hurt him, don’t give Dex anymore reasons to hate his father.” Iri begs, and it's at this Joel sighs bitterly. “Please Papa, he loves me and I.. I love him too… We’re just rough.”  
“One day he’s going to hurt you even worse than now, and… and I’m not waiting for that day.” Joel states as he exits the room leaving Iri shaking in Burnie’s arms.   
“Dad, don’t let him. Don’t let him hurt Geoff.” Iri begs and Burnie just shushes her calmly.   
“He’s not going to hurt Geoff… Worst comes to worst he decks the man, but nothing more Princess. I’m sure he’s only going to remind the man to be gentle.”


	80. Abuse?

Joel

The ride to Geoff’s house hadn’t taken long, but the Alpha’s rage only seemed to be inflamed by the time. Gripping the steering wheel tightly he takes the final turn into the neighborhood, and he pulls up on the side of the street putting the car in park. His plan was simple talk to Geoff, and make sure he remembers that she was just a kid… She was barely twenty-five for fucks sake, and that woman had been through more scarring than any normal human being should ever go through. He exits the car, and starts towards the house his chest puffed up, a classic sign of aggression. Joel knocks quietly, waiting patiently for someone to answer the door. To his surprise it’s Felicia with Scarlett standing beside her.  
“Poppy!” They cheer happily as they surge forward to hug the man.   
“Hey guys, how are you feeling?” Joel asks as he scoops the two up swiftly, and places soft kisses on their cheeks.   
“Good, Momma healed us…. Is she still at work?” Scarlett questions, and Joel nods slowly.   
“She’s very busy, and I think she’s going to be there all night.” Joel states while catching the eyes of Ryan who had entered the room. “She and your Pappy are going to work on something.”  
“Hey Joel, and really? What are they working on?” Ryan inquires, not quite understanding what the man is getting at. He had heard Geoff yelling earlier, but the man hadn’t explained about what.  
“Burnie believes she needs to understand the difference between punishment and abuse.” Joel says causing Ryan to balk at this.  
“Are you… Scar, Fel go play.” Ryan commands as Joel sets the pair down gently and they scamper up the stairs to do so. “What are you getting at Heyman?”  
“Oh. Don’t pretend you don’t know Haywood. You know exactly what I’m talking about!” Joel snaps as he stares the man down who still displays a confused expression. “Don’t tell me you haven’t seen her back.”  
“What’s wrong with her back?” Ryan inquires hesitantly while backing off slightly. “Is she.”  
“No she’s not okay, and it’s Geoff’s fucking fault! He beat her… And not a normal spanking, I mean deep lashes at least fifty if not more. What the hell!” Joel explains angrily. “She’s just a kid alright, and he fucking beat her… It’s abuse, and I will not tolerate it... My friend or not.”  
“Abuse? Geoff?” Ryan mutters in astonishment, he knew the man was a bit heavy-handed sometimes, but abuse… He didn’t think the man was abusive. “Geoff wouldn’t... Joel, you're over reacting.”  
“Don’t fucking give me that bullshit! Would you like to see what he did?” Joel says as he pulls out his phone and shows the doubtful man the photos he’d snapped for proof. “Tell me does that look like I’m lying?”   
“...” Ryan just stares at the photos in shock…. This was too far even for Geoff, this… this was definitely abuse, and he can’t imagine how Iri felt. “No wonder she has trust issues.”  
“Damn right, now where is that asshole?”  
“Right here Joel, and what are you talking about?” Geoff asks as he walks into the room having heard bits and pieces of the conversation from Todd who had been sort of listening.   
“Look at this Geoffrey, and explain why you thought this was okay.” Joel declares as he shows the confused man the photos of his daughter’s black and blue back covered in deep red lashes.   
“She could have used the safe word.” Geoff mumbles in his defense though now when he looked at it, it did look much worse than he thought it was at the time. However, before he can say anything more he feels a fist connect with his cheek; though to his surprise it wasn’t Joel’s rather it was Ryan’s.  
“She shouldn’t need to Geoff, god damn are you insane! Geoff you fucking hurt her, and no wonder the police thought I had beat her because you did!... Geoff you fucking beat her, you abusive neanderthal!” Ryan shouts lividly before punching him again and then kneeing him in the groin. Geoff falls to the ground gasping in pain, and Ryan doesn’t stop…. All he can see is red as he pummels the Alpha curled up on the ground offering no resistance. It isn’t until the crack of lightning is sounded outside, and the feel of Michael pulling him back stop him. “How the fuck do you like it?” Ryan growls with finality as he shakes the man off before heading out the front door, slamming it angrily leaving the Omegas stunned, Geoff lying on the ground with blood dripping from his nose, and Joel glaring at them all.   
“She’s just a kid Geoff….” Joel trails off before leaving the house as well with a glare on his face. He slips back into his car and drives back to work, satisfied that Geoff might think twice about his punishment.


	81. Shut up Blaine!

The others

“Geoff… Geoff what was that about?” Gavin asks worriedly, he’d never seen Ryan that angry… ever and now the Alpha was gone. “Geoff?”  
“It seems I may have been a bit rough with Iri, and… And I didn’t quite realize it until now. I believe I owe the woman, several apologies.” Geoff mumbles as he heals his nose quickly wiping the blood on his pants while standing up slowly. Michael doesn’t say anything else, and he now realizes why Iri left this afternoon. It wasn’t because of work it was because of him, and part of him didn’t blame her… well actually all of him didn’t blame her especially if it made Ryan that upset.   
“Geoff how bad?”  
“It’s… I… Michael if she wasn’t already injured it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but.”  
“NO! No Geoff you don’t get to say that! If you hurt her, than you hurt her… I’m tired of your ‘gray area’. So I will ask you again. Did you hurt her?” Gavin interrupts strictly, it was time for the truth not whatever line he tried to feed them.   
“I… It was, and… She has every right to be hesitant.” Geoff answers, he already told them he owed her an apology so he wasn’t sure what else they wanted.   
“God dammit Geoff! She just killed two people, and now this! Fucking idiot..” Michael curses as he glares at the gent who was sitting on the couch staring at the ground regretfully. “One day she’ll leave you, and no one will even be shocked.”   
“No she won’t.” Geoff says while shifting his stare upwards to meet Michael’s glare. “She won’t because she loves me.”  
“I doubt she loves the bruises she has to hide because of you.” Ray adds quietly causing the gent to shut his mouth, but still remain staring at them. “Love only goes so far Geoffrey, and I really don’t want to discover how far for your sake.”  
“I’m not taking off the collar… but I did… I hurt her much more than I should have. I’ll apologize tomorrow when she comes home.”

Iri and Ryan

Iri was currently in her office with her shirt off attempting to apply neosporin, but for some reason her powers caused the ointment to shake almost as violently as her own hands did. Giving up she fell onto her couch abandoning the tube in the middle of the room, and curling up with her forehead resting on her knees. She closes her eyes, and falls underneath the hazy blanket of sleep for maybe a half hour before her door opens slowly. Iri doesn’t even bother trying to stop the person, nor does she bother to cover up.   
“Bambi… Bambi why didn’t you tell me he did this?” Ryan’s soft tone asks as he stares at the wounds, she doesn’t respond choosing to curl up tighter. “Bambi.”  
“I… He said I deserved it.” Iri chokes out still refusing to look at him. Ryan says nothing, shocked by his lover’s words… Both of them, he didn’t want to believe Iri but he knew that Geoff normally would never go this far. He never went past thirty-five, and this… well this was closer to sixty, and it explained all the screams they had heard that night.   
“Iridessa do you believe that? Do you honestly believe you deserved this?”  
“...I…” Iri stumbles trying to find the answer to his question only to come up blank.   
“God damn Iridessa! Where’s the you who wouldn’t have stood for that? Huh? Where’s the girl who slapped Geoff for putting up a funny video of her dancing on the internet?” Ryan snaps, hoping to stoke the woman’s inner fire, but it only seems to dampen it further as the woman tries to shrink into the couch. “Bambi, if he ever does this again…. Please tell me, or fight him, or something… Don’t let him do this to you again.”  
“Yes Alpha.” She murmurs softly, levitating the tube of neosporin to Ryan’s hand. “Can you?”  
“Of course Bambi, lie down and take off your bra.”  
“Geez, your here for ten minutes already trying to get in my pants.” Iri mumbles. grimacing as she tugs at the clothing. “I… It doesn’t hurt as bad as you think it does.”  
“Don’t give me that bullshit, now take of the bra.” Ryan orders causing Iri to sink further into the couch, but this doesn’t stop the man from trying himself…. However, he can’t find the clasps. “Iri where… How does this work?”  
“It’s magic.” Iri jests quietly until she feels Ryan grip the metal d-ring on her collar and pull her back to meet his stare. “Ow, please that hurts.”  
“I thought you said these didn’t hurt…. I will not be lied to.”  
“I’m sorry Stag, they hurt really bad and Geoff was so mad when he.. He… He was so angry, and Todd had to stop him. Lexi tried but we weren’t strong enough, and I kept saying the word… but he wouldn’t listen. He just kept, he just kept hitting, and.. and when he was finally finished he was so happy… so relieved. Geoff needed that, and I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Iri rambles quickly, and Ryan only growls angrily in response causing her to fumble for the clasp on the front of the bra.   
“He did what?”  
“Ryan don’t, don’t be mad at him. He didn’t mean to he… he was just angry that I.”  
“I don’t care what the fuck he was mad about. Iri, you have the worst fucking luck you know that.” Ryan states after noticing how frazzled the woman became with his enraged state. “Why couldn’t Godric have been a bit more subtle?... We could have avoided this whole mess, just you, Ray, and I… Maybe some kids at one point, but probably closer to your thirties because.”  
“Because what?”  
“Because I don’t think you really wanted to be a mother this young.”  
“... I… I love them, I truly do.”  
“But you're still a kid… That’s the trouble when you fall in love with old men.”  
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything else choosing to lie still as Ryan puts the ointment on her back, hissing every so often at the pain. After Ryan had finished he pulls the shaking woman into his arms, and she wraps her legs around him. “Geoff didn’t mean to…. He loves me.”  
“We all do, but perhaps I should sit in on his punishments… Just to be sure. Do you… Do you want to go home tonight?” Ryan tells her while placing soft kisses on her lips. She shakes her head in no, and the man nods in understanding. “That’s alright, we can go to my house if you want.”  
“No she’s going home with us, her real Alphas.” Blaine and Aaron suddenly state after having heard the story from Miles though only after they practically forced the man to tell them.   
“Sorry Bossy Lady, I tried to stop them but you know how they are and how loud Ashley is.” Miles mutters apologetically as Iri curls tighter into Ryan. “You can come home with Chris and I if you like, we can play Halo till someone’s thumbs fall off.”  
“Boys as sweet as this is, I think she’d much rather.” Ryan starts only to be cut off.   
“Nope, you can all suck it because she’s helping me with our newest cosplay.” Meg states as she and Ashley appear behind Blaine and Aaron, pushing them out of the way. “Iri we could totally use your painting skills.”  
“And I miss our girls nights in.” Ashley adds, remembering how their last night in hadn’t been for like years, and it was a shame because they always had the greatest times… It was one of the reasons Ashley and Meg decided to date and eventually mate. “Yeah let’s go verbally assault some nerds.”   
“Damn… Aggressive much, and personally I don’t think she wants anymore aggression right now.” Miles argues turning to face the pair who opens their mouths only to shut them up again. Ryan watches her friends argue still oblivious to the fact that Iri was clinging tightly to him, though it might be due to the fact she was topless. He reaches for her nearby bra, and helps her put it on quickly while they continue their arguing about where she wants to stay. “Iri tell them you're staying with me.”  
“No us, we can go to the gym then eat a pizza that ruins it completely.”  
“Gross, no come with us and we’ll play Xbox… Plus make cookies.”  
“Hah, jokes on all of you because she’s coming with us.” Burnie interrupts with a smirk. “Father trumps all of you.”  
“... I think… I think I’m just going to go with Ry, thanks for the offers though.” Iri answers softly her tail wrapping around her tightly. “We should go.”  
“Of course Bambi, whatever you want.” Ryan says sweetly as he lifts the woman up, and the pair heads out of the building.  
“... I guess lover trumps father.”   
“Shut up Blaine, and shouldn’t you all be working.” Burnie commands causing the people to dissolve back into their work. “Joel?”  
“Yes, Burns?” Joel answers from the hallway. “She’s not coming home with us is she?”  
“No, let’s go home… You be Alpha tonight.” Burnie mumbles to the man dejectedly, and to his surprise is scooped up into his arms. “What the hell! Joel put me down.”  
“Nope, not until you stop being mopey.”  
“I am not mopey.”  
“You are… just like your daughter.”  
“We are not mopey!” Burnie growls as he pushes his way out of his lover’s arms, and storms off to the car. “We’re not mopey.” He mutters under his breath as he slams himself into the driver’s seat, and waits impatiently for Joel who takes his sweet time. “Will you hurry up!” Burnie shouts angrily out the window.   
“I’m Alpha tonight, and I will take as much time as I want.” Joel growls back as he pulls Burnie down for a harsh kiss. “Don’t test me Burns.”   
“...” Burnie grumbles back unintelligibly, and watches in confusion as Joel opens his door then nudges him over to the other side.   
“I’m driving Bitch.”  
“Excuse me, I will fucking tear you a new one Asshole… Stop being a jerk Joel.”  
“Alright, sorry that was a bit far… Scoot over my Darling Prince.”  
“Shut up smart-ass.” Burnie says with a roll of his eyes while moving over so Joel can drive. He says nothing more choosing to lean over and kiss at the man’s neck while palming him through his jeans.   
“What… What are you doing?” Joel murmurs followed by a small moan, it had been a long time since they’d done the nasty, and he was more than looking forward to fucking Burnie into their bed sheets… maybe even the couch if they can’t make it that far. “Burns... “  
“Hmm?” Burnie inquires with a hum as he continues biting his neck, and slowly starts pulling Joel from his jeans.   
“Not… Not in here.”  
“Is that an order? Burnie counters while lowering his head to Joel’s erection, and licking the tip in kitten like swipes.   
“God… Burnie don’t tease.” Joel snaps as he pushes his lover’s head down further so he took more than just his head. “Move, like a good boy should… and I might not tie you to the bed.”  
“But what if that’s what I want?” Burnie taunts as he pulls off while still stroking Joel at a medium pace. “What if I’ve been bad, and I need to be punished?”   
“Then keep up this behavior…. and I’ll.. Faster Burns.”  
“No.” Burnie challenges with a smirk, and slows down even more causing a throaty growl to come from the Alpha beside him. “Come on Heyman, what are you going to do about it.” Joel doesn’t answer as they pull into the driveway and wastes no time dragging the mouthy Alpha towards the door. Burnie continues his mock unwillingness as they step through the front door, and Joel just picks him up. He throws Burnie on the bed and grabs a nearby nylon rope they kept by the bed for this very reason. After pulling of his lover’s clothing off, and tieing him up eagle style Joel heads to the closet for toys leaving Burnie alone and blindfolded on the bed…. He was suddenly very glad Ryan had taken Iri home because it was sure to be a fun night.


	82. Break me, but when you do, do it gently

Iri and Ryan

Ryan drove them to his house, and carried her inside. It wasn’t until he deposited her on the couch that he wondered why he was still carrying her, for some reason it felt natural perhaps it was because she was so fragile right now. Once on the couch Ryan leaves to go get her some clothes. But when he comes back she is on all fours, naked with her tail on display proudly.   
“Bambi?”  
“Play with me… Gently though.” Iri whines with needy eyes, her ears turning downward in submission, and she played idly with her collar. Ryan smiles charmingly at his young mate, and scents the air lightly noticing the heavy smell of arousal as well as her extra smoky scent.   
“Your heat is coming soon Bambi.”  
“So… It’s not as though I can ever catch again.” Iri answers softly, nuzzling Ryan’s side when he sits on the other side of the couch by her. “Though that’s.. that’s all my fault.”  
“And why’s that?” Ryan inquires, stroking the woman’s head as she snuggles into his side. “Also you need a bath before I do anything with you.”  
“It was a contingency plan… I didn’t want Erik to ever have another of my children again, so I took it away… Left the heats to try and deter suspicion from me.” Iri explains sadly, suddenly she didn’t feel so great… She felt broken, perhaps it was the fact she knew her womb was now useless.. No longer was she a fertile omega, now she was just… just useless. Ryan seems to notice her digression into sadness, and pulls the woman up to face him.   
“We don’t need anymore children, and besides your fun when your in heat… Come on it’s time to get you clean, and if your good maybe I’ll knot you.” Ryan murmurs while standing up, and beckoning for the woman to follow him upstairs. “Up.”  
“But Stag I’m so comfortable!”  
“And you’ll be even more comfortable when my knot is buried deeply in you on my bed, so let’s go.” Ryan argues causing her to sigh, but stand up and follow him upstairs to the bathroom where he sheds his clothes while she steps in. He turns on the water, and chuckles when Iri shies away from the cold stream of water, waiting till it got warmer before coming closer. She goes to reach for the soap, but can’t as it is a bit too tall for her. Ryan notices her frustration, and grabs it for her.   
“Thanks.”   
“No problem my little lamb.” Ryan answers putting emphasis on the little, and waits for Iri’s response but the only thing he notices is how her tail swishes angrily.   
“I’m going to punch you… despite how snugly I feel right now.”  
“Ah there’s my Iri, I thought I lost you there.” Ryan jests while lathering up her hair, smiling at the purrs she makes in response practically begging him to take her. “Not yet, let’s get out of the shower first.”  
“But… But I’m so close, it wouldn’t take much. Please Stag, just a finger or two!” Iri whines needily, pulling the man’s hand down to her aching pussy. “I need this.”  
“Mmm very well, I never could resist a damsel in distress.” Ryan relents with a sigh, allowing the woman to guide his hand down to her dripping heat, and he slowly begins to rub her clit. She can’t help the moans that fall from her lips or the gentle movement of her hips on his fingers. Ryan says nothing as he watches his mate seek her pleasure, and only smiles when her head falls to his chest while panting lightly. “Are you close?” He asks even though he knew the answer judging by the sounds of pleasure dripping from her lips, and the feeling of slick on his fingers. She nods, biting her lip trying to contain her sounds but is soon forced to make them when he slips two fingers into her causing her hips to buck. Ryan watches with a satisfied grin as Iri cums on his two digits, and slumps against his chest purring happily while rubbing her head against him sleepily. Rinsing them both off quickly, he shuts off the water, and reaches for a towel only to hear the sound of his phone go off.   
“Ry… Ryan.”  
“Yes Bambi?”  
“I love him, but... Don’t let him… Don’t let him hurt me.” Iri whispers into his arms, and Ryan nods quickly while picking her up. The pair head to the bedroom where Ryan places her softly on the bed, after wrapping the vixen up tightly he grabs his phone to find several missed calls from Ray, Gavin, Geoff, and Michael. “Don’t leave me… please.”  
“I’m just going to get us something to drink, and I’ll be right back. Okay?” Ryan tells her, and watches as she just lies down on the bed with a slow reluctant nod. He heads downstairs and grabs a few bottles of water while listening to the messages on his phone.   
“Rye-bread it’s Gav, I think we need to have a pack meeting. Call me when you get this.”  
“Ry, when you find Iri because I know you will tell her we love her and that Geoff is just an asshole… Tell her if it’s worth anything, he’s sorry.”  
“Ryan, we’re at my apartment for the night waiting for our real Alpha to come home.”   
“Hey Ry if you haven’t heard yet they took the kids, and… and I really fucked up this time man. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately, I love you guys. Please call me back.” Geoff’s message says, and Ryan could tell the gent had been crying… It broke his heart to hear, but maybe it was best this way because it seemed Geoff was the only one who hadn’t been crying lately. He heads back upstairs with the water in hand to find Iri sitting on the edge of the bed waiting patiently, her tail wagging happily when he appeared in the doorway.   
“Bambi, you remind me of a puppy who has been alone for too long.” Ryan comments with a smirk as he watches her roll her eyes at him. “Aww does my sweet little lamb need some attention?” He coos, petting the top of her head while sitting down beside her on the bed.  
“James Ryan Haywood do not tease me. You are going to knot me right now.” Iri demands dangerously as she pins the man to the bed with a tiny growl.   
“Don’t call me James.” Ryan mutters back while grinding his hips up against hers, and smirks when her mouth overflows with lusty moans. “In fact, I seem to remember liking my mates a bit less demanding Princess.”  
“Call me a shoelace for all I care as long as you put a knot in me.” Iri states with a moan causing the man to chuckle as he flips the pair over so he’s on top. “Mm I was really looking forward to a nice long ride, Pony boy.”  
“Not tonight, I don’t want you to exhaust yourself fully at least not yet… Tonight is going to be soft, and slow.” Ryan purrs into her neck while placing kisses along her jawline, and he can feel the woman shiver at his touches. “Are you cold?”  
“A little, but I’m sure you’ll warm me up soon enough.”  
“Don’t worry Bambi, I’ll figure something out.”

Several rounds of sex later

Ryan was completely and utterly exhausted by the time they were through and the same could be said for Iri who was sleeping snuggled up next to him. He was stroking her ears softly, and smiling at the sound of her quiet snoring. Pulling the blanket down Ryan unwedges her from his side to sit up, and see how her wounds were healing so far. Her back looked absolutely horrendous with splotchy bruising covering her entire back, but the lashes themselves were healing decently. Grabbing a nearby tube of antibiotic cream, and pulling the blanket fully off only to hear her whine at the loss.   
“Shh Bambi, I’m just applying some medicine for your back. I imagine it’s quite sore, now just go back to sleep.” Ryan soothes while dabbing the ointment on her wounds, and listens with a grimace as the woman hisses in pain.   
“No… Stop… Ry that hurts.” Iri mumbles sleepily with a wriggle of her body trying to shift away, but Ryan holds her steady continuing to apply it.   
“It’s alright, shh I’m almost done… Just a little more.”  
“Mmm… k.” Iri drawls out happily, arching her back up in pleasure when he grabs the base of her tail to keep it from sticking in the cream. “Ry?”  
“Yes Bambi.”  
“Where’s my Alpha?” Iri asks hazily, she wanted Geoff not only because he was her Alpha but because he was her home. He was the man she loved no matter what he did… “When is Geoff coming home? I miss him.”  
“Soon Iri, why don’t you just go back to sleep and I’ll wake you when he’s home.” Ryan lies watching the sleepy woman sigh before nodding back off. He grabbed his phone quietly, and snuck out of the bedroom. Dialing the number quickly Ryan waited patiently for him to pick up.


	83. She still loves me

Geoff’s House

Geoff was drinking, but then again that wasn’t anything new; however, this was a whole new level of drinking because he couldn’t even feel his hair… Then again could he ever really feel his hair? That sounded like a question for Gavin, right as he goes to get up and look for him. He remembers that Gavin and everyone else left… Because he was an asshole, an abusive asshole.   
“Ryan’s calling you.” Todd states appearing on the couch beside Geoff with the man’s phone.  
“Really?” Geoff inquires incredulously, he hadn’t been expecting him to actually call back. “Give it to me.”  
“Don’t say anything stupid Geoffrey, and if it’s Iri apologize till you're blue in the face and she’s tired of hearing it.” Todd declares seriously, he knew things would be rocky for a little bit but an apology was a great way to start.  
“Good pep talk Coach.” Geoff slurs out with a smile causing the fox to shake his head. It would be a miracle if this man didn’t mess this up. “Hello?”  
“Geoff, she misses you.”  
“Huh?”   
“Iri, she’s sleeping in my bed and even now after what you did her, she is still asking for you. Geoff tell me why you did it, what were you thinking?” Ryan asks, Geoff could feel the concern in his voice as he tried to formulate a reason. “Help me understand why you did this.”  
“She let me, and at one point I thought… I thought it was too much, but I couldn’t stop and Todd… I was just so fucking angry, and she was… Tell her I’m sorry, Ryan I’m so sorry. I’ll be better.” Geoff stutters out tears starting to flow, and he could hear Ryan sighing over the phone. “I won’t do it again Ry, I swear!”  
“..... I know you won’t, but you scared her Geoff… and you scared the others too.” Ryan says to the man who is still sobbing softly. “I’ll talk to the others at work tomorrow just call in sick tomorrow, and don’t drink yourself to death.”  
“Thank you Ryan… You're a better Alpha than I ever was.” Geoff adds sadly while listening to the line go silent on Ryan’s end. “Todd?”  
“Yes Geoffrey?” The fox asks curiously.  
“Can you help me upstairs? I’m not feeling so great.”  
“I think it’s time for bed.”  
“Cuddle?”  
“Sure thing Geoff, would you like me to possess her stuffed animal again?” Todd inquires while using their powers to basically carry Geoff upstairs and then into bed.   
“I miss my Kit, and Dex, and everyone else… I didn’t mean.”  
“I know you didn’t, now come on Geoff it’s time for some sleep. It’ll be better in the morning.”  
“You're a good friend… like my best one.”  
“It’s cause I’m part of you Geoffrey, also we’re going to have a hell of a headache in the morning. Now go to sleep.”  
“But you promised cuddles Toddarus.”  
“Don’t call me that Geoffrey, you know I can’t stand my full name.” Todd says sharply while basically possessing the woman’s stuffed animal and settles down in Geoff’s open arms.   
“Sorry.” Geoff murmurs into the soft faux fur of Iri’s toy, he purrs softly at the way her smoky scent resided there. ‘She still loves me.’ Is the last thought Geoff has before slipping down under the warm blanket of sleep that settles over him.


	84. Forgiveness, it's fair easier than everyone makes it out to be

At Work The Next Day

Iri was in her office drawing, and honestly she was having a hard time focusing… Heat does that to a girl, her heat was about half a day away if she had to guess, and all her body wanted was to get fucked… Or be fucked, or really any activity that involved a dick and her pussy. She had told Ryan this morning that it would probably be a good idea for her to just stay home, but the man had insisted she come to work. Iri believed it was because he was worried she would go back home without him. He didn’t trust Geoff anymore, and he definitely didn’t trust her around him alone. So here she sat grinding her hips in her seat, and trying to sketch as fast as possible. Miles had told her earlier that as soon as she was finished she was done for the day; he had also mentioned something about dinner that Iri nodded her agreement to without really listening to him. Lexi had offered to help her, but as soon as she came out of her mind Iri noticed how the fox was rubbing herself against her legs and whining for attention. She had immediately sent the fox back in, who apologized profusely while going to search out Marcus, or Lance for what Iri called mist fucking because the other two didn’t have real bodies per se but Lexi could feel it when they took their wispy forms… plus it honestly looked like a wispy outline was fucking the fox. Now with her companion gone Iri sat in this tortuous hell attempting to draw landscapes. Iri goes to stand up, but her legs wobble almost comically as she is forced to sit back down. Grabbing her phone she starts texting Ryan.  
Can I go home pllllllleeeeeeaaaassee!- From Bambi  
His response comes about ten minutes later, and causes Iri to growl.  
No, now do your work like a good girl and I’ll knot you when I take lunch.- The Mad King  
Love if you want I think I can sneak out of here, and come play with you.- Gavi-wavi  
Iri receives that about a minute after Ryan’s and she wonders if he could feel her need from all the way over there… Though she had a feeling if he tried to leave Ryan might get mad, and she didn’t want Gavin to end up as the one in the hole… again. Putting her phone down, and then immediately picking it up again she starts texting the other gent… The one she probably shouldn’t be...   
Papa, I want to come home.- From Kit  
Geoff texts her back at an astounding rate for him, perhaps he had been waiting for someone to text him.   
Kit, I’m so sorry, and I didn’t mean to go that far please forgive me. I swear I won’t ever do it again, and I love you. I love you sooo much it hurts.- Papa  
Iri could feel herself tearing up at the man’s text, and she wasn’t sure if it was her heat, her unwillingness to be stuck in this office, or a combination of both but she forgave him. She knew it was true he hadn’t meant to really hurt her, and she was positive they could move past this soon enough.   
Geoff, I know… Can you come get me? Ry and the others don’t trust you to be alone with me, but I trust you.- Kit  
I’ll be there in twenty.- Papa  
Iri couldn’t help the giddy smile she felt wander onto her lips, he was coming to get her, and everything would be going back to normal soon. She was positive if she showed them that they had nothing to worry about then life could fall back into an easy rut. So working on the remaining landscapes and then packing up her stuff she snuck out the back to wait for Geoff. He arrived in twenty minutes just like he head said, and from the second she got close enough he pulled her into his arms. Geoff hadn’t expected her to be so reciprocating, but she didn’t hold back even when he held her tightly and aggravated her back.   
“I’m so sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.” Geoff states with tears in his eyes as he holds his young mate.  
“So am I.”  
“No! You have nothing to be sorry for, I should have known not to punish you when I was mad and I should have stopped when you used the safe word. I.. I was just so angry that I didn’t hear it.” Geoff stutters in apology placing soft kisses on her lips. “I will never do that again, never baby girl just don’t.”  
“Leave me.” Iri finishes after the man seems to choke on his words. “Ryan is going to be pissed when he finds out I left.”  
“Let him be, you're my Kit and I can come get you whenever I want.” Geoff mumbles with a smile causing Iri to smirk. “Besides ten bucks they say it’s kidnap.”  
“You're on.” Iri mirrors with a smirk of her own, and gets in the passenger’s seat beside Geoff. “So why did Gavin and the others leave last night?”   
“Because I got drunk and said some stupid shit.”  
“What were you drinking?”  
“Jack Daniel.”  
“He never did make you a nice guy.”  
“No, Uncle Jack was never a friend to me.” Geoff mumbles running a thumb underneath her collar, and enjoying the pleasurable sounds she makes as he does it. “You left it on.”  
“I’m yours Geoff… even when you hurt me, or I hurt you…. Till the end of time mother fucker.” Iri states, nuzzling into her Alpha’s bourbon scented side.   
“And the eternity after.”  
“You are sweet as dicks you know that?”  
“I believe I’ve been told that before… Now judging by your scent you're about a day away from your heat aren’t you?” Geoff conjectures as he moves his fingers up to her ears and scratches them. Iri says nothing choosing to nod, and when the man tries to take his hand away she grabs it, bringing it to rest at the base of her fluffy tail. Knowing exactly what she wanted he starts running his hand through the soft red fur, creating long trails that have her purring on his thigh her body shifting so her ass could arch up fully. “Kit why don’t you wait till we get home.”  
“Or I could suck you off while you drive us there… Just saying.” Iri offers causing the gent to bite his lip in apprehension. “Fine, I’ll be good.”  
“I love you.”  
“Damn right, now drive please before I start humping your leg.”  
“Is it really that bad?” Geoff inquires hoping she wasn’t in too much pain.   
“Sorta… I just really want someone to fuck me right now, and I almost wish Gav was available just so he could keep up with me.” Iri mutters lowering a finger down to the wet mess she was, and pulling it up to lick the slick off all the while smiling seductively at Geoff. He nearly pulls over to fuck her, but knows this was merely an act to draw his attention… and oh god did she have it. By the time they make it to the driveway Geoff’s erection is at full mast and the woman is moaning needily.   
“Go get on our bed you filthy Vixen, and you had better be naked by the time I get there.” Geoff commands strictly, and gives the woman a two minute head start… Taking those minutes to calm himself so he didn’t cum the moment he entered her. However, right as he is about to exit the vehicle he notices Iri’s weiss symbol cased Iphone vibrating loudly on the seat next to him. He doesn’t hesitate to answer it knowing that whoever it was most likely needed something.  
“Hello?”  
“Geoff? Geoff why do you have Iri’s phone?” Gavin’s worried tone fills the line.  
“Because she wanted me to pick her up, so I did.” Geoff answers casually, they had resolved their issues so it’s not like this was a big deal.   
“You.. She can’t be alone with you.”  
“Gavi, what are you talking about? I’m not dangerous, you know that.”   
“Geoff… Geoff it’s not that… Can I talk to her?”  
“Uh yeah I’ll go give this to her.” Geoff mumblers quietly, confused by Gavin’s sense of apprehension… He wasn’t a fucking monster, sure he made a mistake but so did everyone. After heading inside he chuckles softly at Iri’s clothing creating a trail up the stairs causing the man over the phone even more confusion. “Sorry Iri left her.… Nevermind. She’s right here.” Geoff mutters handing the phone to Iri who stares at it with a cocked head.   
“Hello…. Yes Gavin, I know Gavin… He’s not… Gavin just fuck off, I’m a big girl. I can make my own choices!” Iri growls ending the call furiously and turning to face Geoff who pulls her into his arms. “He… He thinks you're going to hurt me again.”  
“Kit, don’t be mad at the man for caring. Remember I am the Alpha who did this to you.” Geoff admits, gesturing to her back in a nearby closet mirror. She grimaces at her own reflection, immediately shifting her gaze back to his blue eyes in hopes of finding comfort there. However, all she finds is regret… and what she thinks might be fear. Pulling his lips to hers, she kisses him tenderly letting the man take solace in her presence.  
“There is always some truth to the rage we feel, and many truths have consequences.” Iri comments softly meeting his regretful stare with a reassuring one of her own.   
“Insightful.”  
“Only when I need to be.”   
“God you remind me of her, she was so fucking… so much better than I ever was.” Geoff remarks while using his hand to trace a line down to her bare shoulders from her ear; pausing briefly to caress her chest before continuing on to stop at the middle of her hips, resting his hand over Gavin’s mating mark. Iri says nothing allowing the man to explore her skin freely, and uninhibited. Using the hand on her hip he gestures for her to turn around, and she does as he asks, presenting her back to him. Before she can say no Geoff takes one of his cold hands to soothe the burn of the lashes, she can tell he’s healing them due to the icy wave of relief that settles in his hand’s wake. “I can’t heal the bruising, but the lashes I can… Why didn’t you?”  
“I..I tried, but lately I’m having trouble… Lexi and I believe it’s due to stress because it’s honestly the only logical explanation.” Iri tells the telepath who nods in agreement.   
“I don’t doubt that, this last week has been hell so I’m not surprised… Would you like Todd to take a look?”  
“No Papa, I believe we’ve got it handled… However, there is something else you might be able to help me with. If you're willing of course.” Iri teases with a sensual smile turning her head back to meet his lips, and then shifting her whole body to do the same. Geoff grins into the kiss, nudging her back to fall on the bed behind her. She lands with a small omph as well as a pained expression on her lips that quickly changes into an excited grin when the man spreads her thighs. He lowers his lips to her aching pussy, and starts with soft nips to the top before delving his tongue into it. Licking slowly he watches with smirk as she arches at his ministrations, her mouth releasing moans worthy of a porn star. Geoff loves the way her body reacts to each twitch of his tongue, and it isn’t until he sucks her clit that she gasps while tugging on his hair desperately. “Geoffrey please!” Iri begs, bucking her hips suddenly. Geoff the wicked man that he was goes back to his gentle lapping, savoring the taste of smoke on his palate. He returns to a pace that was sure to frustrate the woman in the worst of ways. “Geoff why?”  
“Because I like making you angry, you're far more sensitive when you're angry.” Geoff taunts, however finds his head drawn up by his hair and his lips crushed against hers. He is surprised by her sudden surge of dominance, and even more shocked by the fact that he is now pinned to the bed, his pants flung off leaving him with a sense of embarrassment. Her knee forces the man’s legs apart, and her powers pin his arms above his head while her deft fingers work at the buttons on his shirt.  
“I want your knot Geoffrey, and you will enjoy it, and I’ll enjoy it, and it will be fantastic for both of us.” Iri demands her strict tone trailing off into a more seductive one when she finishes his buttons and moves down to his boxers. “You wear far too much clothing.”  
“Unlike you I can’t parade around naked, I would give people nightmares.”   
“Mmm only the faint of heart… Perhaps you should test the strength of character of your employees, I’ll be there as a sort of relief.”  
“God you just want to provoke me don’t you?” Geoff growls lowly, flipping the pair over so the situation was reversed. Lining himself up properly he rubs the head of his cock against her clit causing moans to flow from both of them. That only lasts for a few seconds before he sinks in properly, and picking a pace that suited both of them. “Kit?”  
“Yes Geoff?” Iri answers in between kisses, and shared breaths. “Harder… Yes right there! Geoff yes!”   
“You like that baby girl? Tell Papa what you like.”  
“This!.... Yes Papa, I need… I need you...”  
“What do you need?” Geoff asks thrusting his hips faster feeling his knot beginning to swell.   
“A knot… Your knot.” Iri trails off with a lusty tone, her body arching beautifully, and a squeak sounds when his knot fills her up completely. “Yes… God damn.”  
“We should do this more often.” Geoff pants shifting them so the woman could lie on his chest comfortably. “Not the beating part…. but the sex part.”  
“Agreed…. How mad do you think they are?”  
“Oh Love we’re furious.” Gavin states, the sound of his foot tapping angrily accompanying it.   
“You two are fucking in trouble, just wait till Ryan gets back from dropping the kids off with my parents.” Michael declares glaring at both of them, his parents were in town and were dying to have the kids for a few days… Great timing in his eyes.   
“Your parents are in town? Red, you never told me that.” Iri murmurs from atop Geoff, turning her head to meet their angry gazes. “Alright stop with the bitch faces, he isn’t evil.. See look at him, cuddly as a kitten.” Iri assures them nuzzling his chest as he purrs softly at the action. “A sleepy kitten, but a kitten none the less.”  
“Skye, when Ryan found out we had to physically stop him from coming home and kicking both of your asses. He’s really pissed.”  
“Damn right I’m pissed, my fucking abused mate just decided to go home and fuck her abuser!” Ryan growls as he appears in the doorway holding a pair of leather leashes and a single black collar. “The blue one is for you, and this beautiful black one is for you Geoff… I will unclip them, and only me. Do you understand?”  
“Ry-bear, you.”  
“Don’t you Ry-bear me Geoffrey, until I can trust you both this is what I’m doing.”  
“Ryan, I blatantly refuse to allow you to collar me. I am her Alpha and you are being ridiculous.”  
“Well I’m her other Alpha, and this is the punishment we came up with for the both of you… Originally it was just for Iri to keep her from making poor decisions, but now I think you both need them.” Ryan declares furiously, and at this point Geoff just chooses to let the man collar him. There was no real harm in it, besides the strike to his pride. Reaching between them Ryan grabs the base of the gent’s knot checking to see how soon they would be separating.   
“Invasive much.” Iri snaps baring her teeth at Ryan as he attempts to leash the woman.   
“Iridessa behave.”  
“Fuck off.” She growls biting Ryan’s hand swiftly when grabs her collar. The man pulls his hand back with a curse, and Iri immediately regrets her actions when she sees the fire in his eyes. He stares her down while snatching her collar and clipping the leash on quickly.   
“You are going into the heat room this instance Iridessa Burns… Michael hold Geoff.” Ryan demands pulling the woman off of Geoff’s mostly deflated knot, and drags her into the heat room. He chains her leash to the wall, and watches her reach for it. “I dare you Iridessa, I fucking dare you.”  
“... he didn’t hurt me, in fact he healed me.”  
“I’m glad, I really am, but what you did was reckless. What if Geoff hadn’t been so remorseful? Do you realize how dangerous that would have been?”  
“You act like I’m defenseless… I have fucking killed three people… well four, but the fourth was unintentional. Ryan, I’m perfectly capable of defending myself.” Iri counters angrily while tugging at the leash. “Undo this.”  
“No, if you are going to act like a bitch then I am going to chain you up like one… Don’t worry Geoff will be joining you soon enough, the boys wanted to have a chat with him.” Ryan says with a sneer that makes Iri growl when he reaches for her. “Change that tone, or this heat is going to suck for you.”  
“Ry, stop being mean.”  
“I’m doing this for your own good, now drink this.” He says holding out a glass of water, but Iri just shies away from it. “Iridessa drink this now, and eat please.”  
“I’m not hungry.”  
“I will force feed you if you don’t.”  
“Daddy, please.” Iri whines trying to diffuse his anger with a pitiful look nuzzling his neck sadly.   
“Huuuuh…. I love you, but you aren’t going to learn unless I’m mean. Now eat the toast, and drink the water… If you're good I’ll come play with you later.” Ryan murmurs kissing her lips and presenting the piece of toast to her. Wearing a look of utter defeat Iri nibbles at the toast, draining the glass of its contents continuing to tug at the leash. “I’m not releasing you, no matter how pitiful you look.” He tells her while stroking the woman’s head softly, and listening to the angry, unwilling purrs wrenched from her throat. Eventually the woman gives in completely, and crawls into his embrace. Time passes quickly as Iri dozed lazily in Ryan’s arms.  
“Alright we’re done… we’re done with him.” Gavin pants wearing a satisfied smile with Geoff in tow, and Michael nipping his back lovingly...Neither of them were wearing pants. “Micool, it’s time for their punishment.”  
“For the record I’m not big fans of either of you right now.” Geoff mumbles bitterly as he feels Michael play with the cold metal cage around his cock and balls. “Aw why does she get a snack?”  
“Here Geoff, I don’t want it anyways.” Iri says handing the man most of the piece of toast despite Ryan’s inherently displeased sound. The gent merely smiles while settling down beside Iri in the pile of blankets, and pulls her into his lap where she curls into him reflexively with a yawn. “I’m tired.”  
“Then sleep baby girl, and I’ll wake you up when our jailers release us.”   
“Geoffrey, I will separate you two if you can’t behave.” Michael states, leaning down to kiss both of them. “Be good little foxes while we’re gone, and maybe we’ll get you some dinner… and a knot for you.”  
“...” Iri snaps at the man summoning her remaining strength, she had a feeling Ryan had put something in her drink… Probably so she didn’t fight him, or fuck Geoff but she couldn’t even if she wanted to thanks to the cage. However, her snapping soon settles into sleepy purring when Michael rubs at her neck and Gavin her ears.   
“Alright time to go, the movie starts soon.” Ryan tells them gathering up his mates and ushering them out, leaving the other two alone, naked, and clipped to a wall. After they were gone for about ten minutes Geoff asks Iri to shift down, and he does as well. Curling around his mate protectively the pair fall into a sleepy state.


	85. The Wild Side

Several Hours Later

Geoff awakes to the sight of Iri slipping free of her collar, and stretching her muscles.  
“Are they not back yet?” Geoff asks with a smirk as he does the same, slipping his furry, brown head out of the leather.  
“No, not yet… Care for a walk on the wild side?” Iri inquires devilishly, using her powers to open the nearby window. “Lexi care to escort us?”  
“Iri as your Alpha I highly think this is a good idea… Especially because I’ve been on the receiving end of your escape plans.” Geoff states trying to deter the woman who was already halfway out the window with Lexi standing on an invisible ledge nearby. “Shouldn’t we at least put on clothes?”  
“Geoff do you ever wonder what life would have been like if I hadn’t slapped you?” Iri asks while leaping onto Lexi’s ledge. “You know I had ambitions…. I had dreams.”  
“Really?” Geoff says with a mild amount of sarcasm. “Isn’t this how you broke your leg the first time?”  
“Yeah, and you broke it the second. Just follow me closely.” Iri states calmly waiting for Geoff to follow her, it takes him a few moments but he does eventually stand beside her. The woman smiles brightly at him, and starts walking with Lexi flying ahead casually. It can’t be until they’re several miles away that Geoff begins talking again, and staring at something other than the ground below them.   
“So what were these ambitions of yours?” He inquires quietly waiting for his mate to respond only to watch her stare ahead in thinking. “Iri?”  
“To take my art around the world, make friends as I go… Live in Scotland for a least a year. Not become a killer, or a fugitive from a crazy man. Learn how to ballroom dance… Simple stuff you know.” Iri responds with a wistful look, barely able to meet her lover’s eyes. “Not, be an Omega tethered to a pair Alphas.”  
“...” Geoff doesn’t quite know what to say to her as the pair continue on their journey, he had no clue where she was taking him only that it was Northwest. “You could still do some of those things.”  
“No Geoff, I can’t at least not without leaving my kits… You know it’s been four years and I still can’t believe I did that… I was twenty-one Geoff.”  
“I am aware… Do you.”  
“God no, I don’t regret it per se, I regret how early it came… I was fucking twenty-one and instead of partying my brains out I had five children, one of them a product of rape.” Iri mumbles still unable to meet Geoff’s soft eyes. The pair had stopped, but remained high above the ground unsure of what to say to the other.   
“That’s the trouble with falling in love with old men, things have to happen faster than you might appreciate.” Geoff comments, and Iri just sighs at this. “If it’s any consolation it’s not too late to party your brains out… Michael and Gavin will happily try to out drink you.”  
“You know I don’t even like alcohol that much, but I… Would you go ballroom dancing with me?” Iri stutters out, waiting with bated breath for the man’s inevitable laughter and him telling her that she’s being funny.  
“... Would… Would you like that?” Geoff asks hesitantly using his tail to draw up his Vixen’s apprehensive face. “I’m no good at dancing, but if you want I’ll go with you.”   
“I… I think I would, and worst comes to worst we can just use our powers to sabotage others.” Iri adds causing Geoff to smile.   
“So now that, that has been settled where are we?”  
“We are at Pedernales Falls State Park. I took the kids here a little while back, Dex and Scar love the water… Fel and Leo enjoy cliff diving.” Iri tells the gent who cocks his head at this. “It was one of the days you guys worked late, and I left early.”  
“I see. Do you have these days often?”  
“It depends on how much work I have, and if the kits call from daycare bored… I can’t do it all the time, but sometimes I can.” Iri explains causing the gent to nod in understanding. He says nothing more choosing to stare at the sunset before him. She sits down beside him, and the pair watch with soft eyes as the sky displays brilliant colors.. almost like a last hurrah for the day.   
“Todd tells me that they’re on their way back.”  
“Hmm, I suppose we should go back.”  
“... I think we can stay for a little bit… Just until the sun fully sets.” Geoff murmurs curling his tail around hers, and rubbing his side against hers. Both watching with a sense of contentment as the sun sinks below the horizon, leaving them in a star filled darkness for their walk back.


	86. Who's your Alpha?

Home 

The pair slip in through the open window, and then back into their collars shifting as well. Geoff scowling at the cage around his dick and Iri just out of general discomfort from heat. Both of them lying back down on the blanket they were sitting on. It can’t be more than two minutes before they hear the front door open, and then the sound of footsteps on the stairs. The door opens slowly to reveal Gavin beaming, and Michael beside him holding a bag.  
“Love, come here.” Gavin says hoping the woman would comply, but all he receives is a glare from her and the beginning of a snarl. “Oh for the love… Will you get over it, and come here. I have a surprise for you.”  
“I don’t want your surprise.” Iri states icily turning her back to Gavin, giving him the cold shoulder and surprising even Geoff… Normally Iri was all for anything the lad wanted to do, but now, well now she was very perturbed.   
“But, but you’ll like it.” Gavin tries expecting her tail to at least twitch in curiosity, but he gets nothing out of her… absolutely nothing causing his heart to sink. “Love, please.”  
“Iri, turn around please… For me Kit.” Geoff pleads nipping at her shoulder, but the woman just shrugs him off and crawls over to a separate blanket in a nearby corner. Gavin deflates wholly at this, and starts to head to undo her leash but Michael stops him.   
“Boi, Ryan will chain you up too if you release her.”  
“I don’t care, look how miserable she is. Come on Love, at least look at me…. See she won’t even look at us. Poor thing.” Gavin whines hoping to garner Michael’s sympathy, but the man only shakes his head in no. “Micool, please.”  
“Nope, we’re going this way Romeo just give it to her later.” Michael tells the man as he drags him out the door and shuts it behind him leaving the pair in their silence. Geoff glances to the side to find Iri moving the blankets and pillows around with a fervor.   
“Kit what are you doing?” Geoff inquires as he inches over to her sort of fort, though it lacked structure. “Iri where did you go?”  
“Right here Geoff, look I built us a house…. House-ception!” Iri declares playfully peeking her head out the side, and ushering Geoff into it but his leash doesn’t quite reach. However, Iri just uses her powers to shift it over to her hook and the man smirks at her deviance. The fort was spacious and surprisingly well built despite how long it took her, it isn’t until he notices the pillows resting against an invisible wall that he realizes she was using her powers.   
“You're lucky traffic sucks tonight, and Gavin probably stopped at a sex shop for you. Otherwise our little departure would have had major consequences.” Geoff murmurs lying beside the woman who shrugged and continued to fiddle with an unruly blanket, making a miniature bed inside of the fort. “What do you suppose Gavi got you?”  
“Another thong probably… He loves to see me in lace.” Iri conjectures after a few minutes of silence. “Or a…”  
“Or a what?”  
“Nothing.”  
“No seriously, tell me.”  
“You're going to think it’s stupid.”  
“I will not, now tell me.”  
“He.. Well. I.”  
“Kit, why are you so embarrassed by this gift?”  
“Because it’s incredibly girly, and selfish.”  
“What is it? A pair of shoes, or a rabbit vibrator?”  
“...” She stares at Geoff in shock, and mild awe that the gent knew.  
“You do realize I’ve been married twice, and have had many girlfriends right?... Also your Amazon history wasn’t really erased. What is your aversion to sex shops by the way?” Geoff asks his clearly flustered mate who was still maintaining her stunned silence. “God your strange, I can tie you up like a calf and fuck you till you're begging me to stop but the moment someone talks about sex toys you clam up.”  
“... Tis my Achilles heel.”  
“Iridessa come here now.” Ryan’s angry voice interrupts causing Iri to peek her head back outside the fort. “You two are having far too much fun for this to be a punishment… You are coming downstairs with me, and also at least open Gavin’s gift. He apparently was hoping to apologize for yelling at you earlier with it.” Ryan mumbles undoing the woman’s leash from the wall, and tugging her towards the door, but she whines quietly and pulls towards Geoff.  
“Ry-bear, she clearly doesn’t want to leave.” Geoff says hoping to persuade the gent to release her back to him. “Look, I’m not.”  
“Ah bah bah, I don’t want to hear it and if you won’t come willingly I’ll just… do this.” Ryan states picking up Iri easily, and caring her downstairs after closing the door. He deposits her on the couch next to a whimpering Gavin, who instantly brightens at her presence and pulls her into his arms.   
“I’m sorry for being mean earlier, I hate being mean but I was just worried… Horribly worried.” Gavin remarks in an overly friendly tone that makes Iri wonder at the man’s blood alcohol level.  
“Gavvers, it’s cool… Are you drunk?” Iri asks, but the man shakes his head violently.   
“Romeo over here is tipsy, but not drunk… So Geoff is cool again right?”   
“Yeah Michael, he’s fine as soon as Ryan releases us I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to show you.” Iri mutters tugging out of Gavin’s death grip to glare at Ryan, and pout on the couch her tail thumping angrily.   
“... I’m not setting him free tonight so you can just give that thought up, and besides wouldn’t you rather play with us?” Ryan asks while pulling her onto his lap, and kissing at her neck using the leash to keep her still. If Iri hadn’t been about to go into her heat than she might have resisted, but hormones were persuasive… and so were Ryan’s fingers. The Omegas watched with quiet whimpers as their Alpha holds Iri close using her leash. “Boys, would you like something?”  
“I think I speak for all of us when I say she might a bit of the Lads brand of loving.” Ray states pulling her head to the side to meet his lips while working her leash free of Ryan’s hand. He starts to pull back only to feel her follow him. Gavin was on her the minute she stood up, trading for Ray’s position as the men lead her downstairs with Michael bringing up the rear. Iri allowed the group to lead her away from Ryan who smiled as she left, and then headed upstairs in search of Geoff. He opens the heat room door expecting to find Geoff lying on the floor, but instead he finds the man… well fox slipping out of his collar and about to scamper out the window.   
“Geoffrey, where are you going?” Ryan’s strict voice asks causing the brown fox to stop dead in his tracks and turn to face the angry man.   
“Uh… Out?” Geoff mumbles, and suddenly he understood what Iri felt like every time they did this to her. The poor woman just wanted some time alone, but they rarely ever granted her any.   
‘Empathy, Geoffrey, is what you're feeling.’ Todd says, well more like sneers with what Geoff imagines pursed lips in a sort of told you so look. ‘Fox’s are.’  
“I don’t want a lecture from either of you, and besides this is my house. I can come and go as I please.” Geoff states silencing them both with a single sharp look. “I am currently going out to see about something for Iri, if you must know.”  
“What does she need?” Ryan inquires as he lifts the fox into his arms, and carries him back over to where his collar sat on the ground. Unclipping it, slipping it around the fox’s neck, and continues carrying him to the master bedroom. “Shift back will you.”  
“And if I refuse?”  
“Then I’ll shift down and fuck you like that… Hmm Godric does seem to like that thought.” Ryan threatens with a smile that Geoff found a bit unsettling so that’s when he decides to shift back.  
‘Aw, you're no fun Geoffrey.’ Godric states with a mock pout as he appears on the bed beside them only to find Ryan glaring at him. ‘What’s wrong with you?’  
“Go away Godric.” Both of them say in unison causing the wolf to smirk before disappearing down the stairs. Once the wolf was gone Ryan smiles and pins the gent to the mattress, spreading his legs with a knee. He begins by suckling on the elder’s man sensitive nipples causing him to moan loudly beneath him.   
“Ry-bear why… why couldn’t… you just let me leave?” Geoff chokes out in between moans, feeling his member start to plumpen at the gent’s attention. Ryan says nothing choosing to trail soft kisses down his lover’s chest, stopping at his hips paying them special attention knowing the man had a particularly sensitive erogenous zone there. “Ry!”  
“Yes?” Ryan inquires with a smirk releasing his hands and spreading Geoff’s thighs wide. As if the man knew what he was happening next he attempts to close his legs. “Pas de bébé.”  
“I don’t speak french Ryan, and I’m not.”  
“Don’t lie to me Geoff, that clearly says otherwise as does your scent.”   
“No… No knot though.” Geoff mumbles in defeat, it was fair to say that he was more than into this but he didn’t want them to be tied together because he was going to get out of here tonight.   
“Bien sûr.” Ryan murmurs soothingly to the man who was spreading his legs slowly, and at this Ryan kisses his lips gently trying to calm him. Reaching for a thing of lotion Iri kept by the bedside he opens the bottle only to be hit by the stench of Alpha. His nose twitched in confusion and he turns to Geoff for answers.   
“It’s for masturbating dumbass, the scent of Alpha helps to stimulate the production of slick… She and Ray use it when he dominates her, or I’ve seen Michael slather a bit on his neck when the pair scents and he wants it to turn into a little more than that.” Geoff explains and watches as he places it back down, switching it for her tropical scented one. Squirting a bit onto his fingers he reaches below Geoff’s cock and finds his entrance. The elder squirms in discomfort and tries to wiggle away, but Ryan snarls threateningly causing the man to still beneath him in defeat.   
“Geoff will you stop pouting, and relax… your tighter than a nervous virgin.”   
“Sorry, it’s just my body’s way of telling me that this isn’t right.”  
“Like nature's ever stopped you before.” Ryan adds with a smirk that causes the gent to chuckle quietly and lie back on the blankets as he works two fingers in and out of him. Soon enough he is up to three, and Geoff is panting under him his body arching a bit. “Good boy.” Ryan praises as the man gives in completely and purrs when he hits a certain spot. He lines himself up and begins to tease the head of his cock in and out of the pack alpha causing him to moan as well as attempt to push down. Ryan slaps one of Geoff’s thighs bringing the man back to his reality. He wasn't Alpha right now. “My pace, Geoff.”  
“Yes Alpha.” Geoff gasps as Ryan sinks in fully causing the man to buck. He waits patiently for the elder to adjust giving several experimental thrusts to gauge his readiness and receives low moans in response every time. “Ry just come on already… sheesh.”  
“You are really mouthy for a man who has been chained to a wall for several hours.” Ryan remarks as he snaps his hips harshly causing the gent to grip the sheets tightly and toss his head back. “I believe that was the spot I was looking for.”  
“Again, please.”  
“Hmm do you think you deserve that?”  
“Maybe?” Geoff stutters out, his mind barely able to process that thought with Ryan’s cock working in and out of him.   
“Are you going to stop be.”  
“If you say abusive I’m going to toss your ass out of me, and then ride you into oblivion. I didn’t mean to and I have apologized profusely. She clearly forgives me, and so do the others. What’s your hang up?” Geoff snaps angrily, he was tired of Ryan’s berating and he would fight this man for pack dominance if it came to that.  
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” Ryan says with a smirk as he begins to truly fuck the man, and doesn’t stop until Geoff’s begging for release. “Do you think you deserve it?”  
“Yes Ryan, god yes!”   
“Very well.” Ryan murmurs while unleashing the man’s member from its cage, but gripping the base tightly. “Still don’t want me to knot you like a good little bitch?”  
“Knot me, oh fuck please Ryan!” Geoff begs needily, and purrs when he feels Ryan release him and swell deep inside of him. Ryan cums, his knot tieing them together, and leans over placing soft kisses on the gent’s sweaty brow.   
“Beautiful.”  
“Tch, yeah right.” Geoff mutters as the other continues nuzzling him, and deepening his kisses. Soon he finds his mouth full of Ryan’s tongue, and smiling into it as their tongues battle for dominance. The younger pulls backs gasping with a smirk while grabbing a nearby pair of boxers to clean off Geoff’s chest, and then lowers a hand to play with the other’s knot. “Ry!”  
“Hmm?”  
“Stop, please stop.” Geoff asks breathlessly as Ryan continues teasing him.  
“Sensitive?”  
“Very.”  
“Fine, but we’re going to be here for a while… My knots lately have been going for about fifty minutes.”  
“Christ, Ryan… I hope they don’t manage to start a fire.” Geoff remarks knowing that Ryan’s knots only lasted that long when he was in a rut and he bet the man was.  
“I love you… Even if it doesn’t seem that way.”  
“And I love you, even when you try to take my pack from me.”  
“I.. Why?.. I would never.”  
“Oh shut up Ryan, it was a joke… And you know you're in a rut right?”  
“Yes Alpha, I am aware.”  
“Just trying to be helpful… You should have warned me.”  
“I did just now… Well a little too late on my part, but I must say you feel fantastic Geoff. Silken walls clamping tightly around my thick knot.” Ryan tells him seductively, rocking his hips for emphasis causing Geoff to bit his lip to hold back sounds. “Oh, come now don’t be like that. Sing for me my canary.”  
“God, you are fucking creepy. If you weren’t balls deep in my ass I would punch you…How do our mates stand us? Between the serial killer you sound like, and the asshole I am it makes no logical sense that they’d love us.”  
“Tis a miracle I suppose.”  
“Ryan, they’re… Oh my.” Iri starts only to stop when she finds Ryan deep inside Geoff and the pair seemed to be having a deep conversation of sorts. “I’ll just come back later.”  
“What did you need Kit?” Geoff asks softly, glaring at Ryan who was rocking his hips again… Though he doubted the gent could help it, and as he mewls happily. Geoff had absolutely no problem purring for him.  
“I was just… Have you seen my lube? I’ve been looking everywhere for it, and I think Ray hid it.”  
“Nope, Kit it’s right here… Why do you need it?” Geoff asks while levitating it over to the woman who was sitting beside him, and gesturing to the shimmer of slick on her leg. “Clearly you are producing a decent amount of slick.”  
“I seem to have exhausted the boys, and I’m going to go play with myself till someone becomes available… I like how it smells. Also Ryan’s in a rut you know that right?” Iri states wondering why Geoff had let the Alpha knot him in the first place.  
“Yeah, seems everyone knew that but me… Lay down Kit, and I’ll do that thing you like.”Geoff offers only to receive a lackluster okay. “Unless you’d rather take care of yourself?”  
“I mean… If you're okay with that, I felt like I was intruding on your guys’ moment.” Iri says hesitantly causing the two Alphas to stare at her with cocked eyebrows.   
“Eh the moment was coming to an end, and more of a self-reflecting thing… It probably would have gotten messy if you didn’t show up.” Ryan explains, giving Geoff’s head a tug by the metal ring on his collar. “Probably would have decapitated him.”  
“Sheesh, morbid much… and I’m leaving again… Go back to your momenting? I think that’s what it would be called.” Iri mumbles unsurely with a shrug before exiting the room, and heading into her studio, locking the door behind her. Placing the tube down in her purse, she dresses quickly in a black strapless mini dress with intricate corset style back, and puts on her makeup. Lexi fishes out a pair of heels that matched her dress from the closet, they were six inch black heels with a black ribbon laced up to the top of her calf. Pinning her loose ringlets back with a few bobby pins she glances in the mirror giving herself a once over.  
“It needs something… Lexi?” Iri asks turning to the fox who sat thinking her tail tapping slightly.   
“Your snowflake necklace.” Lexi suggests helpfully, and Iri beams at her companion.  
“Good call.” Iri states happily while digging around for her Weiss inspired necklace, given to her by Gavin for her birthday a couple years back. It was sterling silver, six pointed snowflake with all its points bearing a dark blue sapphire. Iri grabs Ray’s sapphire choker instead, making sure to flip the small tracker’s switch to off.  
“Are you sure you don’t want that on?”  
“Yes, but it’s just Miles and I can’t believe I agreed to this earlier… No wonder he was mad when I wanted to leave.” Iri grumbles while unlocking the door and peaking her head out to see if anyone was out there. Seeing no one she sneaks her way down the stairs, and then out the front door only to be met with the surprised eyes of Ray.  
“What.. where are you going?”  
“A business dinner with Miles and Gray, he wants some help with recruiting a few voice actors and thinks having a pretty Omegan fox on his arm will sway their opinions.” Iri explains quickly, giving Ray a swift kiss on his lips careful not to smear her lipstick. “I should be back in an hour or two.”  
“But you're in heat.”  
“That’s why I’m happy you guys fucked the shit out of me earlier, I think I can keep it together till midnight.” Iri tells him, she hoped they didn’t take too long tonight. Personally all she wanted to do was curl up in her Papa’s bed and sleep the night away in somebody’s arms, but Miles had been frantically texting her earlier so this was her fate now.   
“Alright Cinderella, I sick the hounds at midnight if I don’t hear otherwise… Be good will you.”  
“I make no promises, but I’ll text if I’m going to be later… Wish me luck?”  
“You make your own luck.”  
“.....” Iri doesn’t answer wondering silently if that was a reference to Halo, and meeting Ray’s knowing eyes he nods in yes. “Arbiter, if only that were true.”  
“Iri come on, I don’t want to be late! Gray’s already there.” Miles shouts as he pulls up suddenly causing Iri to smile and wave goodbye at Ray who still sat on the porch. “I’ll take good care of her.”  
“Tch, I think that’s the other way around Miles.” Ray mutters as the pair speed off into the night and the lad heads inside to play Xbox in the living room.


	87. The devil comes in bottled form for your convenience

An Hour Later

Ray was in the middle of an online match thinking about how much he hated his insomnia; when the sound of a grumble catches his ears, glancing to the right he sees Geoff and Ryan wandering down the stairs. The pair of Alphas head into the kitchen in search of something to drink. Ray hears some rustling, a quiet chuckle, and then Geoff’s own disappointed sigh before they settle on the couch beside him.  
“Kitten what are you playing?” Ryan asks as he nips the back of Ray’s neck.   
“Just…. Fuck you Asshole!” Ray curses angrily, gripping the controller tightly, and glaring at the TV. “C.O.D. like normal.”  
“Are you okay?” Geoff inquires noticing how tense the man looks.  
“Yeah I’m good just waiting till Iri gets back, she and Miles had a fancy business dinner to attend… I call dibs on cuddling her when she gets back.” Ray states after finally winning his match, and raising his stats slightly.   
“What?” The Alphas say in shock.  
“She’s in heat, she can’t go to a business dinner.”  
“That’s a fucking disaster waiting to happen.” Geoff says hurriedly, grabbing his phone he quickly dials Iri’s number only for it to go straight to voicemail. “Did she say where this fancy meeting was going to happen?”  
“No, Miles just came by and got her an hour ago… Geoff I’m sure she’s fine.” Ray assures the antsy Alpha who was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. A few moments tick by as the Omega starts his next match, and his phone chimes brightly. “Oh here she just texted me a picture.” He unlocks it, and hands the phone to the man who is staring at it worriedly. The picture was of her Miles…. Adam Kovic and the rest of his gang… with the caption of it’s going great and I’m going to be late.  
“FunHaus.” Geoff spits, and even Ryan mirrors his anger. “Call her.”

Iri

The fox had a feeling that maybe sending a photo of them at a dance club hadn’t been the best way to tell Ray she was going to be late, and as if someone had read her mind… and Ray’s text message her phone starts to buzz.  
“Hello?” Iri answers as she exits the raucous dance floor to take her call.   
“Why are you at a fancy dinner with FunHaus?”  
“Oh Geoff, it’s actually kinda of funny… See Kovic and Miles set it up as an apology for their behavior in L.A, and Kovic is really a super nice dude.. Like sweet as dicks, and I love this song.” Iri explains casually to Geoff, trying to keep from falling over… perhaps she’d had a few too many tonight she thought, leaning against a wall to keep from falling.   
“Kit are you drunk?”  
“Fuck yeah I am, and it’s A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Geoff I wish you were here, so I could dance with you.” Iri tells the animatedly man, who is sighing over the line. “Or fuck me… Yeah I like the second option better, and I bet you do too.” Iri murmurs in a seductive tone, purring in an attempt to change his angry tone.   
“Kit, there is a reason you shouldn’t drink when you're in a heat… Tell Miles you want to go home.”  
“Noooooooooooo, Geoff I don’t want to come home yet!”  
“Iridessa, now.”  
“Fine!” Iri growls bitterly, ending the call, and storming into the club to find Miles talking to Adam at table by far corner the others were off dancing even Spoole, though that was after a lot of drinks… and when Iri says a lot, she means at least twelve. “Geoff, is summoning me.”  
“Fuck Geoff, you're a big girl now. You can go home when you want.” Adam states with a smirk. “I mean unless you're Geoff’s bitch?”  
“I.. well technically I am.”   
“Metaphorically Iridessa, I was being metaphorical… So are you?”  
“n… No?”  
“Damn right you aren’t, so have another shot on me!” Adam shouts enthusiastically causing the woman to smile, and lift up her glass. “To friendship, and freedom!”  
“Woo!” The pair of Omegas cheer as they slam back the liquor, a warm feeling settling in their stomachs.   
“Dancing?”  
“Of course!” Iri says happily, taking the man’s extended hand as he leads her to the dance floor where the rest of Funhaus was dancing with Miles not far behind. She smiles brightly while grinding on the drunk Spoole. The music was loud, and Iri wouldn’t lie; she was in heaven. With her inhibitions lowered she had absolutely no problem dancing with the pair of Alphas sandwiching her in, nor did she even question them when a hand slipped a bit lower than it should have. The only thing Iri noticed was how her guilt was gone, and replaced by an overwhelming sense of numbness but not the depression kind, no this was the ‘I’m drunk, I don’t give a fuck’ kind… And Iri allowed herself to be swept up by it, barely aware of her actions.

2 a.m

Miles helped Iri to her front door, and watched the pliant drunk woman stumble around.   
“Iri, are you sure you're okay?” Miles asks as she waves him off after gripping the door handle tightly.  
“S’fine Smiles… just go.(giggle) I called you smiles.” Iri mutters as she falls into a bout of giggles, it takes a few minutes but the woman gets a hold of herself. “I’ll be fine… Thanks for…(giggles) a great time Smiles.”   
“See you tomorrow Boss Lady.” Miles bids as he walks back to his car, and drives off. Iri stands at the door mumbling softly as she opens the door.  
“I’m not bossy.” Iri grumbles after stumbling through the door, only to snag her heel on a pair of tiny shoes and fall hard on the floor. “Jesus christ, fuckers never use the goddamn shoe rack! I thought I was being so smart when I asked Ryan to build one, and no one ever uses the fucking thing!”   
“Iri?” She hears Geoff’s soft tone inquire from the upstairs hall. Iri just waits on the floor hoping to hide from her grumpy Alpha, however she didn’t realize he would turn on the lights, dashing all her hopes of hiding completely. “I see you.”  
“Nuh uh, I’m invisible.” Iri states while covering her eyes with her hands. “If I can’t see you then you can’t see me!” Geoff just rolls his eyes at his lover’s drunken logic while striding over to where the woman was curled up on the floor.   
“Kit, I’m going to pick you up.”  
“Don’t touch me, I can do it myself!... I’m indecisive, Adam told me so!” Iri quips, trying to sit up only to slump back over. “Stupid muscles, all wimpy.”  
“He called you indecisive?”  
“And...Detractable…. He was really nice this time, and Smiles too… But Smiles is always nice to me… Though I’m kinda bitchy to him… I should apologize to him, Geoff where’s my phone?” Iri states looking to the Alpha for answers only to hear him laughing.  
“Oh, I forgot how much fun drunk you is… Iri let’s get you into bed before you say something stupid.”  
“No, I need to.. I need to tell Smiles I love him and that he’s my bestest friend… Besides Ray, I fucking love that dude!” Iri declares aggressively, and Geoff just shakes his head while working the woman’s high heels off her. He tries to work her fishnets off, but the woman seems to take this as a suggestion for sex or perhaps her heat was kicking back up because she pulls herself up to kiss him. Now it was a bit sloppy, and Geoff had to pull back for air but it was still nice. Though he couldn’t help the laugh when he saw how her red lipstick was now smeared on her face. “Papa, please.”  
“No, Kit… Now I’m taking off your stockings, stop grinding on the floor.” Geoff orders sharply hoping to get the woman’s hips to still but that seems to only encourage her. “Iridessa, I am not playing with you. Stop or get a spanking!”   
“Cunt.” Iri spits darkly at Geoff, all she wanted was him to fuck her and every other time when she didn’t want him to he wanted her… it frustrated that she wanted him, and he didn’t want her.  
“What did you call me?”  
“I called you a pussy licking cunt nugget.”  
“Alright, it’s time for bed Vixen.”  
“Geoff no, please!... why don’t you love me?”  
“I do, but right now you need to go to sleep… I’ll play with you in the morning if your good, and come with me on your own.” Geoff bargains knowing that when Iri got like this the best thing to do was put her to bed because she only got worse. In the morning he would have a serious talk with Miles about lying, alcohol consumption, and how this related to Funhaus.  
In the Morning

Iri woke up with a hell of a hangover, and the need to fuck something… not even a want to, but a need to and Gavin just so happened to be lying on his back as well as boxer-less. Slipping out of Geoff’s and Ray’s embraces she works her way over to Gavin’s position on the bed. He was sleeping peacefully with a smile on his lips, and Michael snuggled into his side. She sat down at Gavin’s feet, and began trailing her claws up his legs creating tiny raised crimson pathways as she went. Keeping a watchful eye on Gavin she notices how his lips part in wanting, switching her claws for her tongue she heals each scratch with a swipe of her tongue, and when she’s down Gavin is whining needily. Taking the man’s plumping dick into her hands and begins stroking it while flicking the slit with her tongue. She purrs happily at the sounds of Gavin as Iri starts taking him in earnest. No longer was she working his tip, no Iri was full on deep throating the man and using her tail to rub her sensitive sex; her slick forming in excess and only one thought is continuously broadcasting itself in her mind. Please. All her body wanted was for someone to fuck her, and knot her… possibly for the rest of her life if that was an option.   
“Mmm… Love.” Gavin mumbles sleepily as he feels himself get closer and closer to climax, he opens his eyes hazily to find Iri sucking on his cock. “Love?”  
“Morning Gavvers.” Iri mumbles around his member.  
“How was your fancy dinner last night?” Gavin asks as she picks up her pace, and he pinches her ears playfully,extremely happy that it hadn’t been just one of Lance’s boner inducing dreams.... The wolf was rather pesky some nights. “With Adam Kovic.”  
“How…. Did… You know?” She asks pulling off him to lick just the tip causing him to groan in frustration, he had been so close.   
“Adam tweeted, and can you please.”  
“Yeah.” Iri says before finishing the man off, and presenting her open mouth to him.  
“Swallow.” Gavin orders, but watches as the woman just glares at him. “Swallow or I won’t return the favor.” He threatens and it’s almost comical how fast Iri swallows, and then falls backwards presenting him with her wet pussy.   
“Gavvers please.” Iri whines quietly still aware of the men snoring less than a foot away. Gavin nods quickly while lowering his head down. “No, Gavvers.”  
“Oh, you want me to.”  
“Yes, for the love of your queen fuck me.” Iri says needily, she can tell she pissed him off because the only thing she feels enter her is his two fingers.  
“Mouthy Omegas get fingers and nothing else.”  
“Gav… Gav…. Gavvy, wavvy please!”  
“Hush, you’ll wake them up.”   
“Gavvers… stop talking so loud.” Geoff’s tired voice grumbles as he rolls over to curl into Ryan’s side serving to emphasize Gavin’s point.   
‘Unless you wish to disturb our already grumpy Alpha I suggest you contain yourself.’ Gavin thinks at the woman who just grits her teeth, and allows him to pleasure her albeit it was slow but pleasurable the same. Kissing her softly while moving his fingers in and out however, was just not doing it for her and Gavin could sense her restlessness. ‘Love, how about a swim?’  
‘A swim? Gavin it’s too cold for that right now, just put your dick in me, and fuck me.’ Iri whimpers her mind slowly being consumed by heat, and she would start seeking her own release… She might get violent soon…. Though she seriously doubted finding a partner would be difficult, given that several virile men were lying in bed oblivious to her need. However, before she can continue that thought Gavin’s fingers are removed and his lips beckon for her to follow him…. and she does, she lets herself be lead by man to the pool. He breaks contact briefly to flip a switch that uncovers the crystal clear blue waters, and Iri doesn’t bother waiting for the cover to completely roll up before she begins stepping into the calm water. Gavin watches with intrigue as the woman steps sensually into the water, and at first that thought caused him to cock his head in confusion… How did one step sensually? Perhaps it was the way her tail dances across the surface, or the way her lips parted just a bit at the chill of the water… Yeah Gavin had a feeling it was both, and in a typical Gavin fashion he feels himself suddenly trip over seemingly nothing. The resulting splash soaks the vixen completely and her tail which once flitted around playfully, now stands stock still in the pale morning light.  
“Sorry Love.” Gavin mumbles apologetically after breaking the surface and shaking his hair out only to find his lap soon full of wet Omega, in both meanings of the word. Iri didn’t even bother mumbling okay, choosing to drown the man in hot, needy kisses that said more than she ever could. Wasting no more time Gavin pins her to the pools cement wall, and buries himself deeply in the wanting woman.  
“Ow… Ow that… Ow Gav stop.”  
“Love what’s wrong?” Gavin asks worriedly, pulling away instantly only to hear the woman grimace in both pain and anger.  
“Fuck you Geoff!” Iri shouts knowingly, to the man who lingered by the pool’s edge. He must have snuck out soon after they did. “Take away your ghost dick!”  
“Do you remember what I told you last night?”  
“No, just let Gavin fuck me please!”  
“Fine, but listen as he does it will you.” Geoff orders as he releases his ‘ghost dick’... a nifty little trick that he wished he’d figured out sooner. With the obstruction gone, Gavin sinks in fully and Iri moans lustfully.  
“God yes!”  
“Do you remember what happened last night?” Geoff asks dragging the woman’s face up to meet his eyes, she shakes her head no as Gavin pounds her roughly. “Apparently Miles lied to you about a meeting.”  
“Oh… Oh yes!.. To both.” Iri pants as the fog coating her memory lifts itself up a tad to allow her a few glimpses of last night. They were hazy but she remembered drinking, dancing, and… and wandering hands but nothing more than that.  
“Then do you remember what he called you?”  
“Independent, and…. Delightful…. and a bunch of other, fuck me! Harder Gav, harder I’m so close!” Iri begs as she pulls away from Geoff to throw her head back. “He was so nice, and bought me sooo many… Drinks!” Iri yells at the end as she cums with a sigh, and it was true, Adam had specifically bought her many drinks… Now that Iri thought about it, perhaps that hadn’t been just a gesture of goodwill…. Or maybe he was just being nice? Iri didn’t know, and she couldn’t help the sudden distrust that was settling over her mind; she hoped Gavin couldn’t feel it beneath her thick wall of lust, that was exuding from her.  
“Did he now? Why?” Geoff inquires as he listens to his Omega seek out his own orgasm, and Iri lies pliantly on the cement. “Baby girl don’t rest your head on the… you’ll cut your chin.”  
“I’ll just heal it… Gav stop that tickles.” Iri murmurs with a giggle as she feels Gavin’s scruffy face tickle the back of her neck with kisses. The man merely purrs softly while continuing his kisses, and nuzzling her back with his scruffy face.   
“So why was Adam being so nice to you?”  
“He told me… It was an apology, and he told me that his behavior was unacceptable...And he said he hoped we could be friends.” Iri explains tiredly to Geoff who strokes her ears softly till she purrs contently.   
“Love, naturally you told him no. Right?”  
“Right?”  
“Wellllllll….” Iri drawls out, she hadn’t told him no because first off he bought her like fourteen shots of fireball whiskey and two she felt like he’d been really sincere about it. “He was.”  
“No.”  
“No?”  
“You are not allowed to be his friend.”  
“Are you forbidding me?” Iri asks with a smirk, Geoff however was completely serious. “Are you being serious right now?”  
“I don’t believe you need any more male friends… or female ones for that matter. You have plenty of friends already, Ryan alerted me to that when they kept offering to take you home.”  
“You. Cannot. Tell. Me. Who. Is. Or. Is. Not. My. Friend. Geoffrey Ramsey.” Iri states, using her powers to push the man back with each word till he falls on his butt. “I will not be controlled by you.” She declares lifting herself up out of the water and pinning the man to the grass. Leaning over she proves her new found dominance with forceful kisses that only served to inflame the Alpha’s need to take control. Geoff tries to force her off, but the woman uses her powers to keep the man subdued, and continues exploring the gent’s whiskey flavored mouth… However, the thought crosses her mind that his mouth shouldn’t taste like whiskey this early in the morning… That maybe he might have a problem, but then it’s soon replaced by surprise as she feels them flipped over and their positions reversed. It was Geoff’s turn to marvel at the taste in Iri’s mouth, and he discovers something lurking in the back, right behind her molars buried deep under the taste of Gavin…. Alpha, and all he needed was one guess to guess who.   
“Did you kiss him?” Geoff inquires in between kisses and waits for Iri to do or say something but all he receives is a confused look. “Alpha, I taste Alpha on you.”  
“I… I don’t… I don’t think I kissed him… It’s really blurry Geoff, and I didn’t… I didn’t mean to.” Iri starts to blubber to Geoff who shushes her. “He was so nice, and I don’t think I did but I don’t remember… and you know how I am in heat, I…. We were dancing, and.”  
“If he did anything it’s his fault, not yours. You're in heat, and drunk at the time…. this is why I keep you in the bedroom when your heat comes.”  
“Because I’m a whore.” Iri sobs as Geoff pulls her into his lap.  
“Wellllll.”  
“Love you are our whore, and next time we see Adam I’m sure this will be straightened out.” Gavin interjects seeing how distraught the woman was. “Sshh no need for tears, Geoff is only teasing.”  
“Besides we make a great pair, I could be your pimp and you, my loose little slut who loves taking it doggy style.” Geoff coos, but Iri just shakes her head and keeps sobbing into his chest.   
“Geoff maybe your son is right.”  
“About what?”   
“About how you make her cry all the time, like seriously she only cries when you tease her like this… In other words it makes you look very mean.”  
“.....”  
“...” Iri and Geoff both share an uneasy silence that neither of them really know how to fill because Gavin wasn’t exactly lying when he said what he said. Geoff says nothing while wiping at Iri’s tear stained eyes, and placing a kiss to her brow. “I’m.. It’s fine, and Dex… Dex is complicated, we’re conundrums alright.”  
“Damn right we are, we’re emotional train wrecks and psychological conundrums. That’s the Ramsey way.” Geoff adds causing Iri to grin and nuzzle her Alpha affectionately, while Gavin too wears a similar smile. “In other words don’t even bother trying to understand us.”  
“Puberty is going to be so much fun.” Iri mutters into Geoff’s chest causing soft chuckles to be had by all of them.   
“Hey who is Zoey?”  
“Who?.... Oh she’s the daughter of our neighbor who lives two houses down. She’s a particularly fussy baby, and her mother was at wit’s end. Zoey was sick, and the doctor told her it was just normal colic but Lexi sensed her distress… It was actually a mild virus, nothing I couldn’t heal in a second or two.” Iri explains to the gent who nods in understanding.   
“You know while you were out dancing the night away, I found a ballroom dancing class… Starts next week, I can sign us up if you want.” Geoff mumbles quietly and watches the indecision cross her face.  
“Geoff, I… I don’t think… You don’t need to do that for me.”  
“What are you two talking about?”  
“Nothing Gav, just childish whims nothing more.” Iri resigns softly while placing a soft kiss on Geoff’s cheek before heading inside to brush her teeth and shower. The pair watch her leave wearing similar expressions of confusion.  
“She told me that she had always wanted to learn how to ballroom dance, and now she.. Now she doesn’t want to anymore.” Geoff explains to Gavin, who stares at him with a sigh on his lips.   
“...” Gavin doesn’t say anything choosing to settle in the confused Alpha’s lap quietly.   
“How about you Gav? Anything you want to do that you didn’t get to?”  
“...No… Not really, I always wanted to know what it felt like to die… Erik’s goon helped me out with that one, and thanks to Iri it wasn’t permanent.” Gavin answers and Geoff just smirks into the top of his head. “Also wanted to know what to learn how to crochet… Iri too taught me how to do that… She’s a very knowledgeable woman.”  
“Why crochet?” Geoff asks as he stands up, and lifts Gavin as well. The man staggers a bit, Gavin immediately notices and extracts himself from the gent’s arms, choosing to wrap himself around Geoff’s side.   
“Quite calming, and Scarlett enjoys my mediocre scarves.” Gavin adds causing Geoff to smile as they enter the house. “Just like her mother in that sense.”  
“Mmhmm, very supportive even when it’s clear that I’m terrible at crocheting.”  
“Well be that as it may… we have to go to work soon.”  
“... Do we have to Geoffrey?” Michael whines from the bar, eating a bowl of cereal on a stool with Iri nestled between his legs. “Vixen….”  
“...” Iri says nothing, simply because her mouth is full. She purrs softly with a smile when Michael grips her hair tightly, and begins tugging her head at a faster pace.  
“Insatiable.” Geoff mutters, shaking his head while pulling Gavin along up the stairs to shower.   
“God… Do...do that again.” Michael urges when Iri flicks his tip and massages his balls lightly. Iri never one to disappoint does as she’s asked, and Michael cums when she does it three times in a row. “Fuck…” Michael purrs as he releases deep into her throat causing the woman to pull off and begin coughing. Now normally that wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but she was drinking last night and on the second cough a little more comes up. It had been her quick thinking that saved her from having to clean up vomit when she grabbed the nearest garbage can. Alcohol, that once caused a pleasant warming sensation to settle in her stomach, now caused a searing pain to line her esophagus as she vomited. Michael ever the gentleman stops eating to gather her hair to keep it from getting in the way.  
“Sorry.” Iri offers in between her ragged heaving.   
“It’s my pleasure Vixen.”  
“Oh… What would I do without you my… white knight?” Iri groans, laying her head on the man’s leg.   
“You’d be lost Lass, and probably cleaning puke out of your hair.”  
“...Alcohol is the devil.”  
“No, he’s more like a used car.” Ryan states as he and Ray wander down the stairs in search of coffee as well as breakfast. “You think it’s super great when you buy it, but then you notice the lines leak and a weird smell in the trunk.”   
“Ryan the Analogy Guy.” Ray murmurs with a mouthful of Lucky Charms. The Alpha and Omegas chuckle quietly until they hear Iri up chuck again, this they grimace at.   
“Doesn’t even bother me anymore.” Gavin mumbles as he and Geoff descend the stairs, freshly showered, and dressed.   
“You guys heading out soon?” Iri inquires quietly feeling the nausea subside slightly, she knew she should probably go in today but Miles had told her last night it wasn’t life or death…. and frankly Iri was looking forward to some alone time. Perhaps she would paint the house today, or sleep… Probably paint the house till she passed out, can’t stop won’t stop. She thinks quietly causing her lips to quirk up into a smile.  
“Yeah, boys you ready?” Geoff asks and the Omegas shake their heads quickly while grabbing their bags, Ryan grabs his keys and leads them out. “You going to be alright for a few hours?”  
“I’m sure, I can manage… Tell FunHaus I said hello.”  
“I’ll do a little more than that.”  
“Geoffrey, do not pick fights today. Do I make myself clear?”  
“Yes Alpha.” Geoff jests with a roll of his eyes before kissing her cheek quickly and heading towards the door. “Eat something that isn’t toast, like an actual meal.”  
“Ugh!” Iri huffs causing the gent to smirk as he leaves the house, with her pack gone, and children hanging out with the Michael’s parents Iri found herself mildly bored. In an attempt to quell that boredom she boots up Geoff’s laptop and loads his minecraft world up… Now she would have used her laptop, but the man already had the program and she did love fucking with him.


	88. Of Offers and Agreements, and CIA Agents

About Noon

Iri felt that she may have made a huge mistake by clicking the save changes button, and even though it wasn’t that bad she still felt like maybe this might have been in poor taste. 

12:02 pm  
The AH Office

Geoff and the others load up Minecraft in hopes of filming a things to do in, and as he is strolling about Achievement City something sparkly catches his eye in the distance… Something that he knew was a new addition, and it slightly improved his mood. Thinking the build crew must have finished creating the arena he asked for, however upon reaching the base of said sparkly message he curses lowly.  
“Iridessa!” Geoff shouts as he stands up angrily.   
“Geoff what’s wrong?”  
“I think I love her.” Gavin mumbles in between laughter that the others soon join him in, save for Geoff of course.   
“Geoff you must admit that’s impressive.”  
“Shut up Ryan!” Geoff yells as he grabs his phone and leaves the room leaving them alone with the golden statue of Geoff sucking Ryan’s dick, and a large message in the sky that said, ‘I suck dicks like a champ!’. Now had it been a tiny one the man wouldn’t have been nearly as furious as he was now, no this little mural was at least a third of the size of giant Jack, and honestly the men wondered if she’d called in help for this little stunt because that was an awful lot for one person to do.   
“I bet the Stream Team helped her.” Ray conjectures as he flips a switch near the base of the statue causing water to flow out around Geoff’s mouth and fireworks to go off around Ryan’s head. “Damn, this really is impressive.”  
“Who knew she was so creative.” Michael comments with a roll of his eyes, he’d been waiting for her to do something like this. Perhaps not this exactly, but they all knew Iri would have her revenge on Geoff. “So what now?”  
“Well, I suppose we work on getting rid of it.” Jack proposes while grabbing a diamond pick-ax, and the group nods quickly while getting to work. 

Meanwhile  
Iri’s Studio

Iri had been staring blankly at the wall trying to remove the gruesome image of Erik’s death from her mind, and the feeling of gleefulness that went along with it. However, the sound of her phone going off disrupts her thoughts, not that there was much really going on in there anyways. ‘Fuck you anyways, you make me want to scream at the top of my lungs.’... It seems Geoff might have discovered her message a bit faster than she thought he would.  
“Hello Lover.”  
“I don’t appreciate it when you mess around with my shit for work.”  
“I know, but I thought it was high time the world knew you were a superb cock sucker.” Iri fires back, she hoped the man knew she was only kidding.  
“....”  
“Geoff?”  
“Please don’t mess with Minecraft Iridessa.” Geoff tells the woman with a sigh, he knew she’d only been playing but this would take at least an hour or two to fix and he had been hoping to finish up early tonight… Now he was running behind.   
“...I’m.. I’m sorry. I didn’t.. I won’t Geoff, I’m really sorry.” Iri apologizes profusely to the man. “I can help get rid of it if you.”  
“No it’s fine, just don’t ever do it again… Why did you do it in the first place?”  
“I thought you’d laugh…. and I was bored… Can I paint the house?”  
“I see, and no.”  
“But.”  
“I said no, find another way to entertain yourself that doesn’t involve fucking with my shit.” Geoff tells the woman strictly, he didn’t need to see her to know that she was pouting. “I love you.”  
“Whatever, see you tonight.” Iri mumbles before ending the call, and going back to staring at her wall. However, about two hours later she hears a faint knocking on the front door. Exiting the room she pads down the stairs and to the front door, looking through the edge of the nearby window she sees a pair of very official looking men standing on the porch. Both were wearing suits, and carrying briefcases, Iri had seen enough movies to know that these were government men… and probably not here to issue her a medal. She wastes no time in backing away from the door and slipping upstairs to the bathroom. It had a window that was easy to slip out of, and the roof below was about a yard from the forest. The sound of a door opening has Iri working her way out the window, however she is met by the face of another man holding what she thought might be an M16. He was wearing a face mask with full on battle gear as though he expected a fight. Jumping backwards, dodging his hands she dashes down the hall to the master bedroom where her rapier was. Brandishing it she turns to face the squad of men staring her down.  
“Iridessa Burns, we need to talk.” One of the men wearing a suit states as he steps forward, his dark hair and stature set him apart from the others. He was an Alpha by scent, that much was sure. “My name is Derrick Sheorn.”  
“Alright, here’s the deal I don’t give a single fuck who you are or what you want or really anything you have to say. I just want to live my life in peace, nothing more. I won’t become a professional assassin, or your whatever. I’m done.” Iri explains cutting the man off before he can even tell her why he was here; however, the man only continues wearing a smirk that told Iri he knew something she didn’t… and she didn’t like that at all.  
“Ms. Burns what if I were to tell you that I could guarantee your children’s enrollment into ACE Academy, as well as several generous sponsorship's from an outside donor? Won’t you at least hear my offer?” Derrick inquires, and just like he knew it would the woman stops, lowers her blade, and perks up her ears.  
“You have twenty-five minutes, talk.” Iri declares, schooling had been a topic nagging the pack in the back of their minds. Ryan, Gavin, and Iri were firm believers in private school while the others public. Geoff’s reasoning was I went through it, and look at me now…. This only served to deepen the other three’s desire for enrollment in a private institution. Their children were incredibly advanced for their ages and Iri especially didn’t want to see them picked on for it, nor see it wasted on some teacher who didn’t really care. Like all young mothers she wanted better for her children, even if it cost her an arm and a leg… Or in her case her freedom. 

Two Hours Later

Iri had listened to the man, and despite her unwillingness to become the very thing she’d killed.. She told him yes. Derrick as the man had called himself would be her handler, and assist in the whole process making sure no one ever knew it was her…. Espionage kinda thrived on that principle. He would also help her get ready for her missions.   
“So, if I do this my kits will be able to attend ACE indefinitely?” Iri clarifies and the man nods slowly, perhaps this was the miracle she’d been hoping for… or perhaps this was another nightmare about to begin, however her children came first she thought as she signed on the line.   
“We begin next week, you will be ‘attending’ rAge Con in South Africa from.”  
“Wait a fucking second, I can’t just up and go to South Africa. I still have work to do here, and besides my mates will find that awfully suspicious.” Iri snaps cutting the man off, she would do whatever he asked but within reason. “Isn’t there some way you could train me at night or something?”  
“Cadet Burns the best way to.”  
“Derrick I understand why you want to go to South Africa, but for the sake of pretenses I can’t. So either pick a facility closer, or I don’t know… just something in the states.”  
“.... Predators Labs then, Harold has already given us consent.”  
“Very well.”  
“Excellent, the CIA appreciates your service as does your country.”  
“Yeah… I’m sure you do, now get the fuck out of my house Derrick.” Iri commands causing the Alpha to smirk, she was beginning to regret this decision but it was too late now, she’d already signed on the dotted line.   
“Oh one more thing before I go, Harrison the tracker.”  
“Yes sir.”  
“Now hold the fucking front door, I am not consenting… Ow you mother fucker!” Iri growls when she feels something injected into her arm, and goes to swing at Derrick but is restrained by another squad member.   
“Call it an insurance policy, we know how predators have a way of disappearing.” Derrick tells her as he pulls the injector out and heads towards the door, his squad following close behind leaving Iri alone with her new predicament.   
“We’re fucked.”  
“Soooo fucked.” Lexi agrees with a sigh. “No more ice cream binge nights.”  
“No more restful nights in our pack’s embrace.”  
“No more spontaneous trips after work.”  
“More life or death situations.” Iri mumbles regretfully, to think she had almost escaped this life… Key word almost, no now she was tugged right back in with no hope of getting out. “I guess we should practice.”  
“Practice what?”  
“Knife throwing, I’m sure our skills are a bit rusty.”  
“You're probably right Mistress, what do we tell them?”  
“Nothing, absolutely nothing Lexi. If we are asked, deflect and I’ll come up with something believable to say.” Iri warns the fox as she picks up her tiered sheath that carried about ten knives.   
“More lies…. oh boy.”  
“It’s not as though we trusted anyone to begin with.” Iri adds causing the fox to nod in agreement as they head out to the backyard to practice.


	89. Are you alright?

Sunset

Her heat was long gone, and the pinch in her arm was long healed when she heard the sound of the back gate opening. Iri doesn’t even bother to turn towards the sound choosing to throw another blade against the large sheet of plywood they had lying around. The knife sinks deep into the wood, landing about four centimeters off center. She still doesn’t greet the man who was watching casually from the side with an inquisitive stare. After all ten of her knives were sunk into the board only centimeters from their intended destinations does said man speak.  
“Bambi what are you doing?”  
“Rather obvious isn’t it?”  
“Mmm why so snappy tonight?”  
“Do not answer me with a question Ryan.” Iri warns sharply, punctuating her sentence by throwing the knife so hard it goes straight through the weakened center with the help of her powers. It sinks into the fencing behind it, and if Geoff were here he’d probably have a bitch fit about it. “Besides why does it matter? I am not hurting anyone.”  
“True, but it worries us when we come home to find you like this…. Worries the kits too.”  
“Like what exactly?”  
“A predator stalking its prey.” Ryan says causing the woman to stop and finally meet his concerned expression. “Are you upset about earlier?”  
“No… a tad guilty, but nothing more. Besides it never hurts to stay sharp, lasagna is in the oven should be done soon, and there is a salad in the fridge.” Iri responds as she continues throwing her knives with deadly precision. “Did Geoff talk to Adam today?”  
“Yes, but it seems you never kissed him… In fact Adam told him all he did was dance with you.”  
“Hmm that’s good I suppose, but it’s still foggier than I want to admit.” Iri tells Ryan who stands behind her with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and kissing her neck lightly. Ignoring the man was simple as she sinks several more knives into the wood, however they were a bit farther off target than Iri would have liked. “You're messing me up.”  
“Mmm that’s my job, now come inside Bambi.”  
“After this set.” Iri murmurs causing the man to chuckle but leave her be, and she watches him go back inside a weak smile on her lips. ‘It’s for the kits.’ Iri mumbles quietly in her mind as she spins on her heel and stabs the board roughly. 

Inside

Geoff had just put on his pajamas when Ryan came back inside, however their Omega was still outside playing with her knives. He catches the Alpha’s eye only to see him shrug, and then turns to Gavin who is staring at her in perplexment.   
“She’s… It almost feels like regret.” Gavin states hesitantly as he continues watching her through the window. “Dancing with Adam is finally catching up to her I guess.”  
“Maybe, but she’s far too tense for it to be just that.”  
“Hey Geoff?” Ray’s questioning voice interrupts causing the men to turn to where he stands at the top of the stairs.  
“What’s up Ray?” Geoff inquires as he follows the man to Iri’s studio where he gestures to the dismantled desert eagle lying beside it’s twin fully cleaned and ready to go on Iri’s desk. These were Iri’s inheritance a pair of custom golden barrel desert eagles bearing a nine tailed kitsune carved into the handles.  
“Geoff should we be concerned?”  
“Uh, maybe?... She may just be cleaning the things, it is something she does often especially when she… when she misses them.” Geoff explains softly to the man, lifting the polished metal into his hand and checking the chamber for a bullet. He finds none, so she was probably just cleaning them. “No bullets Ray, no worries.”  
“Whatever you say Alpha.”   
“Hey what… Geoff what are doing?” Iri inquires quietly as she watches the pair jump slightly at her appearance. “I’m just cleaning them guys… No psychotic rampages today.” Before Geoff can say anything else the sound of a timer goes off and the woman disappears down the stairs to take the food out of the oven. As the rest of the pack grabs plates Iri heads upstairs to don her gym clothes, Derrick had told her it was time to get back in shape… Not that she was ever out of it, but he wanted her lithe, and deadly. Someone who would could easily take down an opponent larger than themselves, and to do that Iri needed to get stronger at least physically. Padding back down she smiles smally at the group eating, and laughing at the table. She wonders if Klein ever felt like this watching Celeste and her, or vice versa… Iri wonders if they felt the same protective sense that fell over her at this moment. Smiling sweetly at the kits eating happily, and their father’s as well she slips past them to the garage where Michael kept a set of weights, nothing as extreme as the gym but a good place to start. Picking a pair up she begins doing shoulder presses. 

Ten O’clock

Dex was sitting snuggled into his father’s lap as the man showed read him a book about the downfall of communism, and the boy listened tiredly.   
“Papa?”  
“Yes Dex?”  
“When is Momma coming inside.” The boy asks with a yawn, rubbing his head against Geoff’s chest sleepily. “I want to tell her something.”  
“Soon Dex, soon.” Geoff murmurs into his hair while placing several soft kisses there. “Did you have fun with Nana and Pawpaw?”  
“Yeah, we went to the waterpark, and then the zoo… Scar got a stuffed moose , and so… did Fel… Leo got a zebra, and I… I got Momma this giraffe.” Dex says in between yawns, Geoff smiles at his son who is holding a fluffy giraffe. “Since, I… accidentally spilled paint on her other one.”  
“That was very thoughtful Dexy, but I’m sure she’d rather you keep it.”  
“Mmmk.”  
“Like the crow chasing the butterfly, dandelions lost in the summer sky. When you and I were getting high as outer space, I never thought you'd slip away. I guess I was just a little too late. “ Geoff starts singing quietly to the nearly sleeping boy, who seems to slip under completely at the sound of his song. Standing up gently he heads up to the kit’s bedroom where the others are laying down each of their children, and humming soft melodies to them. After each child was snoring peacefully, and tucked in tightly did the men finally retire to their bedroom.  
“Geoff what’s she doing now?” Michael asks as he feels Gavin wrap his arms around him tightly and began kissing his neck playfully.  
“She’s outside somewhere, doing god knows what… I wish she’d just call it a night.” Geoff mumbles quietly as they settle down into the bed.

Eleven thirty

Right as they’re about to turn off the the TV the sound of a door being opened reaches their ears. Iri’s sweaty form is seen in the doorway with a towel wrapped tightly around her hand, as she inched closer Geoff could tell her hand was bleeding.   
“What happened baby girl?”  
“Oh just.. It’s nothing Geoff.. I got it.” Iri mumbles casually, in truth she wasn’t quite sure if she could heal it or not. He must have sensed that because Geoff stood up and came over to where the woman was rooting around in her drawer for a pair of underwear with her good hand.   
“Let me see… That’s pretty deep, what happened?”  
“I was.. uh… I fell.”  
“If I had a dime for every time you said that I’d be a millionaire.” Geoff murmurs with a smile, healing it quickly, and pulling the woman in for a tender kiss. “So what were you doing out there?”  
“Just lifting weights.” Iri says hiding the fact that she and Lexi had been practicing their landings as well. “Plus some kickboxing, just getting back in shape.”  
“Are you coming to bed?”  
“Yeah, I’m just going to shower first.” Iri answers while grabbing a nightgown and heading into the bathroom connected to their room. The man says nothing else while settling back into the bed with his arms encircling Ray who was whimpering quietly in his sleep. He nuzzles his neck comfortingly and listens contently as his whimpers die out. It can’t be more than ten minutes when he hears Iri finally exit the room, and slip into the sheets by Ryan. The gent who was barely awake opens his eyes a crack to find her worming her way into his arms. Smiling sleepily he embraces her tightly and pulls her up for a kiss that let’s her know he still wondered but wouldn’t pursue… It was probably best that way, it usually was in her opinion. They didn’t need to know, no one did.


	90. The Beginning

A Week Later  
Friday

Iri was working in her office and singing loudly as she drew her next scene, unaware of the man at her door.   
“So a day when you've lost yourself completely. Could be a night when your life ends, such a heart that will lead you to deceiving. All the pain held in you're hands are shaking cold, your hands are mine to hold. Speak to me!” Iri sings happily, as she dances around the room with her pencil flying across the paper… oblivious to the man watching her with a smirk.   
“If you insist.” Derrick interjects and is surprised by the feeling of a knife to his throat. Iri had taken to keeping a knife handy lately, in case of situations like these. “It seems you’ll need less training than I thought. Cadet Burns remove the.”  
“Call me Iri, and what are you doing here?” Iri asks while shutting her office door and locking it swiftly, pulling down her blinds as well.   
“I’m here to take you to the facility, it’s time we assess your skills and we’ll go from there.”   
“Couldn’t you just call me or something? I have shit to do.” Iri growls only to find her pinned face down to a wall with her wrists pulled together behind her back tightly.  
“You can either come willingly or I am prepared to forcibly take you… Harrison is on standby.”  
“Don’t be so sure you cocky bastard, what's stopping me from obliterating you where you stand?”  
“Our deal.” Derrick fires back watching the woman sigh and relax into his grip. “Now let’s go, I haven’t all night Cadet Burns.”  
“...” Iri says nothing as the man releases her, and unlocks the door. She gathers her stuff, and watches Lexi linger about the room hesitantly. “Lex?”  
“Yes Mistress?”  
“I want you to stay back, tell them I’m working late… I will be home later tonight correct Derrick?” Iri tells the fox who nods dutifully and Derrick nods as well. “Good, let’s go.”  
“Go where?” Geoff inquires as he pops his head in the room to find Iri holding her bag, and a man lurking behind her. His instincts instantly flare, and his hackles raise protectively. “Iri, who is this?”  
“I’m Derrick Sheorn, head of the art department for Sony and after discovering how brilliant of an artist your mate is I decided to recruit her for a few projects we have.” Derrick lies as he reaches forward to shake Geoff’s hand. He could tell her Alpha was particularly concerned about his presence, and even Iri herself was smiling casually trying to get the man to relax.   
“Sony?” Geoff mutters hesitantly, and Iri merely strides over to the man, kissing him tenderly.   
“I’m big time now Geoff, and I gotta go. Love you, Lexi come on.” Iri says quickly as she follows Derrick out the door with her fox giving Geoff a soft look.   
“We’ll be home later Geoffrey, tell Todd I’m looking forward to a fun night later.” Lexi murmurs seductively, her tone heavy with implication as she exits swiftly. Geoff finds himself feeling uneasy as he watches Iri follow the man out the exit. Part of him felt like he’d met that man before, and another part of him felt like she wasn’t telling him the truth… But she was long gone now, so there wasn’t much he could do about it. He heads back to the AH office where the group stands ready to go home for the weekend.  
“She’s not coming?” Ryan asks and Geoff just shakes his head.  
“I guess she got another job…. with Sony.”  
“Geoff that’s fantastic! It’s wonderful to see someone else recognizing her talent!” Gavin says excitedly, and the group shares similar expressions. “We should go congratulate her.”  
“She left with the art director a few minutes ago... I.”  
“Geoffrey, stop being so damn suspicious for fuck’s sake! Erik’s dead and I’m a hundred percent sure she hasn’t made any more enemies that want to kill her. Be happy for her will you!” Michael adds lightheartedly trying to loosen up the still tense man.   
“Yeah… Yeah you're right, I’m just being an ass.”  
“Mmm we do love that ass… I don’t suppose you’d let me.” Ray starts only to find himself pinned up against the wall by Geoff.   
“Nope, but would you let me?”  
“Fuck yeah.”  
“Let’s go get the kids and go home so you two can get freaky.” 

Iri   
Three a.m.

Iri found herself pinned to the ground once again, and her frustration now mixed with exhaustion was starting to get to her. Harrison’s heavy breath on the back of her neck as Iri rested her head on the mat with a sigh.   
“Again!” Derrick barks from the sidelines, and Harrison slowly gets off of her. Iri could tell that Harrison was tired as well, and most likely reaching the end of his rope too… However, he was a soldier and she guessed he was used to assholes for leaders.   
“No.”  
“No? What do you mean no? You don’t get to say no! Now get up and go again.” Derrick commands and Iri snaps at this. He had told her at the start of this that she wasn’t to use her powers, but now she didn’t care for his rules. In a real life situation she would use every asset at her disposal, and her powers were a pretty big asset. Taking her stance in front of Harrison, she waits for the whistle blow. A shrill sound is heard and Iri wastes no time in entering the man’s mind and forcing him to the ground, his limbs pinned perfectly to the ground. Turning to Derrick with triumph in her eyes, she suddenly finds her feet knocked out from under her and a hand pressing tightly into her throat. “Very good, but not good.” He starts, but finds himself thrown off in an explosive display of strength. Before he can say anything a fox’s muzzle is wrapped around his throat, growling dangerously.  
“My mistress said she is done!” Lexi snarls as Iri falls to the ground in exhaustion, seeing this Lexi leaves the man and nudges the fallen woman with her nose. “Mistress?”  
“....”  
“Lex, she is fine… Just exhausted, has she eaten lately?” Otto inquires as he pads onto the mat to sit beside her.   
“No, not since last night… She forgot.”  
“Who forgets to eat?”  
“Busy mothers.” Harrison answers calmly, standing up for his partner lying limply on the mat. “Sir, she is a civilian for the most part and.”  
“Do not make excuses for her Harrison, she is no more a civilian than you are. She has killed several people, and has been exposed to a few firefights.”  
“That may be true, but Harry makes an excellent point. She is a mother and her first priority will be to her family… Coming from a man who lost both his mother and brother I feel like that is something you should respect. She will be ready in time, just ease up Derrick. Humanity is something Iri responds positively to.” Otto interjects as Lexi shifts into a dragon, and levitates her mistress onto her. “You two are free to go, see you soon. Make her eat, and keep up the exercise… Tell her that I recommend moderation, and that Derrick will allow that much.” Otto commands in a tone that even Derrick didn’t argue with. Derrick clearly wanted to argue with the wolf, but this was creature in charge of keeping his operatives alive and if he said to back off then the CIA man would have no choice but to listen to him.  
“Fine, I’ll drive you two home.”  
“No, I can fly us home.” Lexi says sharply as the creature exits the field house through a pair of double doors. Leaving the men standing in the room staring after the pair.  
“You had better have been right about her Otto, otherwise we might not be so inclined to keep the lights on in this place.”  
“Do you doubt me?”  
“Not yet, you were right about her being strong.”  
“She’s very powerful, only limited by the restrictions she places on herself. This woman killed Erik, and his son… But mark my words Derrick, she is not a soldier and she never will be.”  
“I can tell, I suppose if she was, then she’d be perfect.”  
“Cadet Burns is our best prospect so far, none of the others even rival her… In strength or conviction.” Harrison adds suddenly, it was rare he ever talked about a cadet… But he didn’t want to see Derrick burn this one out. “Besides we have two months before the actual dignitaries ball, and for a woman who's as sharp as her it won’t take nearly that long.”

Lexi and Iri

The dragon flew high in the sky, and at a fast pace, getting them there in record time. As she was about to land Lexi loses concentration for a second, and Iri slips off her back onto the hard concrete below. Immediately Lexi winces and shifts into a fox to sit beside her.   
“Mistress?” Lexi murmurs quietly as she nudges the woman with her nose, hoping to wake her but instead hears only silence in return. “Fuck.” Cursing under her breath she takes a look around and notices a window open on the second floor… It was the master bedroom, using their powers she reaches the window easily and pulls off the screening. Landing silently on the carpeted floor she finds the bed full of their mates, all sleeping peacefully. Jumping onto the edge she nibbles on Michael’s toes causing the man to groggily whine, but open his eyes to find Lexi at the foot of the bed.   
“Mmm Lexi stop… Go to bed.”  
“Michael, I need your help, Iri fell off my back and she’s really tired. She’s lying in the driveway right now, can you come get her.”  
“What?” Michael asks, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and exiting the warm covers to focus on the fox now standing by the doorway.   
“Come on.” Lexi urges, and the man nods slowly before following the fox outside to where Iri lies passed out on the ground, a line of blood on her forehead. “I healed the wound, it’s just dried blood.  
“...Huh.” Michael sighs tiredly as he lifts the woman up easily, and heads into the house. Placing her on the coach, he grabs a wet paper towel to clean off the blood, and then wraps her up in his arms falling asleep quickly. Lexi herself heads upstairs to sleep at the foot of the bed.


	91. Basic Medieval Lineage

In the Morning

“momma… Mom…. Momma!” Scarlett’s insistent tone urges as Iri feels her shoulder being shaken gently. “Momma wake up!”  
“Mmm… Scar… What?... What’s the matter?” Iri asks groggily while opening her eyes to see her daughter, and other children gathered around her excitedly wearing bright smiles… Far brighter than what they should have been at this hour. Sitting up and rubbing her forehead tiredly she looks around and sees that the sun was just beginning to peak itself over the horizon. “What’s wrong kits?”   
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA!” They cheer loudly, and pounce on Iri who cocks her head in confusion at them; but places soft kisses on their cheeks as they hug her regardless… She was sixty percent sure today wasn’t her birthday… well more like fifty-two.  
“Yes, happy birthday Love.” Gavin adds as he comes down from the stairs, yawning loudly as well.   
“... Oh.” Iri remarks with a forgetful smile that cause Gavin to cock his head in confusion, and the kits wear similar expressions too.  
“Momma did you forget?” Dex inquires while nuzzling his mother’s chest, and resting his head beside Scarlett’s, Fel and Leo who were snuggled into her sides.  
“Love did you… Did you really forget?” Gavin asks with concern as he watches the woman fiddle with a piece of lint on the couch. “Are you serious?”  
“I… I’ve been really busy.” Iri mumbles skittishly, not meeting Gavin’s intense stare.  
“You are incredible forgetful you know that?”  
“...I...know.” Iri agrees in between yawns as she leans back to rest her head on the back of the couch.   
“Mom are you still sleepy?” Leo inquires from her side, and watches as their mother just nods slowly. “Shh, go back to sleep then… We can give you your surprise later.”  
“Mmmk... “ Iri trails off, her voice turning almost instantaneously into the sound of her quiet snoring. Gavin watches as her children slowly extract themselves from her, and turn to him.  
“Carry Momma upstairs Poppa.” Scar commands lightly, it looked painful the way she was sleeping, and no one should be in pain on their birthday… Especially their mother. “Please.”  
“Of course Scarlett… Thank you for saying please… Up you go Love.” Gavin murmurs as he lifts the woman up easily, and she immediately wraps herself around him tightly. “Sleepy little Pet.”  
“Mmm... not Pet.” Iri mumbles in her sleep as Gavin carries her upstairs to where the rest of the group was sleeping. Geoff and the others were taking up most of the bed causing Gavin to sigh quietly.  
“Bed hogs… Let’s go to the spare room, kits go back to bed.”  
“Yes Poppa.” They respond while heading to their room, leaving Gavin and Iri in the spare bedroom. Placing her gently on the sheets he notices a few new bruises on her side, and several on her arms in the shape of hand prints. He can’t help, but wonder what could have caused them. However the sound of a snore draws him back to reality, and though he may fall back asleep now, later he would ask her how she got those bruises.

Noon

Iri awakes with a scream on her lips and sweat on her brow, she had been having a terrifying nightmare about….. About what they were usually about. Even though the man was dead he still plagued her mind…. asshole.  
“Iri are you okay?” Geoff’s worried tone asks as he rushes into the room with a towel on his hips and hair dripping; he finds his mate sitting with her knees curled up, and her forehead resting on them. “Kit, what happened?”  
“Just a bad dream Geoff, where’s Gav?”  
“He, Michael, and the kits went to the park. They were rather excited this morning, and Gav told me you forgot what today is.” Geoff murmurs while sitting down beside her, and pulling her into his lap. She just shrugs with a quiet purr as he strokes her side softly, Iri turns to meet his lips in a tender kiss. He smiles into it before pushing her down onto the bed. Spreading her legs with a knee, he lifts up her dress…. When had she put on this dress?  
“Did you… Did someone put me in this?” Iri asks hesitantly, and Geoff just chuckles at her. “Did you put me in this because I know for a fact that I didn’t plan on being Machiko today?”  
“Hmm what can I say, you wear this wonderfully but no it wasn’t me...If I had to guess it was probably Gavvers because he’s the only one who could keep you asleep while trying to maneuver you into that.” Geoff comments in between kisses, letting his hands roam over the scantily clad woman. In his roaming he grazes her right side causing Iri to flinch away from him. Her training with Harrison had given her several bruises, and a few scratches that were still a bit tender. “Are you okay?”  
“Yeeah… Just fell off Lexi last night.” Iri tells the man with a sheepish smile, it wasn’t a lie exactly Lexi had told her earlier that she’d fallen off of her.   
“Hmm then maybe you shouldn’t work so late.”   
You are probably right, but with the kits starting school soon, I figured the extra money would be appreciated… Clothes are expensive these days.” Iri whimpers softly as Geoff teases his fingers in and out of her. “Geoff!”  
“Shh, we don’t want the kits hearing.”  
“No… you said they were.”  
“Well they may be on their way back.”  
“Ass.”  
“I know, now tell me more about this new job you have.”  
“It’s… Geoff!... I hate you sometimes.” She huffs angrily when he suddenly hits her G-spot.   
“Well I love you all the time… as you were saying.” Geoff purrs while pulling his finger out, and tweaking her nipples as he nips her exposed neck. With his finger now gone Iri had no trouble thinking of a believable lie about her current employment.  
“Derrick and I met at the last RTX when he approached me about a few games they are working on… At first I refused, but now seeing as we need the money I decided to take him up on his offer.”  
“Kit, I told you before.”  
“No Geoff! They are going to that school if it kills me, I won’t have their talents squandered in some public school! Besides they’ve already been accepted, and Sony has given me my first paycheck last night…It’s more than enough.” Iri snaps, she hadn’t traded her freedom for nothing.  
“Baby doll, why do you believe they’ll be squandered in a public school.”  
“Because I have watched it happen alright, I have watched what happens to students whose teachers don’t care and I won’t let that happen to them Geoff… I won’t let that happen to them.” Iri growls passionately, her children would never become another statistic.  
“Okay, shh there’s no need to get worked up baby doll… If you want them to go then they will, just relax.” Geoff says in a soothing manner trying to get her to calm down.   
“Stop calling me baby doll, it’s creepy.”  
“But Kit isn’t?”  
“Whatever Geoff, I have work to do.” Iri huffs out angrily, she pushes the man off of her and exits the room before he can even stop her. He curses quietly and even growls a little when he hears a door slam.  
“Don’t slam my doors!” Geoff shouts loudly, and hears said door be opened and then slammed again. “Iridessa, do not test me!”   
“Geoff what’s going on?” Ryan asks as he meets the gent in the hallway. “What’s wrong with the birthday girl?”  
“Nothing… Just a disagreement, and you know how she get’s after heat.”  
“Skye?... Skye come play with me…. Skye stop pouting and come play with me.” Ray urges needily, and listens patiently for her response… However all he receives is the sound of the door opening and Iri poking her head out.  
“Come on out our grumpy little Vixen.” Ryan purrs only to receive a glare from Iri. “Keep making that face and it will get stuck that way.”  
“Keep talking trash, and I’ll bite you… all of you.”  
“Even me, Mom?” Leo asks as he bounds up the stairs to hug his feisty mother.   
“Never you my brave little lion, how was the park?”  
“Eh, Poppa wouldn’t let us shift or run up the slides… He said it was dangerous.” Leo murmurs with a roll of his eyes as Iri picks him up.   
“Oye, it was dangerous and besides you know how many people we would have freaked out if I just let them shift whenever they wanted to?” Gavin quips as he too heads up the stairs, a scowl on his lips.   
“Leonard, do not roll your eyes at Gavin.” Michael scolds causing Leo to just huff and bury his head into his mother’s neck. She and the others head downstairs to the living room where the rest of the pack was.  
“So Mom what are you going to do today?” Leo inquires quietly, lifting his head up to see a look of confusion cross her face again. “Mom it’s your birthday, you have to do something special!”  
“Uh, or Mom has to work.” Iri tries only to see every single member of her pack glare at her.  
“Momma, you can’t! You have to do something fun on your birthday… Papa told me it’s a law!” Dex says animatedly as he clings to her leg. “I don’t want you to go to jail.”  
“Really well in that case… I suppose we could go to the Falls for a while, but I do have work to do later.”  
“Come on, come on let’s go!” Scarlett says excitedly as she takes her mother’s hand and pulls her towards the door.   
“Wait, everyone grab their swimsuit and I’ll pack some food.” Ryan says stopping the kits mid run, only to have them sprint outside to collect said outfit leaving Iri alone with the adults.  
“Don’t lie to our son Geoffrey.” Iri warns only to see the man roll his eyes. Part of her wanted to slap that look off Geoff, but the other half of her knew that right now she was appearing extremely suspicious…. Taking a calming breath she pulls the man in for a rough kiss. “You know how to push all of my buttons you know that?”  
“Tis a talent my Queen.” Geoff says with a smirk, and a slight bow. “And a King should always know how to best frustrate his queen.”  
“One problem I’m not your queen.” Iri states throwing them all for a bit of a loop, causing her to roll her eyes with pursed lips. “Geoff basic medieval lineage dictates that I remain in my Lady status given that I have not married any of you. To become your queen I would have to marry you, or Ryan. If I wanted to be a princess I would marry either Gavin, or Ray and if I wished to remain a Lady than I merely need to marry my white knight.” Iri explains while shifting from Geoff’s tight embrace to take up Michael’s relaxed one. The knight merely smiles triumphantly in between the soft kisses he places on Iri’s neck.   
“Wait why would you only become a princess if you married us?”  
“Because while Geoff and Ry are kings, you two would most likely be princes… Ray is already called the Rose Prince by some, and you… Well I just figured you be a better prince than knight.”   
“Oye what do you mean I’d make a better prince than knight? I’m bloody deadly in my own right!” Gavin says indignantly as he uses his powers to cast a wave of compliance over Iri, she says nothing under Gavin’s thick cloud rather baring her neck to the lad. “I could bury you so far down in lust that heat feels like nothing.”  
“...” She has a response, but with Gavin using his powers she could barely think let alone move her lips.   
“Poppa stop, let Momma go so we can go!” Scarlett growls insistently as she tugs her father’s hand. “Come on Daddy Ryan pack the food so we can go!”  
“Of course Darling… I’d be a fine Knight, but perhaps you are right that I’d make a better prince.”  
“... Mmmk.” Iri moans softly still stuck under Gavin’s lingering powers, she remains in Michael’s arms as he peppers her neck with kisses causing the children to squirm impatiently. They were probably more excited for the falls than their mother was, but she’d perk up when they got there… like she always did. The gents just roll their eyes while disappearing into the kitchen to pack them snacks, and Michael leads her upstairs to change. Gavin and Ray usher the children into the car, and then come back for Iri and the snacks. “Gav… Gav, I can’t... “  
“I’ll carry you.” Michael assures her as he hefts her over his shoulder, and grabs the keys to their durango…. About a year ago Iri traded her little blue civic in for a big blue durango. It just made things easier when hauling the kits around because unless they got a minivan than this was the best way to do it.   
“No, Michael put me down… my ass is hanging out in these shorts!” Iri squeaks as she uses her hands to pull the shorts down, and her powers to bring the cooler with them. The man carrying her just chuckles as they make their way to the trunk. “Who is driving?”  
“Uh... “ They all trail off and Iri just grabs the keys before making her way to the driver’s seat. Michael hops in the back with the cooler, while Gavin takes shotgun, and Ray sits in between Scar and Leo. Noticing the lack of gents Iri rolls down the window to find Ryan and Geoff standing on the front lawn with towels. Tossing them at Gavin they wave good bye from the grass.  
“Wait aren’t you guys coming too?” Iri asks them, and they just shake their heads.   
“Not this time, have fun you guys! We’ll be here when you get back.” Geoff tells her and watches her pout sadly. ‘Go Kit, go have fun… Perhaps we can give you your gift when you get back.’  
‘I’m twenty-six Geoff, a little old for presents aren’t I?’  
‘Mmm not the kind I’m thinking of.’ Geoff whispers provocatively in her mind, and with that Iri smirks before pulling away from the curb leaving the gents alone on the lawn. “Ryan we have till at least six o’clock… maybe seven if traffic's bad.”   
“Tch, Geoff you’ve gotten the house ready in less time… Remember Gavin’s last party.”  
“True, but I had the help of everyone not just you.”  
“Have faith Geoff, I called Miles and he is bringing reinforcements.”  
“... Have I told you I love you lately?”  
“Nope, but it’s a given.” Ryan murmurs with a smirk as the pair head into the house to get it ready for Iri’s surprise party. 

About an hour before the party

Miles arrives with Chris, Ashley, and Blaine as well as a lot of liquor, firewood, and streamers because what’s a party without streamers? They made sure to park down the block, and gather all their supplies. Aaron, Meg, and many others would be arriving a bit later. Miles knocks politely on the door only to receive no answer, knocking again they wait still receive no answer.  
“Maybe they went to the store?” Ashley suggests and Miles shrugs while trying the door… It was unlocked, so hesitantly they make their way inside. The house was quiet save for the sound of rock music coming upstairs.   
“You don’t think.”  
“No!... Miles they knew we were coming didn’t they?” Ashley asks and Miles nods.  
“I told him we’d be here early to help them, and he said okay… Geoff?” Miles shouts warily, hoping to get their attention… However, no one responds and the music is still blaring. Turning to the others for suggestions Blaine shrugs while bounding up the stairs and knocking on the bedroom door.   
“Get your dicks out of each other so we can finish getting this house ready!” Blaine shouts loudly, it took maybe five minutes before the pair come out sweaty, red-faced, and breathing a little hard.  
“Sorry we were just…”  
“We were just exercising.” Ryan finishes quickly causing the group to smirk and chuckle quietly.  
“Sure you were, now come on we have a party to set up.” Blaine says with a roll of his eyes, and the gents nod curtly before leading them downstairs and delegating tasks.


	92. Surprise!!!!

At the Falls  
About six thirty

“Gav… Hey Gav.” Ray’s insistent tone inquires as he nudges the man who was lounging on a rock he was warming.   
“Yes Ember?”  
“Shouldn’t we be heading home soon?” Ray murmurs while gesturing to his watch, causing Gavin to look at his as well.   
“Oh bullocks, I completely forgot… They’re having such a good time though.” Gavin mutters with a sigh as he watches the woman and their children dive off a nearby cliff. Now if Gav was honest he would rather not have any of them doing that, but at least with Iri they were guaranteed to be fine… at least they would, Iri.. well if push came to shove he knew she’d happily keep them safe over her own self. The group lands in the water below in five splashes, followed by the sound of their laughter. Michael who was casually swimming paddles over to the rest of the lads who all share knowing looks.   
“We should head back.”   
“But Michael the park doesn’t close till like ten, and the sun hasn’t even set yet.” Iri says with a pout trying to get him to change his mind, but the man just shakes his head. She wasn’t quite ready to face reality again.   
“Momma I don’t want to go home yet.” Dex pleads wearing a pout that was same to his mother’s and the children mirror the pair’s expressions.   
“I know guy’s but we need to, and besides don’t you want to give your mother her gift?” Gavin adds causing the kit’s to gasp excitedly and suddenly start pulling their mother towards the shore.  
“Must be a hell of a gift.” Iri mutters quietly causing the men to chuckle, and nod.   
“They’ve been working on it for about two months… I’ve never seen them so excited about anything.” Michael answers while grabbing the cooler as Gavin hands out towels; the group starts heading towards the parking lot but it was going to take a while. Iri ignores the towel and pulls Ray in for a quick kiss, the feline smirks as he uses his powers to dry her off, and trails his hot fingertips over her chilled skin causing her to shiver in his grip as they walked.   
“Come on Skye, wait till tonight and I’ll fuck that pretty little of hole of yours till it’s quivering.” Ray whispers seductively into her ear causing the woman to quirk her lips at his words while pulling free of his arms and picking up Felicia who was rubbing her eyes sleepily. The little girl curls into her mother’s neck with a sigh, and soon Scarlett starts to whimper. Scooping the girl up easily Iri carries them to the car with their brothers trailing close behind. Iri wished she had more arms so she could carry them all, but she didn’t and Gavin sensing her distress reaches for one of the boys only to be rebuked with a tiny growl.   
“Leonard this is the second time I’ve told you not to growl at Gav today. I will not warn you again.” Michael warns the boy who just furrows his brow and growls spitefully at his father, he could tell the boy was exhausted and simply wanted to lie down. The man coos at his boy, hoping to get him to come over but he stays glued to his mother’s side. “Come here Leo, I’ll carry you.”  
“No, I… I can walk on my own.” Leo states with a yawn, and looks to Dex for support. His older brother says nothing just rubs his eyes again, and continues staying close to his mom but taking his brother’s hand. Iri offers Michael a shrug, and the man just smiles at him.  
‘He’s just tired, they didn’t get their naps today.’ Michael mumbles in Iri’s mind and the woman nods with a yawn. ‘Vixen, it seems you didn’t either.’  
‘I’ll bite you.’ Iri responds with a mild snarl.   
“Grumpy.” Gavin teases as he pulls Ray into his arms and kisses his neck as they walk.  
“It’s my birthday I can bite you if I want to.” Iri declares quietly, they arrive at the car, and start to load up the kits only to receive tiny growls and snapping jaws… even from the sleeping ones. “It’s okay, we’ll just put them in the back. There is a few blankets from when we went to the park to stargaze, I’ll just cuddle with them till we get home… We can put them to bed from there.. Keys are in my purse.”  
“Hey don’t fall asleep yet, we still have to fuck you till it isn’t your birthday anymore.” Michael whispers in her ears from the back seat. Iri merely rolls her eyes while closing her eyes and resting her head on the back of the seat, her children curled up on each of her sides, purring contently in their sleep. She can feel sleep inching it’s way toward her, and she tries to resist it but eventually it pulls her under… Gavin and the others realize this about half way home, and snap a picture to send to Geoff and Ryan.  
Sleepy little kits.-From Gavi-wavi  
Aw they’re fucking adorable, you guy’s almost home?- Geoffers  
About forty minutes… It all set up?  
Yup, just waiting on you guys.  
“Michael, he’s ready for us… this is exciting!” Gavin mumbles giddily, he hated keeping secrets but this was a good secret and he was convinced she was going to love it. Michael shrugs nonchalantly while pulling on to the highway as he listens to his boi chatter excitedly. Glancing in the rearview mirror he finds Ray staring out the side window trying to ignore the brit. Ray furrows his brow when he notices the air shift from being drowned in Gavin’s happy grass scent and Michael’s soothing cinnamon to distress, casting a glance back he hears Iri whimpering fearfully and the kits as well.  
“Gav… Yo Gav, what’s going on in there?” Ray shouts, interrupting the man mid-chatter. He turns in his seat, and cocks his head at them. “What?”  
“Lance… Lance can’t get in... But I’ll see if I can do something about it.” Gavin mutters, he worked his way through the kits’ dreams finding them filled with normal nightmaric situations. Lance had absolutely no trouble changing the scenes from scary ones to calm, soothing ones; however, when he wormed his way past Lexi he wished he hadn’t….

The scene was bloody, and terrifying; it takes all the wolf’s willpower not to turn and run. Padding through the bloodstained grass cast in an eerie red glow from the crimson sun he searches for the source of the fear, only to come to a clearing where Iri sat tied to a tree… her limbs chained back and her chest being cut into by a shadowy figure. The wolf wasted no time in bounding straight for her with his teeth bared at the figure. Upon getting closer he finds that the figure was… well it was Iri herself, or at least a version of herself… This causes the wolf to back off slightly in confusion, and upon further inspection he finds the woman bound to the tree also Iri.. but brighter he supposed.  
‘You shouldn’t meddle in things you don’t understand.’ The dark Iri murmurs wearing a grin that sent shivers through him. It takes the blunt, bloody knife in hand and stabs Iri in the gut causing a whimper to come from her.  
‘Who are you?’  
‘No concern of yours.’ It hisses with a devilish smirk, disappearing suddenly leaving Iri and him alone in the nightmare. Working swiftly Lance frees the woman, and watches as the scene instantly shifts to a happier one. The pair were now lying on the beach with water a beautiful shade of turquoise and the sun’s beam warming their bodies.   
‘Vixen what was that?’  
‘I… I don’t know Lance, but it started showing up a few days ago… I think it’s another Predator.’ Iri conjectures as the wolf sits down beside her in the sand, she pulls him close as the tears start to fall. ‘It… it scares me.’ Iri admits to the wolf, which shocks him in the least. Nothing scared this woman, or at least she never admitted to ever being afraid.  
‘Vixen don’t cry I’m here now, I’m here.’ Lance whispers soothingly to the crying woman.

The others listen quietly as the whimpering soon dies down, and Ray goes back to staring out the window. Michael hums along softly to the radio, and Gavin… well Gavin spends his time listening to Lance, and the pair attempt to decipher the meaning of the shadow. Iri on the other hand remains in an unrestful state, not quite asleep but not awake either… a dreamy in between.

About fifty minutes later

They arrive at the house right as Iri had almost fell asleep, leaving her stuck in the groggy after math. She shakes the kits gently trying to wake them.  
“I know, come you guys we’re home.” Michael says as he reaches for Leo who was reaching for him. Ray grabs Fel and Dex, while Gavin gets Scarlett despite her reaching for Iri. She can’t hear what Gavin says to the girl, but Scar instantly quiets in his arms. “We can get the cooler later Iri.”  
“Are you sure?.. I can grab.”  
“No it’s cool Skye, let’s get these guys inside.” Ray interrupts, Iri nods quickly with a shrug and reaches for Dex, but he shakes his head. “I got him.” Iri can’t help, but think it’s odd that he wouldn’t let her help however, understanding Ray was almost like trying to understand calculus so she just sighs and heads for the door. She notices how dark the bay window is, but that’s probably because Geoff and Ryan were in the basement. Iri wastes no time in opening the door, flips on a nearby light, and is suddenly bombarded by sound.  
“SURPRISE!” A group of people shout, but Iri doesn’t hear anything other than a loud attack of noise and reacting purely on instinct she pins the nearest person jumping at her. She lands on the ground with the knife she kept on her always against the person’s throat, and her knee on their chest effectively pinning them down.   
“Iri no!” The lads shout loudly, rushing into the house after her, and it’s at this moment that Iri realizes she was on top of Geoff.   
“Kit… Kit it’s just me.” Geoff stutters in surprise as Iri stares horrified into his scared eyes. What had she done?... Well almost done. The people watch as the fox scrambles off him, and then races up the stairs with tears streaking down her face. “Fuck.” Geoff curses as he hears a door slam shut upstairs, the others stare in a mix of confusion and fear.   
“Does… Is she okay?” Miles asks quietly as the people look to the Alpha for an answer while he stands up.  
“She’ll.. She’s just easily startled.” Geoff says with a sheepish smile. “I’m going to go get her... Someone turn on some music.” He adds and Blaine does so causing the house to be filled with bass, ascending the stairs he hears the sound of growling and then something shattering. Opening the door to her studio he finds pieces of shattered glass and splintered wood lying about the room. “Kit?”  
“I fucking hate surprises Geoff and you god damn know that! I.. I could have killed you, you reckless mother fucker!” Iri snarls her rage now finding another outlet, Geoff watches with wide eyes as she swings for his face. Ducking quickly he narrowly dodges her fists, and in his attempt to avoid her left one Geoff stumbles backwards finding himself lying flat on his back. Iri descends on him before he has a chance to raise his arms for protection, however he finds that she is kissing him harshly. Her snarls now turned into a tiny whimper. He allows her to pin his arms above his head, and kiss him breathless. “I’m dangerous Geoffrey and you had best remember that.”  
“.... Kit I could… I don’t think I ever could, now there is a party downstairs… Your party.” Geoff purrs into her lips, and flips them over with her wrists no pinned high above her. “Maybe, I should just keep you here… Hmm give you my present a bit early.”  
“I’d like that, but… I’m sorry Geoff, I.”  
“Kit, there’s nothing to apologize for. I’m glad you attacked me, I feel safer knowing you're on my side.” Geoff assures the fumbling woman who smiles weakly at him. “I feel much safer knowing that if I’m not around you will keep everyone safe… Your pack omega.”  
“That’s not a thing.”  
“Well I say it is, so it is now.” Geoff teases as he goes back to kissing her, and smiles when the woman spreads her legs in invitation. “You know there are a lot of people down there… Including your fathers.”  
“Good let them hear, it’s payback for middle school.” Iri adds with a smirk causing the gent to chuckle quietly.   
“You are awful you know that?”  
“Shut up Geoffrey, I’m aware of the voyeuristic tendencies you claim not to have.” Iri murmurs knowing into his kisses as he undoes his pants, and pulls her swimsuit bottom to the side. “Show me what you got Alpha.”  
“... Mouthy, you are very lucky it’s your birthday.” Geoff says as he sinks in quickly, and Iri moans lowly in response. He purrs at the way her lips part, and moans flow freely despite the crowd downstairs. “Kit, I can’t knot you right now….Later though baby girl.” Geoff promises her as he snaps his hips a few more times, and pulling out only to find Iri follows with her mouth. “God ...damn it’s incredible the… waY… you.” Geoff stammers out as he feels her throat flutter.   
‘I love you.’  
“Always Iri, always!” Geoff nearly shouts as he cums down her her throat with a pleased groan.   
“Princess?” Burnie’s quiet tone comes from the other side of the door, along with a knock. “Princess open the door.”  
“She’s busy!” Geoff says causing the door to be flung open quickly.   
“Ramsey, you fucker!” Burnie growls angrily as he finds Iri lying on the floor, and Geoff tucking himself away. “I still hate you for this.”  
“Aw come on Daddy, don’t be like that.” Geoff teases causing Burnie to continue glaring at the man.   
“You aren’t my son-in-law, and hopefully you never will be.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure Dad.. he’s really persuasive when he wants to be.”  
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear this… I only came up here to see if you were alright.”   
“Yeah Dad, I’m fine… I’m going to change and then I’ll be down.” Iri tells her father as Geoff picks her up suddenly causing a squeak in surprise to fall from her lips.  
“Come Milady, and let’s get you into something worthy of your status.”   
“... Stop having sex with my daughter.” Burnie grumbles under his breath causing the other two to roll their eyes.   
“Fat chance Burns, besides she usually asks for it and who am I to deny my boss’ daughter?”  
“Smart ass… fucking smart ass.” Burnie comments as he heads back down stairs to the sound of laughter, music, and just general happiness. 

Meanwhile

Geoff watches Iri slip into one of her dark blue lace dresses that defined every curve she had. It exposed her shoulders in a off the shoulder style sleeve, and had a sweetheart neckline framing her cleavage excellently... surprising though it was soft material to the touch. He only knew that because he loved undressing her when she wore this one, not that he didn’t love undressing her always…. It’s just this dress served to enunciate the sensuality when he did.  
“I know why you're wearing that.”  
“Oh do tell Geoff.” Iri says knowing as she runs a brush through her tangled hair, and has Lexi find her matching lace heels with gold accents throughout. “Geoff, zip me please.”  
“You wear that because you know I love to watch it come off.” Geoff says with a kiss to her exposed neck as he zips the dress up, his fingers lingering on her hips. She gasps quietly as he teases the edge of her dress, and allows his hands to caress the bottom half of her exposed thighs. Rolling her head to the side on his shoulder, she forgets all about the party being had less than twenty feet away. Iri merely purrs at the gent’s soft touches and the feeling of his calloused hands over her thighs as they wander up to the black lace framing her hips. Spreading her thighs he teases a digit into her, and continues kissing her neck. His kisses soon turn to bites and her gasps turned to moans. “It would be un-kingly of me to ignore the needs of lady as fair as thee.” Geoff purrs, brushing his nail over her clit causing her hips to buck needily. Working another finger in he sucks dark bruises onto her pale flesh, and then soothes the pain away with his tongue. Iri finds it hard to form words due to the onslaught of pleasure Geoff is giving her.  
“Iri, Geoff, will… Oh hey.” Michael trails off as he happens upon the sinful display in their bedroom, his mouth so usually full of words finds itself empty and rather dry.   
“Hello Michael, Iri say hello.”  
“Michael..” Iri moans as Geoff presses upon a certain spot causing her hips to buck again, and her breath to come in pants. Michael isn’t all that sure that his brain was still in control because soon he finds his legs carrying him over, and from there his lips on hers as Geoff continues his ministrations.   
“Baby boy, pull your hips back a little… just like that.” Geoff praises as he feels his hand free to move again. “Tell me, who is summoning us now?”  
“J..j..Joel.” Michael answers in between kisses causing a sigh to fall from Geoff’s lips as he works his way up to her ears, and nips the furry tips. Iri nearly screams in pleasure as she arches back against Geoff attempting to get his fingers in farther.   
“Papa!”   
“Shh, baby doll… Now put on those shoes, and meet us down there.” Geoff orders softly as the woman leans heavily on Michael. “Come on Michael, I don’t think she needs anymore distractions.”  
“...” Iri says nothing still working through the pleasure as the pair leave.   
“Mistress, I found your shoes.”  
“Mmk.”  
“How about you go barefoot? I don’t think you can even walk in them if you wanted to.” Lexi teases the woman with a smile causing her to flip the fox off as she finishes pinning her hair back.


	93. Party... the good and the bad

Downstairs

Gavin was in the middle of grabbing another beer when he meets the eyes of a man he’s never seen before… He was an alpha by scent, and his eyes spoke volumes about him. They told a story of loss, and one of discipline... His loss was great if he had to guess, or maybe it was just overwhelming and judging by the way he stood he was military, or maybe police if Gavin had to guess.  
“Hello Mr. Free.” The man bids with a cool even tone that was supposed to soothe his rising suspicion. “I’m Derrick.”  
“Uh, hey… How do you know Iri?”  
“Business associates, I’m her boss over at Sony.”  
“... Oh… I don’t mean to be rude, but who invited you exactly?”  
“No one, I came by regardless to give Iridessa her copy of the contract… She forgot it at the office last night.” Derrick explains while holding up an envelope. “Have you seen her?”  
“Yeah, she’s… She’s over there.” Gavin answers quietly while gesturing to where she was descending the stairs.  
“Thank you Mr. Free.”  
“No problem.” Gavin mumbles politely as he watches the man work his way through the crowd to where she was; he couldn’t help the sense of unease that fell over him. ‘Lance what do you think of him?’  
‘Gavin, it’s best not to meddle in things we don’t understand.’ Lance fires back, he still had yet to tell Gavin what had truly been going on in Iri’s mind, and he had a feeling this man played a role.

Iri

After dressing and heading downstairs she is met with glass of something that smelled like liquor and the bright smiles of her friends. Knocking back the glass she feels the pleasant burn of scotch as a hand drags her towards the fire happening outside. Once at the fire she meets the challenging eyes of Blaine who was holding one of her foils, and before she can say anything he swings it at her. Stepping back she avoids his lunge, and Miles tosses her other one at her. Brandishing the foils she smirks before lunging at him; he parries her thrust barely, and answers with a lunge of his own. They exchange blows for several minutes till Blaine believes himself to have won, pinned to the fence, but in Iri’s last move she aims for his leg. The blow connects causing the man to grimace at the sting, and ignore the woman switching positions so he was now backed up against the fence. With one last slice she knocks the foil from his grip and pins him to the fence, foil pressed flush up to his throat.   
“Blaine, when will you learn?”  
“I thought for sure… Well damn there is always next time.” He answers good-naturedly as she release him with a smirk.   
“It was a good try though.” Iri adds in a supportive tone causing the man to smile before heading back to get something to drink, leaving her standing by herself save for the people lingering near the door. “Derrick what are you doing here?” She asks knowingly watching the man make his way over to where she stands by the flames. His eyes flashed with a lightness that she hadn’t seen before, though to be fair she hasn’t known him longer than a week or so at this point… Though the way he looked at her it was as though they had known each other for a long time.. a time much longer than a week.  
“Here… I want you to read this, study the documents, and Harrison will teach you the rest tomorrow afternoon.” Derrick answers handing her a thin envelope, and then one that was a thick manila one. “The check is for their tuition.”  
“It’s only been one day.”  
“But after seeing you yesterday and just now, I know that we won’t have nearly as much to do as I thought.” Derrick explains to the woman who accepts them with a nod.   
“I’m surprised.”  
“Why?”  
“Well wouldn’t you wait till I completed my end of the bargain before completing yours.”  
“I have no doubt that you’ll follow through, and besides trust is a two way street.”  
“... Tch I’m surprised you didn’t try to kidnap me for another training session.”   
“Not every time I see you is meant to be a punishment, in fact many predators are friends with their handlers and squad mates.”  
“Yeah…” Iri mutters with a roll of her eyes causing the man to smirk.   
“Happy birthday Cadet Burns, may you have many more.”  
“Thanks Derrick, see you soon.” Iri bids quietly, watching the man exit through the gate; however a question crosses her mind but before she can dash off she feels a hand grab hers.  
“Red where are you going?” Michael asks with a smile as he spins her into him. “There’s a party going on still.”  
“I am almost hyper aware of this party going on because it seems everyone can’t stop reminding me of that fact.” Iri snaps at the man, unwinding herself from him and starting towards the gate again only to find herself with a shadow. “Michael, can I help you?”  
“Iri what’s your problem? We fucking threw you a party and your being a total bitch right now, loosen the fuck up.” Michael growls angrily causing the woman to just roll her eyes and continue on. “Stop! I am fucking talking to you! Turn around and listen!”  
“I’m listening Michael, what?” Iri says after turning to meet the man with an exasperated on her lips. “I am always listening, and putting everyone else before myself. So what do you need Michael? Hmm what is so important that I can’t take five minutes to myself?”  
“I… Fuck off Iri, take that self righteous shit elsewhere. Come talk to me after you get off you're high horse.” Michael growls throwing his hands up in anguish and leaving the woman who does nothing but run out the gate. She didn’t need this, and she didn’t have to take it either.  
‘Lexi, where’s Derrick?’  
‘About half a mile that way… Why?’  
‘Fuck learning tomorrow, I’m ready now.’ Iri mutters while taking off in the direction Lexi gestured to. It can’t be more than three minutes before she feels the familiar pull of Lexi’s tracer tugging her towards a black sports car.   
“Cadet Burns?” Derrick says in surprise as he notices the woman sprinting over.   
“Now…. I want to learn now.”  
“What?”  
“Teach me Derrick, I don’t care what it is… Just now.”  
“Are… are you sure? It is your birthday, won’t.” Derrick starts, but is cut off by a glare and the woman entering his vehicle.  
“Shut up and drive the car.” Iri commands the reluctant Alpha, though in the end he doesn’t refute the woman. The pair take off in the night, heading to the facility for the training she clearly desired.


	94. Lasers that burn.... and Flynt's real Alpha

Midnight

Iri had been rigorously training with Harrison for the last four hours: her dress had been ripped, her hair no longer pinned back carefully, and with anger fueling her movements she could barely feel the sting of his knife.   
“Good Cadet, now finish him.” Derrick coaches from the sidelines as he watches Iri disarm Harrison, and roundhouse kick him in the chest knocking him roughly into the wall behind him. She wastes no time in surging forward and raising him up by his throat with her powers, tossing him to the side like a sack of potatoes. “Well done, that was superb!” Derrick praises as he watches his cadet nod and catch her breath on the mat. He couldn’t help the smile on his lips as he watched her flourish… Perhaps Otto was right.   
“Harrison?” Iri chokes out warily, hoping she hadn’t hurt the large man.  
“I’m fine Burns… A bit dizzy, but no worse for wear.” Harrison answers from the other side of the room as Harold attends to his minor wounds. “Thanks Harold.”  
“No problem… Iri how are you doing?”  
“Fine… Again.”   
“How about something different? Give Harrison a break for a few.” Derrick inquires causing the woman to question him with a glance. “Otto the lasers please!” Several seconds later the room is lit up with crisscrossing patterns of red. “Your task is simple get to the other side without tripping any.” Derrick states as he hands the woman a hair tie.  
“Thanks.” She trails off, studying the pattern of red in front of her while tying her hair up in a sleek ponytail, trying to find a way that would allow her an easy way through. Stepping forward she lifts her leg over the first one, and without thinking her tail flicks to the side causing her to hiss in pain as it flits through it. “Son of a bitch!”  
“I forgot to mention they are very hot… It won’t burn you terribly, but still unpleasant.” Derrick adds with a smirk as the woman grits her teeth and goes back to the complicated pattern before her. She manages to make it halfway through several times before either her tail or tattered dress trips a laser. Growling in bitterly in aggravation she starts again, unaware of the men watching her carefully. It can’t be less than a minute before she trips them again due to her dress, and that’s when she decides it was time for it to go. Ripping the material off she takes a calming breath as she dives under the first laser, rolls over the second, steps through/around eleven more beams making sure to be wary of her tail, and finally jumps over the last one to make it through to the other side… It takes Iri several moments before the fact registers of what she just did, and when it does she can’t help the way her face lights up in a grin or the way her tail waves happily.  
“Harrison?”  
“Yes Burns?”  
“I’m fucking awesome!” Iri boasts still bouncing happily on her toes, her anger long forgotten replaced by a small wave of pride.   
“Again.” Derrick orders, cutting the woman’s celebration short. He expects some resistance, but only receives a curt nod in response and her serious expression again. Taking her stance at the start of the maze she shakes her muscles out and prepares to do it again, and again, and again until it was perfect… Because perfection would be the difference between life or death in her case, and she had no intentions of dying any time soon. 

Two a.m.

Michael was currently nursing a screwdriver by the fire with Leo and Dex curled into his side, sleeping peacefully.   
‘Michael, she still hasn’t come back and Lexi.’ Marcus starts his worry radiating from his voice; Michael knew he shouldn’t have been such an ass but she shouldn’t have snapped at him… They both made mistakes, and right now she made the bigger one by disappearing… because now he couldn’t apologize for being an ass. Soon he would have to tell Geoff, and then that would turn into an ordeal… Perhaps he should have just let her go.  
“Papa Michael?” Dex murmurs sleepily as he nuzzles the older man’s side tiredly.  
“Hmm Dexy?”  
“Where’s Momma?”  
“She’s around here somewhere.” Michael lies, knowing that the boy would immediately tell Geoff if he knew the truth. “Probably dancing with Gavin.”  
“Good… She love dances with Gavi. “ He trails off closing his eyes again, and purring quietly when Michael runs a hand through his soft dark copper hair.   
‘Just like his mother.’ Marcus murmurs, and it was true much like Iri, the boy would calm almost instantaneously when someone started stroking their head. Smiling down at the boys he continues nursing his drink and stroking Dex with Leo curled into his elder brother’s side. Dex had wrapped his arms protectively around Leo, who was snoring peacefully into his brother’s chest. He isn’t sure how long they sit there like that before Geoff, Burnie, and Joel exit out the back door, smiling about something.   
“Hey Michael, have you.”  
“She left… a long time ago.” Michael utters cutting Burnie off before he can even finish his sentence. “In my defense she pissed me off first.”  
“What… where did she go?” Geoff asks with a sigh, it was always something with these two… They either loved each other or were at the other’s throat… Fucking hot-head gingers.  
“Chasing after her new employer, I found her leaving and tried to stop her, but she… she fucking took that tone with me… That fucking uppity, ‘I’m busy saving the world again’ one that she knows pisses me off.” Michael explains quietly, still refusing to meet the gent’s eyes, choosing instead to stare at the embers glowing before him. “Self-righteous, asshole.”  
“She resents that.” Lexi mutters as she jumps down from the sky, landing right beside him. “She told me to tell you that she won’t be home tonight, or tomorrow morning, and that she forgot her phone.” Lexi explains to the men who nod in understanding. “Also she isn’t mad at you anymore, and is sorry for taking that tone… She hasn’t had a lot of sleep lately, and this new job is stressful.”  
“Bad dreams?”  
“Terrifying actually, ask Lance… Not Gavin, but Lance.” Lexi emphasizes while licking Michael's’ cheek and then nuzzling her mistress’ boys lying at his side. “I gotta get back, see you tomorrow afternoon.”  
“.... Tell her we love her will you?” Geoff says as the fox disappears up into the sky as a small dragon, her white silhouette fading into the darkness of the night. At this point he wasn't even as angry as he should be... Geoff could feel himself giving up, but only a little. “Well damn.”  
“What?”  
“I guess I’ll just have to save it for another night.” Geoff comments sadly causing her fathers to grimace in twin expressions of disgust. “Don’t like it than stop listening.”  
“In that case I guess we’re leaving… Not her worst birthday I suppose.” Burnie remarks causing Geoff to shake his head. “There was the year we forgot… We remembered a few days later, but she was… she was pissed.”  
“Which one was it?”  
“Sixteen.” Burnie murmurs ashamedly, they had a huge release that week and it sort of just slipped his mind.   
“You are an awful father.” Geoff and Michael say almost in unison causing Burnie to sigh heavily.   
“I know, but we’re going… Come on Joel.” Burnie says as he tows the Alpha towards the front of the house, leaving Geoff alone with Michael and the boys.   
“We should get these two into bed.” Geoff mumbles after a few quiet moments causing Michael to nod, but remain sitting. “Michael?”  
“I.. I can’t stand.” Michael stutters after a few minutes, gesturing to the cup in his hand.   
“How many?”  
“Enough to make my legs unwilling to listen to my brain.” Michael quips, as he hands Leo and Dex to Geoff who takes them easily. Once they were gone the lad lies down in the grass with his eyes on the stars above him… That was one of his favorite things about Texas, the skies were almost always clear enough for him to see the stars. He knew a few constellations, but not well enough to actually pick out rather he just liked the way the lights twinkled in the sky… it sounded like a simple reason and perhaps it was, but that was a bit like Michael himself. He was a simple dude, with simple pleasures… like the light of the stars. About ten minutes later his view is interrupted by the sight of a large nose… Gavin.  
“Boi, get off the grass.”  
“Hmm no, it’s soft and no one gets bitchy with me here… Perhaps, I’ll stay here forever.” Michael conjectures causing the brit to cock his head in confusion. “Oh, earlier I pissed Iri off and she left… and now I’m feeling a bit like an asshole.”  
“You guys always fight, where did she go?” Gavin mumbles with a shrug as he lies down beside his boi.  
“Not sure, and Lexi didn’t say… Only that she wouldn’t be back till tomorrow night.”  
“... That’s a long time, she’s probably working.”  
“Probably, I don’t think she’ll ever retire.”  
“Never… She’d be bored.”  
“Hmm though I suppose we could find a way to entertain her.”  
“Yeah, Geoff would probably make true his promises of tying her up and spread open wide.” Michael remarks as he feels Gavin curl into his side tightly. “Hey do you think I could talk to Lance?”  
“Sure… I’ll get him.”  
"Yes Michael?" Lance asks as he appears on the man’s chest in a wispy outline. ‘How can I be of assistance?’  
"Knock it off Fluffy, we want to know about her nightmares." Marcus interjects as he projects himself to sit on Gavin’s hip. Lance says nothing instead disappearing completely, he hadn’t liked the answers he found earlier with Lexi… They’d been unsettling to say the least.   
“Lancelot, come back here.” Gavin demands trying to force the wolf to appear again, but instead he stays buried deep down, refusing to come out. “Lance?”  
"Coward, I knew he would do that… I’m getting Todd." Marcus mutters disappearing as well.   
"Marcus, what have I told you about name calling?" Godric states authoritatively, revealing himself from the edge of the night, Ryan nowhere to be seen. "Lancelot come here." Godric commands and try as the wolf might he can’t refute an alpha and his elder’s direct command. The brown wolf appears hesitantly, cowering close to Gavin causing the blonde wolf to smile soothingly and pad over. "Good boy, now tell us what you know… Hmm tell your Alpha what you know." Godric purrs as he nuzzles the other’s side softly.  
"I.. I don’t know anything." Lance lies, hoping to placate the wolf.  
"..." Godric says nothing as he tackles the wolf roughly, and pins him by his throat till he is whining defeatedly underneath him. "Tell me now."  
“Godric, don’t hurt him.” Gavin interjects causing the wolf to growl ferally at him, shutting him up instantly…. Even for a misty figure his threat was terrifying.  
"Don’t make me ask again because you won’t like how I do it."  
"It’s a splinter alright, just a splinter!" Lance suddenly shouts out still shaking under the larger wolf’s grip.   
"What does that mean?" Marcus asks while Godric let’s the other up, and starts to nuzzle him again.  
"It… it happens when someone is unsure of something, and they dwell on it so much that a part of their subconscious gives it life. Perfectly normal, we get them all the time in dreams. A psychopath chasing us, the choice to follow the well known path or not, and other stuff akin to that… Some just happen to be more violent than others given the state of the subconscious." Lance explains quickly his form slowly shaking less and less as Godric licks at his disheveled wispy fur.  
"Good boy, see that wasn’t so hard. Now was it?" Godric purrs into the other’s fur.  
“If they are so normal then why did Lexi seem so cryptic about it?”  
"Because Michael, splintering leaves residual damage on the mind if not resolved quickly… When she comes home next I’ll work with them on it." Lance whispers quietly, he just wanted to be free of the wolf licking his fur possessively, and Gavin could sense that.  
"Anything else we should know youngling?"  
"No."  
"Very well, good night Lancelot." Godric bids as he feels the mammal dissipate without another word, leaving him alone with Marcus who was flicking his ears with interest in the wolf’s direction. Taking that as an invitation the wolf trots over to the feline’s side, and smirks when the cat exposes his belly instantly. Licking at the soft white fur he found there he listens happily to the purrs coming from the bobcat. "Mmm, good Chaton."  
"Always Alpha." Marcus promises the wolf causing Michael to roll his eyes, and turn to face Gavin who was snuggled into his side.   
“Boi, I think he is the only one who rolls over so willingly for Ric… the only one.”  
“Eh, he’s complicated and besides not always.”  
“Michael he does every time… Todd might get jealous soon.”  
"No Gav, not really… I’m just happy that he’s happy and besides Flynt will happily show me his belly." Todd says as he strides over with Flynt trailing behind him causing the wolf’s ears to perk in interest, but he doesn’t leave the bobcat’s side. As if to prove a point Flynt falls back into the grass when Todd noses his side exposing his pale spotted fur to him. It’s at this does Godric begin growling slightly despite the feline purring under him, and Michael watches Marcus look to the wolf who was clearly staring at the other pair. Michael can feel the anger slowly bubbling up in his companion.  
"Ric?" Marcus meows softly, and warily… He waits for the wolf to answer with something instead his eyes were focused on the other cat purring under another. "Hey Asshole!" Marcus snaps angrily, jolting the wolf from his trance to stare at him.  
"Hush Marcus, and lay back down."  
"Fuck off… fucking worthless Alpha." Marcus curses bitterly with watery eyes as he disappears back into his master’s mind. Michael offers him safety, and Marcus curls up tightly, grateful for his shelter.  
‘Always Marmar.’   
‘Don’t call me that.’  
"Marcus come back here, Marcus I mean it." Godric demands causing the others to roll their eyes particularly Flynt.   
"You hurt his feelings Asshole, and I doubt he’s going to come out anytime soon for you." Flynt tells the wolf who glares at him. "I’m not Ray, Dickweed… I don’t have to roll over for you, and neither did Marcus but he wanted to." Flynt murmurs as Todd nuzzles his neck lovingly. The ocelot had never been particularly fond of Godric’s roughness, no he preferred Todd’s sweetness whenever it was an option… Ray on the other hand thrived under Godric’s oppressive treatment, despite Flynt’s obvious hatred for it.   
"Where is my sweet Kitten?"  
"He’s with Ryan in the basement, playing Xbox." Flynt answers quietly, Todd begins nipping his ears causing him to whine needily.   
"Toddarion, stop." Godric snarls as the fox ignores him to continue playing with his Omega. "I said stop!"  
"No, Godric. I don’t have to stop because he wants me to keep going, he wants me to play with him, and if he didn’t then I would stop but until then I’m going to continue. You can leave if you wish, I won’t force you to watch." Todd challenges the wolf who meets him with a growl. Godric says nothing more choosing to tackle the fox, only to smack into an invisible wall; try as he might the wolf can’t get past the wall to where his Omega lies purring happily at another’s feet.   
"Cheap parlor tricks! Fight me like a real Alpha would!"   
“Godric enough!” Ryan snaps as he exits the house to find his wolf snarling at Todd. “Stand down!”  
"No, he took."  
“He has not taken anyone, Flynt has never cared for you… He’s just never been so vocal about it.” Ryan tells the wolf who cocks his head in confusion at this, but backs away from the two.   
"Is this… Is that true Flynt?" Godric inquires watching how the small feline hides behind Todd, but nods a yes. "Kitten, I’m… sorry if I scared you, but you must know… You know that I love you right?"  
"... Just leave me alone, you make Ray happy but.. .but Todd is my Alpha… always has been." Flynt admits softly as the wolf nods slowly at this new information… sure he knew Flynt wasn’t his biggest fan, but he didn’t know it was this bad. They watched somberly as a sullen Godric slinks off into the night, and Ryan shifts down chasing after him. "I’m sorry, but I… I didn’t want to lie to him anymore."  
"It’s okay Flynt, he’s just surprised is all." Todd offers as the pair dissipate into the night leaving Michael and Gavin alone again.  
“Marcus loves him.” Michael murmurs softly, and Gavin offers him a smile. “If only he could see that.”  
“He will, I know he loves Marcus as well… and Lance likes him sometimes, just not right now. Poor thing still shaking like a leaf, and Lexi will always love him… Lexi loves all of us, as does her mistress, even when she takes bitchy tones with us.” Gavin explains to Michael who nods weakly at this, and falls asleep in the dewy grass.


	95. Exhaustion

Iri   
Sunday night

She hadn’t slept the entire time she was at the facility due to Derrick insisting that she get used to functioning with less sleep. Which Iri insisted that she was perfectly capable of reacting with no sleep, but he wanted her to prove it. So that brought her to now, she was sprinting through a wooded obstacle course Derrick and Harrison chasing her with live ammunition… Yes live ammunition because nothing gets the heart pumping like being shot through the shoulder. Harrison had already shot her twice in the leg, and Derrick once in the thigh. They had stopped immediately allowing Harold to completely heal her before continuing on. Iri could hear them crashing through the underbrush, and taking her chances she scrambles up a tree. Stilling herself completely, and calming her breath she sat as close to the trunk as possible. The pair of men appear quickly, and begin sweeping through the area. She waits with bated breath hoping they wouldn’t check the trees because if they did she was royally fucked, Iri had tried earlier to drop the men with her powers but her mind was exhausted… Even drawing from Lexi’s reserves hadn’t helped so this one was purely on her.   
‘Mistress, I can’t.’  
‘I know Lex, just calm down and let me think… there’s always a way to win, I just have to find it.’ Iri assures the fox calmly. She could drop down there and hope her hand to hand was still effective, but part of her doubted that would be a smart move; she could stay here, recover strength, and hope that they didn’t sniff her out in the meantime… or she could coincide… Scratch that last option she would never give up. ‘Lex?’  
‘Yes Mistress.’ Lex responds weakly, her mind felt weak and she couldn’t project herself even if she wanted to.  
‘Can you distract them while I drop down and try to knock them out?’  
‘We have one shot, make it count.’ Lexi mutters as she collects all their remaining energy, and forces a tree’s limb to come crashing down on them. The men instantly spin around to face the sound only to see Iri descending upon them with a snarl. She aims for Derrick’s neck, but misses horribly and ends up landing a few feet away. The men waste no time in firing shots, and thinking quickly Iri strafes to the side narrowly dodging them each time. Harrison finally fed up drops his pistol and aims his fist at her, Derrick doing the same. They rush the tired fox who drops to her knees, dodging their hits, and managing to kick their legs out from underneath them. ‘Iri fight, we aren’t able to run.’ Lexi warns the woman as she feels her mind start to go fuzzy. Iri in turn notices the blackening edges of her vision, but continues trading blows with them. She would win… Or not. Iri realizes her defeat when Derrick manages to put her in the sleeper hold, and she feels her mind go black. Once the woman was out Derrick scoops her up, grabs his weapon, and motions for Harrison to follow him back. The walk back wasn’t horrendously long, and Harrison was pointing out how fast she was progressing.  
“Erik gave her a foundation that she could never forget, effective but destructive.” Derrick explains to his agent’s teammate… He had yet to tell her, but Harrison would be her partner. “Harrison, next session remind me about making tactical decisions.”  
“Are you referencing her early on attack where she tried to rush us with her powers?”  
“Yes because had she waited to use the bulk of them she would have most likely got the drop on us back there… How do we get her back to her mates?” Derrick asks her partner who purses his lips before shrugging unknowingly.  
“We could drop her on the front door, ring the doorbell, and then run.”  
“No, Harrison… I’ll just drive her, and explain that she tired herself out completely.” Derrick offers causing the man to just stare at him.  
“How did she tire herself out? You are her art director, not her handler remember… Ramsey will not believe you in the slightest.”  
“Perhaps he’ll be so happy to have her back he won’t ask questions.”  
“Tch, good luck Derrick… I’m calling it a night.”  
“Very well, we run at dawn.” Derrick reminds him as he watches the man slip back into the building leaving him alone with the woman in his car. Pulling out of the facility’s parking lot and onto the nearby dirt road he tries to think of a lie that would be partial believable… This was what he liked most about Harrison, he didn’t have to fucking find lies for his operative. He could come get him whenever he wanted, and be gone however long he wished without having to worry about telling some worried spouse or child. Though Harrison was a soldier long before he came into Derrick’s office at the CIA, and even longer before he was handed this project. At first they had told him he needed to get rid of the current facility’s leader, but much to his surprise he heard news of a young woman whom he had no clue even existed had dispatched him. Derrick never one to look a gift horse in the mouth took it as his big break only to find from an inside source that the man hadn’t really been killed. So he began again plotting to take down the man, only to hear several months later that the same woman had killed him again, and this time for sure. Naturally he had to meet this woman, and that is how he made his way to the Ramsey residence about a week ago. He hadn’t expected to find a five foot, maybe a hundred thirty pound woman his new operative… Simply incredible in his opinion, and even better when she signed up for his team. Now here she laid exhausted, starving, and lying limply in his front seat unaware of the fact that he was taking her home; which reminded him of the clothing she had been wearing… After destroying her dress, Harold had given her a pair of black spandex shorts and a black compression shirt… Cursing lowly he begins brainstorming a possible answer, hell he had at least an hour to come up with something.

Home

The kits were incredibly nervous as they lounged around the house waiting for their mother to come home. Leo still wasn’t speaking to Michael despite them trying to reason with him, and in turn Felicia wasn’t talking to Ryan or Ray because of her twin’s silence. Dex was playing Peggle with his father in hopes of wasting time, and Scarlett was just being Scarlett which no one understood as she leafed through a book beside her eldest brother.  
“Dexy?”   
“Yeah Scar?”  
“What’s this word?” Scarlett asks causing her brother to draw his gaze from the game to the book in her lap.  
“It’s narcissist Scar, think of someone who’s vain... Like Lancelot, he's really vain.” Dex answers knowledgeably and his sister nods before going back to her book. It can’t be more than ten minutes later that she nudges him again.  
“This one?”  
“Scar, you know how to read just as well as I do.”  
“Yeah, but you remember definitions better than I do.”  
“Just go get a dictionary, Rapa has like four.”  
“Dexy please!” She whines with a pout causing the boy to sigh in defeat before shifting his gaze again to the word she was gesturing to.   
“Pathological… What are you reading?”  
“This book about Ted Bundy, I found it beside Papa Ryan’s tablet on the table.. It’s actually very interesting. It’s about a serial killer; he raped, beat, and brutally tortured his victims.” Scarlett answers softly causing Geoff to pause the game and take said book.   
“Scarlett what have I told you about reading Ryan’s books?” Geoff asks with mild irritation as he leafs through the pages to find gruesome images that were definitely not suited for children.  
“Not to… But.”  
“No butts now go give this to him, and find something else to read.” Geoff orders strictly, and watches the brown haired girl snatch the book away from him to give it back to it’s proper owner.   
“Papa, I don’t see why she couldn’t read the book… It’s not like we’ve never seen that stuff before.” Dex questions as his dad unpauses the game, only to pause it again at his son’s words.  
“Dex, you haven’t seen anything remotely close to that and even for you guy’s that is intense... Besides there are plenty of books in this house that don’t involve brutal murders.” Geoff tells his son who nods curtly while scooting closer to him, and resting at Geoff’s side. “Your mother should be home soon.”  
“She’s busy Papa, if that’s one thing I’ve learned about Momma is that she’s alway busy… We didn’t even get to give her, her present last night.” Dex comments wistfully, he knew she was doing this for their schooling… He wasn’t deaf, he’d heard the fights but he wished she didn’t have to be gone so often. They missed the days when she could stay home, and they would paint or play games or… or just hang out...In short they missed their mother.   
“I know Dex, she’ll be home soon.”  
“We… Nevermind.” Dex starts but stops knowing his thought was irrational and his father wouldn’t support it in the least bit.   
“What Dexy?”  
“Why can’t we just go to public school?... Maybe Momma wouldn’t be so busy if we did.”   
“I tried to explain that to her, but she wants you to go… and you know how your Mother gets when she wants something done.”  
“Lexi says she thinks it will be good for us, and Marcus too… He tells me how Papa Michael was constantly ignored by his teachers despite his ability. Marcus always thought he could have gone to college.” Dex tells his father who nods at him, he never knew Marcus believed in Michael that much. “There’s a lot that you don’t know Papa.”  
“How?”  
“You get a look in your eyes… just like Momma.” Dex remarks with a yawn into his father’s side. “When do we start school?”  
“About a week, I think… Your mother is taking you four school shopping soon, probably this Wednesday.”  
“Fel, and Scar will be happy they’ve been dying to go shopping.”  
“You want to head to bed yet?”  
“No, I’m not tired.”  
“Mmk, you want next level?”  
“No, I like watching you play.”

Iri

She awoke to the feeling of shaking.   
“Burns wake up.”  
“Mmm Derr where are we?” She slurs out sleepily, blinking slowly trying to gather her surroundings.  
“At your home, can you walk?”  
“...Did I win?”  
“No, not even close, but we’ll talk about this another day. Get going Cadet, you have a family probably worried about you.” Derrick urges causing Iri to nod dutifully as she exits the car barely aware of her movements. She hears the car speed off leaving her alone on the front lawn, and frankly she didn’t even feel it when she fell into the grass. The ground was soft, and her muscles were fried.   
“Lexi?” Iri mumbles hoping to get the fox, but she was sleeping deeply in the back of her mind. Sighing loudly she forces her muscles to obey, all she had to do was knock on that door, and she would be helped into a nice fluffy bed… Hopefully Michael would be there, and Gavin too...Or Geoff and Ryan… and Ray. Each step seemed like her last, but by some miracle she manages to make it.... The knock was more of a banging, and she used the door frame for support.

Geoff

He heard someone hitting the front door, and thinking it might be Iri, he gets up to check it. Upon reaching it he opens it to find an exhausted Iri standing in front of him, her tail hung limply between her legs and her eyes barely open.  
“Kit?”  
“Hey Geoff, sorry about… working so late… I just wanted to finish up some…” Iri trails off while slumping forward into his arms.   
“Kit have you eaten anything or slept for that matter?”  
“An hour, and no… I’m tired Geoff… So tired.”  
“Weren’t you allowed to sleep, or take a break?”  
“....no time… needs to be done fast…. really fast.” Iri slurs almost drunkenly, and Geoff is pretty sure he isn’t going to get real answers from her at this point. Lifting the woman up easily he starts for the stairs only to find Dex and the others staring worriedly.   
“She’s just tired guys.”  
“Can we sleep with her tonight?” Felicia inquires causing Geoff to nod hesitantly as the children follow him upstairs to their bedroom. He places Iri on the bed gently, and the children instinctively curl into her sides, the woman purrs softly at their nuzzling and pulls them tight as Geoff lifts the blanket up. He leaves the room, and heads out back to where Michael and the others are playing cards.   
“Suck it Ryan, twenty-one!” Michael cheers as the gent rolls his eyes at the younger. “Hey Geoff.”  
“Iri’s back.”  
“That’s good, where is she?”  
“In bed with the kits, she could barely keep her eyes open when she was talking to me… I’m worried that they’re overworking her because it seems every time she comes home she’s dead on her feet.” Geoff tells them, and watches them shrug.   
“Geoff, we can’t do anything about it… She signed the contract.” Gavin points out as the man pouts on a nearby patio chair. Seeing his distress Michael gives up his spot at the table to sit on his Alpha’s lap, grinding lightly, and kissing his neck. “Besides she’s a big girl now Geoff, if she wants to do this then she can.”  
“Doesn’t mean we have to like it, but as her pack we’re going to support her choices… Also she’s doing it to further the education of our children… I don’t think there’s a better reason.” Michael murmurs into his neck, nosing at the scent gland he knew to be there. Listening with a smile he hears his Alpha start to whine as he nipped the sensitive gland, and distracted him from the distress he felt… Gavin might also played a part in that, using his powers to influence the man’s mood. “Take me to bed Geoffrey.”  
“Hmm I would love to, but our children are currently occupying it as is their mother.”  
“Let me rephrase that, take me to a bed.”  
“Mmk.”


	96. Dresses

The Next Month

The kits had started school, and they loved every minute of it. They loved learning at their own pace, and meeting other children. Scarlett and Leo were always abuzz about their new friends while Dex and Felicia were rambling about whatever they were learning that day. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the school supported individual studies which for the younger kids meant picking some sort of activity to pursue for the last two hours of school. For children in their grade they were allowed to participate in swimming, choir, track and field events, and a few other events but the kits only ever talked about doing those ones. Felicia would talk about occasionally trying an academic club, but very rarely and Iri wondered if she was ashamed of her intelligence… or at least her wanting to have more of it. Scar would blather on about all of them even the science club she and Felicia had joined after school. She had absolutely no shame in any of her pursuits, and Iri had a feeling that would help Felicia get over her hesitance. Dex and Leo were big fans of soccer, and the school offered a little league program that they were enrolled it. Iri had heard Felicia ask Ray about learning ballet, and the man had looked at her skeptically. Saying that they might not have the money for it, and they would need to talk it over. That brought them to now.  
“Iri, I just don’t think we can afford that.” Geoff states as he stirs a pot of soup, and Iri just shrugs from her spot on the counter. He glanced over to find her fiddling with her bangs, and twisting it around her finger. “Kit, it’s an extra three hundred a month on top of Leo and Dex’s soccer, plus Scarlett’s horseback riding… We just don’t have that kind of money.”  
“I… What if I said.. that maybe… I might be able to come up with that.” Iri stutters warily, refusing to meet Geoff’s eyes. “Sony has been extremely.”  
“Iri, what do you do exactly for them?”  
“A lot… I draw, I do animation, I help with concepts… But it doesn’t matter, if I have the money then she can dance right?”  
“... I guess, but Kit you are working yourself to death. Every time they call you in you come back dead tired, and barely able to stand. We’re worried this is killing you… They don’t need to do.”  
“No but they want to, and I want them to have these opportunities. Scarlett loves riding Lexi, and is so excited about showing her in the clubs next meet. I’ve never seen the boys so happy, or dedicated as when they’re running up and down that field. And if Felicia wants to try ballet then I’m going to give her that option Geoff, she deserves a chance to find out what her passion is.” Iri explains passionately to the man who stares at her with soft eyes. “If that means I have to pick up a few more hours then so be it, but it won’t be money that ever stops our children.”  
“Have i told you lately that I love you?”  
“Probably, but you know I have a terrible memory… I think there’s something wrong with my hippocampus.”   
“Your hippocampus is fine, you just need more sleep.”  
“No, the day needs more hours.” Iri murmurs as the gent pulls her in for a soft kiss. “I’d love to stay up and play with you, but I need to head into work early tomorrow and then I won’t be home till late.”  
“Like usual?”  
“No later than usual, but I do have this Friday off… from both jobs. So maybe.. if you guys aren’t busy, you could pencil me in.” Iri teases with a smile that causes the gent to roll his eyes.  
“I believe you should be the ones penciling us in.”  
“Night Geoff, if you're up at four I’ll see you before work.”  
“He won’t but I will Bambi, and Michael might be as well.” Ryan says as he and the kits come inside from playing outside before dinner. “Go tell your mother good night before she goes to bed.”  
“Night Momma!” They shout while sprinting over and wrapping themselves around her. She kisses each of their foreheads and tells them I love you in their minds before heading up the stairs.  
“Sweet dreams Love, I’ll be up soon… After dinner, and we put the kits to bed.” Gavin shouts up the stairs only to receive a noise of meh for an answer. “She’s so lackluster lately.”  
“Gavvers, it’s because she’s tired… She has Friday off so that’ll be nice. Scar what time is your show Saturday?”  
“Uh.. My events aren’t until after two, and Momma promised she’d be there.”  
“She will, Dex when do you and Leo play?” Geoff asks the boys who look to Ryan for the answer.  
“The coach said their game starts at eleven.” Ryan tells the gent who is writing things down on the whiteboard on the fridge.   
“Felicia, your mother said that you can take ballet classes if you want.” Geoff says causing the quiet blonde girl to light up, and leap from her chair to hug him tightly. He lifts her up into the air and spins around causing her to giggle. “We’ll enroll you in the class this weekend… Practices start on Monday.”  
“But Papa Geoff what about shoes?”  
“Your mother will get them Friday, and Scarlett what event are you doing this time?” Geoff inquires, looking at the girl eating her soup slowly.   
“Hunter trials, and show jumping… Though hunter trails were a last minute roster change, Emily got sick.” Scar says to him, he nods, and makes note of it on the board. “Are my breeches, and coat clean?”  
“Sorry Darling, I forgot to bring them in from the car. I’m sure Iri can clean them on Friday.” Gavin mumbles softly as the girl sighs at her father’s forgetfulness.   
“It’s okay, I’ll go get them now.” Scar says while getting up from the table and heading out the front door to retrieve said articles of clothing.   
“Papa?”  
“Yes Dex?”  
“Have you seen my cleats?” Dex questions, and the man points to the front closet.   
“Iri put them in their boxes so they wouldn’t get lost. Leo yours are in there too.”  
“Okay thanks Papa.” Dex mumbles thankfully, and the children finish up quickly before heading upstairs to get into their beds. After the kitchen was cleaned up the adults go to kiss the kids goodnight, and slip into their bed… which they notice is devoid of an occupant however, they find a brief note on the mattress in Iri’s loopy script.   
Forgot Scar’s tack at Sony, be back in soon.  
“Why was Scar’s tack in Iri’s car?” Ray asks and Geoff purses his lips in thinking.   
“That’s because she picked up Scar up last night from practice, and probably didn’t want to leave it in her car all day… It’s bad for the leather.” Michael answers while pulling off his pants, and settling down beside Ryan on the bed.   
“Maybe we should have found less expensive sports.”  
“To be fair I only suggested that to her jokingly, and I never thought Iri would actually agree to it.” Gavin pipes up from Geoff’s arms as the gent smirks at him.  
“I tried to tell her that, but the woman just gave me her damn speech again.”  
“Oh the passion one?” Michael says with a smile as he turns over to face him.  
“Yeah how’d you know?”   
“I got the same one last week when I brought up expenses.” Michael tells the man who nods at this. “It’s a good speech though, and it always ends with a kiss so I’m not complaining.”  
“You never did complain about kissing… Even when I was terrible at it.” Iri remarks as she slips in the window with a pair of black saddles: one for show jumping, and the other for cross country, and two forest green saddle cloths embroidered with Scarlett & Lex. “Sorry about that I nearly forgot about them.” Iri mumbles with a yawn as she places the gear in a corner of the room, and walking over to where Ray stood to pull him in for a kiss.   
“Skye, aren’t you worried about over exerting yourself… The kids don’t need.”  
“It’s fine, I’m fine, your fine, their fine… Everyone is super fine, and happy… Mostly they’re happy and that’s why I do it.” Iri murmurs while nuzzling the man’s rose scented neck tiredly. “If they’re happy then I’m happy.”  
“What about us?” Ray asks as the woman sighs heavily, and tugs the man into the bed with a sleepy smile. “What if we said it would make us happiest to see you not work everyday, and actually able to spend time with the kits?”  
“I spend a lot of time with them, maybe not physically but mentally I’m usually always there.”  
“Doesn’t that hurt?”  
“Not really, I’m used to it by now… It’s no harder than breathing at this point as long as I eat and drink like I’m supposed to.”  
“Which reminds me, you are looking quite fit these days Love. Is there a reason?”  
“I wanted to be a MILF.” Iri quips, turning to face the red-faced brit who pulls her close for a passionate kiss. “Looks like it’s working.”  
“Tch, and omegas complain about being objects of sexual desire… Look at you perpetuating it.” Ryan mutters with a shake of his head causing the woman to chuckle quietly from Gavin’s arms.   
“What can I say? I like making the soccer mom’s jealous, and especially Jordan’s mom… That woman’s a total bitch every time Leo or Dex are centers.. Our kits could run circles around her jerk of a kid.” Iri grumbles softly with a hateful tone, and that said a lot about this kid’s mom because Iri rarely ever hated someone but she definitely hated her. She was just mean, and yelled at Jordan whenever he didn’t score in a game… She acts like it's the pro-league, when it was just little league. “Poor kid probably doesn’t even like soccer.”  
“Hush Love, and go to sleep now… You have an early day tomorrow.” Gavin reminds the woman who just rolls her eyes at him.  
“He has a point, Kit.”  
“But that woman is the worst!” Iri states animatedly, while sitting up and her tail bristling. “She.”  
“Kit, believe me I know… We all know, it’s probably because her husband’s cheating on her and they’re fiscally a train wreck.” Geoff conjectures, using his powers to gently force the woman back down to a lying position and Gavin wraps his arms around her tightly. “Now go to bed Kit, and we’ll talk more in the morning.”  
“Fine.” Iri relents softly, and finally allows her mind to rest for awhile.. hopefully Harrison would leave her be for a night. But she doubted Derrick would let him, the man was growing more and more anxious as their first mission inched closer and closer. Giving them now less than a month before she was supposed to complete her mission. It was simple, gain intel about a possible nuclear weapon in Syria… Well actually none of that sounded simple but for her it would be. Just slip into the foreign dignitary’s minds, and find the answers she was looking for… Simple, and hopefully all the training she’d been going through wouldn’t be necessary at all…. But she doubted that very much, and besides everything she did became complicated even when it wasn’t supposed to be. 

Friday

The week went by fast and as Iri awoke on what she thought was going to be her day off she finds a list of several things to do. First off uniforms needed to be washed, gear needed to be gathered, and lastly she needed to go buy Fel’s dance stuff. She had called the teacher on Wednesday asking what she should have. The list wasn’t as long as she had thought it would be and for the most part they had the stuff. She only really needed to buy was a pair of ballet shoes, and the teacher recommended a store in Austin so that was Iri’s first stop. 

About Noon

After dealing with a snooty man she manages to purchase a pair of sleek ivory pointe shoes, and a pair of blue beginning slippers that were meant for training a dancer’s feet. Next she had purchased several sets of tights that were ranging in colors from black to green, she purchased a few leotards that had a built in silky skirt that would twirl with the wearer. As Iri entered the house she placed the bags on the couch, and slumped down on it as well. Her muscles begging her for a rest despite the fact that they had barely even done anything yet, and lying there merely moments before wrenching herself up. Next she sets upon the task of cleaning uniforms, and then washing them. First she puts her sons’ grass stained blue soccer uniforms to soak in a cleaner, and turning to Scar’s coats. These however, barely needed any attention given that she rarely ever fell off Lexi. Putting them in the washer she starts it up, and dumps in soap and fabric softener. Now all she had to do was wait, and that lead her into the next task which was cleaning… Really she didn’t need to do it, but with her rarely home she felt bad about not helping out. Turning on her tunes she sets upon the task of cleaning, she practices her dodging as Lexi tosses objects at her randomly. It isn’t until a knock is sounded at the door does Iri stop vacuuming to answer the door.  
“Cadet Burns it’s me.” She hears sounded from the other side as she opens the door slowly to find Derrick standing their with several dry cleaning bags, and pairs of fancy heels. Opening the door wide Iri invites her handler in while doing a quick glance around the front making sure no one saw him. “Ah thank you, how are you doing?”  
“Fine… Derrick what are those for?” Iri asks gesturing to the shoes and bags in his hands.   
“These are for the ball, we need to pick one out so I can have our seamstress work on it if need be.”   
“... Oh… I forgot this was a dress up event.”  
“Come on Burns strip so I can get back to HQ, and you can continue cleaning.” Derrick orders lightly causing the woman to roll her eyes and snatch the dress offered to her. Going around the corner to the kitchen she unzips the bag and finds a sleek red dress waiting for her, it was simple and elegant the bright red contrasting with her pale skin. It had a long slit cut up almost to her hip, allowing for mobility, and practically a view of her underwear. As she comes back out Derrick stares at her critically before handing her a pair of silver strappy heels, and comes over to tie up the corseted back of the strapless dress. Once done he looks her over carefully. “Burns, opinions?”  
“I hate the color red, it clashes with my hair, and does it have to be so tight… My boobs are fucking popping out of this thing.” Iri gripes drawing over exaggerated ragged breaths. Derrick rolls his eyes at the woman with a quiet chuckle that causes her to glare sharply at him.   
“We need to give those men something worth staring at, and as a woman.. an omega woman I can’t imagine this is a concept you're unfamiliar with.” Derrick tells her as he hands her another dress, this one a dark green akin to an emerald. This one was sleeved with the sleeves being made of matching lace, framing her bust in a flowered pattern, and was what the seamstress called a mermaid dress. The bodice was covered with sparkles that caught the light brilliantly, and the bottom part of the dress pooled slightly at her feet. She comes out from around the corner wearing a nonchalant look, and giving Derrick a sigh. “God forbid you actually look like an elegant woman, instead of a sweaty CIA operative.”   
“Shut up Derrick, and this one is too long… Lexi thinks we look dumb.” Iri states, still displeased with her predicament. She particularly hated mermaid due to the restrictions they imposed on her legs.  
“Fine last dress.” Derrick relents handing the woman the final dress. Iri slips into the satiny dark blue silk dress with a smile suddenly tugging at her lips. The long dress framed every curve she had beautifully it flared out around the middle of her thigh allowing her left leg to peek through, and the rest of the material fell to the ground in tight ruffles. It’s bodice was plain except for the diamond-like snowflake glimmering under the middle of her cleavage on a band that dipped down displaying most of her backside, stopping several inches before her tail. Iri steps back around the corner wearing a smile that Derrick had rarely ever seen, save for when she had won something. “I believe that’s the one…. How does it fit?”  
“Perfectly, like a fucking glove… Nice amount of cleavage, but I still feel respectable.” Iri murmurs quietly in an appraisal tone, causing Derrick to roll his eyes.   
“Here these are the shoes that go with it.” Derrick says while handing her a pair of heels that makes Iri squeal in delight. “Cadet Burns?”  
“Those are the Louis Vuitton from Burlesque like the same exact ones! Derrick, I think I… Uh.. sorry about that… “ Iri trails off reigning in her excitement, but smiling regardless. He said nothing else as she slipped into them, tossed her large red ringlets to one side, and smiling flirtily.   
“...” Derrick is rarely ever rendered speechless, but the sight of his cadet causes a tiny whine to fall from his lips and he wouldn’t even mention the twitch in his pants. “Huh… That’ll do Burns, that’ll do.” He manages to stutter out as the woman cock her head in confusion at him. “I’ll alert Harrison of your choice, so he can get his vest dyed… We should probably work on the dancing next session.”  
“What kind of dancing?”  
“Formal… Such as the tango, waltz, and foxtrot.”  
“Ballroom dancing?”  
“Well you are going to be in a ballroom so yes.”  
“... I can’t wait. Will you tell Harrison to stop projecting illusions into my mind at night, I would like to actually sleep for once?” Iri asks as she disappears to take off the dress, and shoes. When she returns she finds Derrick staring at her with a smile. “What?”  
“Nothing, uh anyways. No, and sleep is for the dead.” Derrick answers before grabbing the dresses and shoes, heading towards the door. “You can just hold onto those.” He says motioning to the shoes she’d nearly died over.   
“Really?” Iri asks excitedly, and the man nods slowly.   
“Be sure to practice in them when you can, I want a smooth gait… No choppy baby giraffe steps.”  
“Yes sir!” Iri answers with a mock salute causing the man to nod curtly, and exit the house a smile still stuck on his lips. Donning the shoes Iri goes back to cleaning, Lexi still throwing things at her, and was probably not her best plan because without thinking she leaps left… and left was the stairs. She crashes down the stairs, using her arms to protect her face she manages to knock herself out on the second last step causing a blackness to fall over her. 

Seven pm

Michael was looking forward to a night with Iri, well not that she wasn’t always there but an Iri that wasn’t exhausted. He can’t help the way his scent brightens up wholly causing the group to be cast in a wave of cinnamon, the rest of the group wearing knowing smiles and rolling their eyes. Save for the children, merely reveling in the scent of cinnamon.   
“Sorry, I’m just excited to.” Michael trails off as he opens the door to find Iri’s body lying at the bottom of the stairs. “Iri!” He shouts as he drops his bag and rushes to where the woman lies unconscious, blood crusted on her forehead. Michael lifts her up quickly, and places her on the bar; Geoff comes over having heard the man’s worried shout. “Geoff is she breathing?”  
“Yes, she just fell down the stairs from what Todd can see…. She was wearing.” Geoff mumbles as Todd continues to illuminate her mind, what he finds shocks him in the least. However, before he can say anything else he feels Todd kicked out, and a hazy ‘we’ll talk about this in private’ muttered back. He narrows his eyes at the semi-coherent woman but does not speak anymore about it. Instead places his hands roughly on the joint and pops it back into place causing her to jerk away in pain and surprise, finally he uses his powers to soothe the pain away in an icy wave.   
“Thanks Geoff… I was breaking in these shoes, and just fell down the stairs.” Iri explains to Michael who was already pulling her into his tight embrace. “Aw Red, did I worry you?”  
“Fuck yeah you did! Don’t clean in heels anymore.” Michael scolds as he takes the woman to the couch, snuggling her close to his neck.   
“Boi, what’s up with you?” Gavin asks noticing the amount of affection he had for the young woman, which wasn’t really that strange but right now it felt odd.   
“I’m… I’m not sure, I just know that we need this… We need this.” Michael remarks with a tear rolling down his eyes causing Iri to look up at him in confusion.   
“Red, what’s wrong?” Iri whispers softly into the man’s hair as she pulls his head down to her rest on her chest.   
“Marmar, he’s… He’s just really upset.” Michael murmurs softly into the woman’s chest, nuzzling his face in her chest… Seeking comfort like a child in his mother’s bosom.   
“About what? Hmmm, what’s wrong with Marcus?” Iri asks quietly, making sure to keep her tone soft and soothing.   
“Godric.. Godric broke his heart, and now he’s trying to break mine.” Michael mutters his tears slipping freely, and Iri motions for the others to disperse so she could talk to the bobcat alone. Once they were alone the bobcat reveals himself, and Lexi comes out as well to sit by the cat. She nudges the cat onto his stomach, and then begins grooming him soothingly.   
‘Marmar, you can’t continue on this route. You are hurting Michael.’  
‘Fuck off, I can do what I want! Just like every other predator in this house, I’m my own cat!’ The cat fires back angrily, pushing Lexi off, and pinning her on the wooden floor below. He then wastes no time in licking at her exposed throat. ‘Mine…. Just mine.’  
“Marcus that isn’t fair.”   
‘I don’t give a fuck about your concept of fairness Iridessa, you two are mine!’   
“No, she’s ours!” Michael growls at the cat who flicks his ears in interest, and stares at the man in thinking. “And she is everyone else’s as well.”  
‘....’ Marcus says nothing, but relents in his glaring and Michael feels the grip around his emotions loosen. ‘.. But why?’  
“Because we’re a pack, and Godric still loves you… he just has a funny way of showing it.” Iri states with a small smile, and before she can say anything else the wolf in question appears hesitantly on the ground beside Marcus. He approaches the nuzzling pair hesitantly, trying to gauge the cat’s distrust of him… Godric is pleasantly surprised when all he receives is a wary look.  
"Godric?"  
"Yes Kitten… You must forgive my earlier behavior, I often forget my manners." Godric mutters apologetically as he licks at the younger male’s neck, and smiles happily when he hears a loving purr rumble from the other’s chest. "Good boy, come here Kitten." Godric beckons to the cat who leaves Lexi happily to follow the wolf wherever he was going. Iri listens as Michael’s mind finally feels lighter, and his scent changes back to it’s normal cinnamony one instead of the pained one it had been earlier. Lexi seeing that her job was done disappears off to find Flynt and the others to play with, disconnecting from Iri as well.  
“Better?”  
“Fuck yes, he was suffocating me with anger… and then our love for you. Were you here when he refused to let me get hard when Geoff was fucking me? He fucking wouldn’t allow me to get a boner!” Michael explains in outrage causing the woman to smirk, and pull him up for a kiss. She reaches between his thighs, and feels the man’s cock plump up.   
“Hmm seems you have no trouble now.”  
“Momma, why are you grabbing his dick?” Scarlett asks curiously as she pops up in front of the pair, startling them mildly. Iri immediately pulls her hand back, and Michael growls in frustration. She would bet this man hadn’t had an orgasm since that fight thanks to Marcus. “Were you healing it?”  
“I… Uh yes, he bumped it into the table.” Iri lies swiftly, sating the girl’s curiosity instantly as she crawls up into her mother’s lap.   
“Felicia, is upset… And won’t tell me why.”  
“Hmm.”  
“She punched Leo and Dex when they tried to ask her… They both are bleeding, she split their lips.” Scar explains causing Iri to furrow her brow, and ascend the stairs to where Fel was, leaving a frustrated Michael to find another to care for his needs. Opening the door to the kit’s room she finds the girl curled up in her bed sobbing loudly, and shaking violently.   
“Morning glory, what’s wrong?” Iri asks softly as she sits down by the girl’s curled up form, her hand immediately stroking through the girl’s long blonde hair. “Fel what happened?”  
“He.. He told me that I was… He always does this, and I… I hate him Momma, I hate him!” Fel declares angrily her form shifting up to curl up on her mother’s thigh. “I hate him!”  
“Hate who?.. Hmm, what happened?”  
“Jordan! Jordan calls me names, and pulls my hair, and always pushes me over at recess. He made me stain my dress, and I.. now it’s ruined!” Felicia sobs bitterly into her mother’s thigh.   
“Oh Fel, I’m so sorry… Where were your brothers?”  
“Leo and Dex were busy… they’re always busy, and have friends… I don’t have any friends.” Fel admits quietly causing her mother to cock her head in confusion. “No one likes me at school.”  
“Fel, that’s impossible.”  
“No it’s not, just improbable… I know because Daddy showed me the math!” Fel shouts angrily into her mother’s leg. Iri says nothing more choosing to pick her daughter up, and hold her close choosing to stand up and rock the distraught girl. Bouncing from side to side while humming her melody eventually gets the girl to calm down enough to have her broken sobs dissolve into quiet sniffles. “I’m not fun like Scarlett, everyone loves Scarlett.”  
“Morning glory, would you like to know a secret?” Iri asks the little girl, who nods slowly. “When I was your age I had no friends, and every night I would cry and cry until my mother heard me… Would you like to know what she would tell me?... Well she would tell me that I may not have friends now, but eventually I will. Now that doesn’t sound very promising, but as long as you continue to be yourself someone will think that’s awesome and before you know it you’ll have plenty of friends.” Iri explains soothingly to the girl who is nodding into her shoulder, and nuzzling her mother’s neck taking comfort in the smoky scent that resided there. “Are you excited to start dance on Monday?”  
“I am Mom, I really am! I can’t wait, but I’m sorry you have to work so much… You know if you want, I… I don’t have to dance.” Felicia murmurs quietly, pulling back to meet her mother’s soft blue eyes, smiling back at her.   
“Morning glory, I don’t mind working if that means you're happy. As long as you're happy then I’m happy.” Iri assures her daughter who beams at her mother with a gleam in her eyes. “I bet you’ll make tons of friends at dance.”  
“Yeah?”  
“I know so because I love you, and the world will too… Promise me one thing Fel.”  
“What?”  
“That you’ll never change yourself to fit another’s needs… Be true to yourself, no matter how much it hurts.” Iri says to her daughter who nods frantically, and Iri truly hoped her daughter would internalize that… and she hoped Fel would never make the same mistakes she did… The same slightly wonderful, terrible mistakes she made. Her daughter no longer distraught pulls herself from her mother’s arms, and dashes from the room to join the rest of the pack downstairs… Iri on the other hand walks from that room to the master bedroom where she feels Geoff calling her. She arrives to find Geoff staring out the window with pursed lips, Iri shuts the door softly behind her... she had a feeling that this would be a discussion the others didn't need to hear.   
“Why? Why would you make such a stupid deal?”  
“It didn’t seem stupid at the time, and besides it’s not as bad as you think.”  
“How can it get any worse? Iri you signed your life away to the CIA! You… Do you understand that, do you understand what you did?”  
“Yes Geoffrey, I am well aware of the position I’m in and I don’t intend to do this forever… Just long enough.”  
“Spoken like a naive little girl! Those people will never leave you alone, and this time I won’t be there to fix your mistakes.” Geoff yells angrily at her still refusing to meet her eyes before starting again. “...I can’t believe you did this, did you even think of the kits when you did this? What happens when you die? Hmm? How do we explain this to them? Should I start with the part about how you decided to take up a contract killing for the government?”  
“Start wherever you have to Geoffrey, and for the record what mistake have you ever corrected? Hmm, last time I checked you haven’t done shit for me… I saved myself, and you… and the others! You… You just.” Iri trails off her anger getting the best of her, and before she can stop it she says something horrible. “I should have never taken your bite, I would have been better off alone!” Iri can already feel her anger dissipate turning into regret, and Geoff’s own die out as well leaving them in a silence filled with nothingness. “Geoff, I… I’m sorry, I… Papa… I.”  
“Kit just go, just get out of my sight.” Geoff mutters, perhaps she was right… perhaps he should have never pursued the fox, perhaps he should have just let her go… like he was doing now. Iri didn’t say anything more, her tail said enough as the appendage trails limply in defeat behind her. She stared at the ground, walking out the front door, shutting it softly behind her, and walking in the only direction that made sense.


	97. Honesty

The others  
An Hour Later

Lexi sits snuggled up close to Todd who is lying beside her sleepily, and licking her neck lovingly. The pair watch the kids and the others play board games on the floor, the room was overflowing with joy, and it made the fox proud to know that she was a part of it. However, that soon changes when Geoff walks into the room wearing a grim expression, it looked like the life had been drained out of him, and Lexi noticed the lack of Iri… and that worried her immensely. Geoff said nothing, motioning for Ryan to come over. She couldn’t hear the words that were exchanged, but the look on his face was that of confusion, anger, and disbelief. Lexi watches as this happens four more times before the adults are all wearing similar expressions. The children sit still playing oblivious to the conversations taking place all around them.   
‘Todd what’s happened?’ Lexi whispers worriedly in her mate’s mind only to feel Todd kick her out, and disappear from her side leaving the fox both shocked and worried; though, now he is replaced by Godric and Lance. The wolves nudge her away from the group, and to the laundry room where she is then herded into a corner.   
“What’s… What’s happening?”  
“Alexia, what have you two done this time?” Godric demands his tone taking an edge that scared the fox completely. She tried to push past the two, but Lance drowns her in a wave of euphoria that stops her dead in her tracks. Forcing her body to the ground, and leaving the fox feeling defenseless. “Alexia answer me.”  
“We.. We didn’t do anything… Lance stop that hurts.” Lexi whines as the euphoria turns to pain twinged with his anger. “Lancelot, enough!” She roars, using her powers to shield her mind and force her way past the wolves. Lexi wastes no time in streaking through the house and out a nearby window away from her questioning mates. She sprints with no abandon leaving their glares and anger far behind; she wastes no time in reconnecting with Iri in hopes of finding her mistress. Lexi does indeed find her, sitting alone on a bench at a nearby park.   
“Mistress, why do they hate us?” Lexi questions with tears thick in her eyes, she settles herself comfortably over her mistress’ lap. “Why do they hate us when we did this for the kits? We are doing a good thing.”  
“I know we are Lexi, but we knew this would happen… we knew Geoff would be upset… But I think I made it much worse than it should have been.” Iri answers showing the fox her fight with the man, and the hurtful words she said. “Harrison always tells me my anger makes me irrational.”  
“Mistress, where will we go… That’s our home.”  
“A fox has many homes, and we still have our apartment… I.. Hopefully it won’t come to that.” Iri tells her companion soothingly, running her hands through the distressed animal’s fur. She listened to the vixen sobbing softly on her lap, and no amount of stroking seemed to soothe her; so in a last ditch effort to calm her companion Iri asks her a question, her heart unable to bear the sound anymore. “Would you like me to sing you a song Alexia?”  
“Please.” Lexi sobs into her mistress’ lap, she was still in shock from their attack, and her mind was reeling painfully. The fox was truly surprised Iri was taking it so well, though perhaps Derrick’s training had kicked in and now she was simply looking for a solution… Or she was tuning out her own emotions, and focusing on dealing with the fallout. She was sacrificing her own feelings to help another... Like she always did.  
“Wrap me in a bolt of lightning, send me on my way still smiling. Maybe that’s the way I should go straight into the mouth of the unknown. I left the spare key on the table, never really thought I'd be able to say that I'll visit on the weekends. I lost my whole life and a dear friend, I've said it so many times. I would change my ways no never mind, God knows I tried!” Iri sings passionately her voice turning from its usual bell-like pitch to a darker, full-bodied tone that compliments the songs meaning. She places the fox down when Iri notices the last person she expected to see here stroll over calmly.   
“Call me a sinner call me a saint. Tell me it's over I'll still love you the same. Call me your favorite call me the worst tell me it’s over I don't want you to hurt. It's all that I can say so I'll be on my way.” Derrick adds causing Iri to catch his eyes as she stands to greet him while continuing the song. His tone was far deeper than Iri's, but with the same intensity as she... As though they were both in tune to its meaning but in different ways. Derrick sang it like a man who had lost everything, and was forced to change... Iri sang it like a woman who knew she'd done wrong, and she sang it in such a way that pushed herself to be better with every word.   
“I finally put it all together, nothing really lasts forever. I had to make a choice that was not mine I had to say goodbye for the last time. I live my life in a suitcase never really stayed in one place. Maybe that's the way it should be, you know I've lived my life like a gypsy.” Iri sings with a grin watching the Alpha listen with an appreciative smile and continue on with the refrain. His smile reminds Iri of Geoff, and it takes all her will power not to show her sadness to her handler.. her Alpha had practically disowned her, and Iri wasn't sure how long she could keep up this act of strength.  
“I've said it so many times I would change my ways, no never mind. God knows I tried! Call me a sinner call me a saint tell me it's over I'll still love you the same. Call me your favorite call me the worst. Tell me it's over I don't want you to hurt it's all that I can say.”  
“So I'll be on my way, I'll always keep you inside. You healed my heart and my life, and you know I've tried. Call me a sinner, call me a saint tell me it's over, I'll still love you the same. Call me your favorite call me the worst. Tell me it's over, I don't want you to hurt. It's all that I can say. So I'll be on my way.” The pair sing together finishing out the song, and wearing matching smirks. Iri smirks because if she doesn't she's going to cry.  
“You listen to Shinedown?”  
“I had an angsty phase like all twenty-somethings.”  
“I’m not angsty.” Iri grumbles her smile turning back to a glare, remembering this was the man who caused this entire fight. “They found out.”  
“Who found out?”  
“I found out, and I would appreciate if you weren’t so close to my Omega.” Geoff interjects as he strides over with a possessive stare. He had been tracking Lexi the moment the fox fled out of the house, trying to choose when to confront his mate.... However, before he could quell his anger and summon his courage this strange man had begun a duet with his mate. “Iri, who is this?”  
“Derrick… Derrick Sheorn, my… My handler.” Iri admits truthfully, knowing that the time for lies had long past and judging by the scowl on Geoffrey’s lips now was definitely time for the truth. “He came to the house a day after my last heat, and offered me an out… He offered me tuition for our kits, and I said yes… Geoff I don’t know why I said yes, but I did and now… Well now I’m so much stronger, and check this out.” Iri says excitedly as she puts her fox down, and takes off running. Geoff watches her head towards a large oak tree, and jump up to grab the lowest branch. Swing herself a few times before launching herself high into the air, and landing on the branch above it. From there she leaps off the tree, and slides down the nearby slide to come back to the park bench, barely panting. “And I can do so many more things, I can put my father’s pistols together in less than thirty seconds, and even convince other predators that I’m not real… Geoff can’t you see that this is a good thing? We have plenty of money, and the kits are happy.”  
“Were you ever going to tell me?”  
“No, because I knew this is how you would respond… You wish to shelter me, but this is the reality of my life.”  
“I don’t want it to be, ever since I found you battered by Seth… I vowed that I would protect you from it.. I just wanted you to be my sweet Kit.” Geoff admits sorrowfully to his mate who is nuzzling his upper arm lovingly, and taking his larger hand into her own smaller two.  
“That isn’t necessary Mr. Ramsey, she is capable.”  
“I am not talking to you Sheorn! I served my country, I know what this job entails!”  
“No Geoff this is different, he’s with the CIA. My job is merely espionage, I’m a sexy spy fox.” Iri murmurs softly to her Alpha, pulling herself up to kiss at his neck. “Fighting is a last resort, I’m just intel.”  
“But you're a field agent, and inevitably you will need to fight.”  
“True, it’s a possibility but not every fight is won with fists… Her powers can and have neutralized four Alphas sent to kill her, she didn’t kill them just erased their desire to kill her.” Derrick argues trying to assist his Cadet in calming the man down.   
“Geoff, I love you but I will never be the sweet Kit you want me to be… I’m a fighter… I need this to stay.”  
“Sane?” Geoff finishes with a sigh when he watches the fox-hybrid stare guiltily at the ground. “I had a hunch you… You don’t pick fights because you like them do you?”  
“Not… not all the time. I’ve never felt more attune with myself than when I’m fighting. Erik knew that, and he.. he pushed me and pushed me till I couldn’t bear it anymore. I lashed out, and with every lash I got stronger and stronger… At one point I had no use for soft words and longing stares so I replaced them with glares and words that hurt. It took months for me to become normal again, and... and sometimes if I'm really angry I... I don't mean to Geoff, I.” Iri stammers out to her Alpha who wraps his arms around her tightly, he says nothing more save for the sigh she hears. “You still love me don’t you?”  
“Kit, you make it hard but.. Do you really think you’d be better off alone?”  
“God no! Geoff, he would have destroyed me! I probably would have killed myself.” Iri states with a regretful look as Geoff lifts her up over his shoulder causing the woman to giggle. “Geoff put me down!”  
“Hmm, I could but then you might run away again and right into that singing bastard’s arms.”  
“Sir she didn’t come to me, I came to her… Harrison sensed her distress.”  
“I told him to stay out of my head!” Iri growls from behind Geoff her tail lashing angrily, accidentally batting the gent in the face. “Sorry Papa.”  
“It’s okay, when is the last time you groomed that thing?” Geoff asks noticing the messy state of her furry appendage. Iri says nothing, choosing to stare at the ground guiltily, her tail falling limply between her thighs. “See what you’ve done to her! She puts all her time into training, and my poor sweet little Kit doesn’t have enough energy to groom herself properly.” Geoff teases her in a tone that was coated in half truths... It was true she put a lot of time into training and it was also true she was too tired to groom herself afterwards, but Derrick hadn't made her do any of that... That had been an effect of her constant training.  
“Geoff stop it, Derrick just go… I’ll see you Saturday for the dancing.”  
“Wait dancing?” Geoff inquires and Iri nods quickly kneading her Alpha's back playfully.   
“Papa, in order to blend in I need to learn how to ballroom dance.”  
“I’m going with you.” Geoff declares, this was like killing two birds with one stone… Not how he wanted it to happen, but this way she could learn to dance and it wasn’t from some super handsome CIA Alpha who looked like he came straight out of a Calvin Klein magazine… He wasn’t insecure, he really wasn’t but… but who can compete with Calvin Klein?  
“What?” Derrick and Iri mirror in surprise.   
“Mr. Ramsey, you can’t… She needs to.”  
“She needs to learn how to dance, and I think it would be good for both of us to learn. Besides are you afraid I’ll show you up or something?” Geoff challenges causing the other Alpha to instantly back off, remembering that this woman was his Omega.   
“Very well. Ramsey, Cadet Burns, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night at sixteen hundred.” Derrick relents as he turns on his heel and disappears off into the night leaving the pair. Geoff starts walking home with Iri still on his shoulder, smiling into his shoulder.   
“Are you going to let me down soon?”  
“Nope, not until we’re in the house… He wants you.”  
“No he doesn’t, he’s my boss Geoff.”  
“Mhmm, keep telling yourself that Kit and see where you end up.” Geoff says with a roll of her eyes, and Iri can’t help the deja vu she feels. It feels eerily similar to when Michael warned her about Ryan… and Geoff too.  
“You.. no… Not Derrick.”  
“Kit, he stares at you with more longing then I’ve ever seen before.. Like Romeo and Juliet kind of longing… I bet he masturbates to you, especially after one of your sessions… Mmm you're probably all sweaty and muscles bristling…” Geoff purrs into her ears as he slings her down so he was carrying her bridal style. “I bet he comes over and strokes your ears when you’ve done a good job. Do you purr for him?”  
“Geoff, I’m not sure if I like the infidelity you are suggesting, and none of that happens… Not a single part of it, he just smiles brightly at me.” Iri states, pouting angrily from her lover’s arms.   
“You better not or Ryan will watch me beat you.”  
“Tch, you two could never catch me.”  
“No but we can.” Godric growls dangerously as he and the other predators appear on the front lawn with similar angry looks. “If you are going to be an operative, I demand you let us help.”  
“Kit, no one is more capable of preparing you for combative situations than us.” Todd adds as he steps forward with the others nodding in agreement.  
“Uh… You know it’s really sweet, but I think I’ll take my chances with the CIA dude… He’s doing a great job so far.” Iri mutters into Geoff’s chest as he pulls her close to him. “Seriously, it was nice and all of you to off.” She starts, but is cut off by a growl and Todd throwing a rock at her. Iri rolls out of the way and puts up a barrier around her for protection, her barrier holds as Todd throws random debris, and it holds until Marcus strikes it with a bolt of lightning. The lightning only gets throw barely, but she still feels the sting of electricity causing her to gasp. “Fuck!” Iri growls bitterly, her legs folding underneath her. Flynt, and Todd advancing toward her; scrambling to her feet she dashes towards the gate. Leaping over it she somersaults into a kneeling position, and gauging the backyard. Tactically she could get the high ground from on top of the shed, or perhaps she would lead them into the forest and pick them off one at a time.  
“Bambi, come out, come out wherever you are… Hmm let’s play a game.” Godric’s sadistic tone murmurs as he and the other’s phase through the door; however, they don’t spot Iridessa at all.   
“Vixen?” Marcus says warily, trying to draw the fox out. However, before he can say anything else a sharp pain knocks him out, and Godric as well. Iri stays hidden behind the shed, and worms her way into Todd’s mind. She quickly flips his switch sending the fox under leaving just Flynt and Lance prowling around worriedly. Lance sensing the fox’s intent uses his powers to force a moan from her lips, outing her position. The woman quickly kicks him out, and shifts from her hiding spot only to find both predators cutting off her exits. The threesome stare each other down for maybe a minute before Iri and Lexi split to fight the pair. Lexi takes Lance, and Iri faces off with Flynt creating a thin barrier over her skin to prevent burning.... just in case the ocelot got intense, shifting down she growls menacingly at the smirking feline. Leaping at his throat she snarls angrily when she phases right through him.  
“Baby doll you’ll have to do better than that.” Flynt taunts creating a ring of fire around her. Iri however, shows no fear and jumps through it giving herself only minor burns and forcing him to concede. After he dissipates Iri looks over to find Lance disappearing as well.  
“We win, and stop calling me baby doll!... still super creepy.” Iri states smugly her confidence radiating from her with each step, but it’s maybe a minute before exhaustion overtakes her and she’s forced to lean against the shed to stay upright. “Fuck… I didn’t… Did we eat today?”  
‘No Mistress we were going to, but Derrick interrupted us.’  
“Geoff!” Iri calls out sliding down the shed limply. “Papa!” Iri calls out this shout much softer than the last. Geoff comes over slowly, careful of the battle that might be raging but all he finds is Iri breathing raggedly with her eyes practically closed.   
“Still hasn’t broke you of your over zealousness. Did you eat today?”  
“No… I was going to, but Derrick… Dresses.” Iri mutters tiredly as he picks her up, and heads into the house. “Geoff, I’m excited for tomorrow…. It’s going to be fun.”  
“I bet it will, now let’s go eat dinner before you pass out.”


	98. The Single Lady, and All the Single Laddies

Saturday  
Two Thirty pm

Iri stood holding Lexi’s Italian black leather bridle with gold buckles waiting for the event to start lining up. Lexi was shifted into a large dapple grey Andalusian: her face pure white, four pitch black stockings coloring her legs, and a black mane and tail that fades to white. Upon her sat Scarlett dressed in her forest green jumping jacket, white breeches, her black helmet embroidered with her last name on the back, and black riding boots. Iri watched her daughter fidget nervously in her saddle, and fiddle with her golden stirrups for the sixteenth time... Iri only knew that because Scarlett mouthed a number to herself.   
“Scar what are you doing?”  
“Momma they just… They don’t quite feel right.”  
“Scarlett they’re fine. Why are you so nervous? I’ve seen you ride Lexi, and you're really good.”  
“I… I just don’t want to disappoint you.”  
“Why would you disappoint me?”  
“If… If I don’t win then all that time you put in at work so I could take these classes was for nothing, and you work really hard… I don’t want to waste your time Momma.” Scarlett explains sheepishly only to watch her mother’s expression soften to a heart warming grin that makes her daughter feel at ease. “I want to win for you Momma.”  
“My sweet Scar, the only way you could ever disappoint me is if you don’t try your hardest. Like I told Dex and Leo earlier, win or lose I’m still your mother and I’m still proud of you regardless… Besides Lexi is with you, and you two work together wonderfully.” Iri assures her daughter and Lexi stamps her feet while neighing in agreement. “See Lexi believes in you, and so does your father and I… Now go, have fun, and do your best. Lexi be careful on the landings, Scar watch your flanks, and remember pick your passes carefully!” Iri shouts at the end as the pair trot off to the gate, and she runs up to the bleachers to watch the start with Gavin. Geoff, Ryan, Michael, Felicia, Leo, Ray, and Dex were still at the soccer game seeing as the ten o’clock game got pushed all the way back till two.  
“How was she?”  
“Nervous, but nothing more than usual… She thought she was going to disappoint me if she lost.”  
“Love, she knows how hard you work to give her this opportunity and she just wants to make you proud.”  
“Gavi, I couldn’t be more proud of her even if she came in dead last. I will always be proud of all of them, regardless of their accomplishments.” Iri says to the man as she is pulled down to sit by him, he merely smiles brightly and places a soft kiss to her lips. “She’s going to do wonderfully.”  
“I don’t doubt it, she’s been practicing on her form for the last two weeks till Mrs. Moore told her it was perfect.. that’s why she actually got put on hunter trials. She told me that she beat out a ten year old for the spot, Mrs. Moore calls her a prodigy.” Gavin explains to the woman who smirks, but says nothing more as they hear the gunshot ring out. The gates fly open and several of the competitor’s horses shy away from the gates meanwhile Scarlett and Lexi shoot straight out like a rocket; the pair head to the first jump clearing it easily. From there they head into the forest and the adults lose sight of them for about a mile and a half before the come out of the woods to cross the finish. Gavin and Iri wait for what seems like hours hoping that Scar and Lexi would come out first. However, right as she is about to go check on them Gavin points excitedly to Lexi’s grey form galloping from the forest and clearing the last oxer to head for the finish line. Scarlett and Lexi cross it with another boy merely inches behind, and the parents break out into cheers, grabbing their stuff and heading to meet their daughter. 

Scarlett

‘Lexi that was well done, our footing was a little sketchy towards the water feature, but we managed to pull out a win.’ Scarlett praises the horse mentally through their telepathic link. Her breath was coming in pants from the adrenaline rush, and the sudden win but she kept her expression schooled like she'd seen her mother do. Pride was fine, but there was always room for improvement. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed us so hard… that could have been really bad.’  
‘You worry too much, and besides it was thanks to you we beat that other kid. Had we played it safe like I wanted to we wouldn’t have made it to the finish line first.’ Lexi comments with a whinny as she watches her rider sigh and nod as they trot over to where Gavin and Iri were standing.   
“Darling, that was beautifully done! I knew you would win.”   
“Thanks Poppa… Momma will you look through Lexi’s mind to see where we could improve, we may have won this time but next time we might not get so lucky.”   
“Scar, I will but first let’s get you changed and some water for both of you.” Iri promises the girl who nods swiftly and her mother clips on a lead line.

Geoff and the Others

It was the last ten seconds of the game; they watch excitedly from the stands as Dex dribbles the ball down the field, looking up briefly Dex catches his brother’s eyes, and passes it to him. Leo continues down the field to where the goalie stands ready, winding his leg back slightly he kicks it right past him into the net. The crowd erupts in cheers and Dex comes over to embrace his brother in a tight hug.  
‘Waita go Leo!’  
‘Thanks Dex, does your Dad know about your powers yet?’ Leo inquires softly, all too aware of his brother’s growing telepathic abilities. They were nothing compared to Lexi, and their mother but he could still project his thoughts into their minds… Albeit painfully if he wasn’t careful, but nothing to terrible.  
‘Not yet, and don’t you dare tell him!’ Dex growls mentally, his face still wearing a triumphant smile as the rest of their family strides over.   
“Wouldn’t dream of it Griff, and besides you could always tell Mom about me.” Leo murmurs quietly with a smirk.   
“Nothing keeps brothers closer than secrets.”  
“Well said Griff… How much do you want to bet that my Dad will try to cuddle me?”  
“I bet my dessert for a week… Unless Mom makes lemon meringue pie, then I want that.” Dex mutters and Leo smiles while shaking his brother’s hand.  
“Your on.” Leo agrees as he shakes his hand, and the rest of the family finally makes it to them. The first thing Michael does is scoop Leo up, and snuggle him close as his son chuckles softly. Dex says nothing choosing to glare at them until Geoff lifts him up as well causing his attention to fall upon his father.  
“Good teamwork you two, it’s almost like you two planned that.”  
“Yeah Papa, we talked about it before the game… Jordan was in on it too, but uh…” Dex trails off as he watches his friend get chewed out by his mom, and it was like something in him snapped. Squirming out of his father’s grip he sprints over to where Jordan is staring submissively at the ground while his mother chews him out for not making a goal. “Hey, stop yelling at him!”  
“Excuse me?... Oh it’s you.”  
“Yeah it’s me, stop yelling at him; he doesn’t even like soccer, and you're being a real asshole right now. Jordan, don’t listen to your mom… You did great, Leo and I couldn’t have made that last goal if you hadn’t gotten the ball to me.” Dex says gratefully trying to protect his teammate from his dick of a mother; he continues to stare down the woman with no fear whatsoever despite the intensity of her glare.   
“Mr. Ramsey, you need to control this little deviant.”  
“Go to hell you stupid bitch, if my Momma was here she’d kick your ass!” Dex growls bitterly causing Geoff’s already wide eyes to get wider at his son’s blatant display of anger and profanity.   
“Dexter enough!”  
“Whatever Geoff.” Dex relents rolling his eyes disrespectfully, and storming off to where Felicia was waiting with Leo. The group of children noticing their eldest brother come over head towards the pair of coaches handing out snacks.   
“He’s a real piece of work… just like his mother.” Jordan’s mom mutters hatefully, and if Ryan hadn’t placed a calming hand on Geoff than he was sure the man would have punched her.  
“You can disrespect me all you want, but leave my mate out of this… Our mate is a saint compared to your skanky ass.”  
“Last I checked Saints don’t sleep with five different men.”  
“Bitch you're just jealous because you can’t keep one!” Michael quips before towing his Alpha towards the car where Ray was already ushering the kits. At the car they find Dex staring at his feet with what Geoff knows is a look of remorse.  
“Dexter, you're grounded when we get home.”  
“I know.” Dex murmurs with a sigh, he knew this was coming when he’d let his anger get the best of him. He was honestly surprised his Papa wasn’t spanking him, probably because there were too many people around.   
“Also that language is not appropriate at all.” Geoff scolds sternly as he straps his son into the seat despite his squirming, he pulls the boy to look him in the eye. “But she sort of deserved that, your mother would have been proud.”   
“... I channeled my inner Momma…” Dex trails off with a smile as his father kisses his forehead lightly. “She was fierce.”   
“Speaking of, has anyone heard from them?”  
“Yeah, Gav texted Pops during the game. Scar won both her events and look at the picture Mom sent.” Fel answers as she passes Geoff her father’s phone, she'd been playing Fallout Shelter during the game. It had a picture of Scar sitting upon Lexi with a bright smile on her lips, and several blue ribbons clipped to her halter. Gavin stood beside the horse wearing a similarly bright grin on his lips, both pairs of turquoise eyes glimmering in the Texas afternoon sun. “She looks so pretty.”  
“They both do.” Ryan comments as he takes his daughter’s hand, placing a soft kiss on it causing a smile to befall her lips. If he was sure about one thing for every ounce of confidence Scarlett got from Iri, Felicia got that amount in insecurity. He had often caught her looking in the mirror, and picking apart her appearance… just like her mother did. No amount of praising from either Ray or him ever seemed to do the trick, but as soon as someone else said she was beautiful it was instantly the truth. “Fel, remember what your mother says.”  
“Beauty comes from the inside, not the outside.” Fel murmurs softly into her father’s shoulder, she wasn’t jealous of her sister… well maybe just a little… Though to be fair she was the perfect combination of their mother and Gavin who was already exquisite to begin with… She was almost like a nymph from one of their mythical stories.   
“Very good, now what would we all like for dinner?” Ryan asks as his daughter nuzzles his side tiredly, she hadn’t slept well the night before and was incredibly groggy this morning. He was pretty sure Felicia would fall asleep before they made it home.   
“Uh, I don’t care.”  
“Geoff what about you?”  
“Um actually Iri and I are going to do be gone tonight… So it’s up to you guys.” Geoff answers sheepishly as he pulls onto the highway, and the rest of the group cocks their heads at him. “What are those looks for? We have dates… sometimes.”   
“Psh. No you don’t, you two have arguments, and that’s about it.” Michael quips causing Geoff to glower at him through the rear view mirror. “Hey, it’s not like I’m lying. Ry back me up.”  
“Geoff, he is telling the truth. You two are either fighting or…” Ryan trails off gesturing to the children listening quietly, however he does make the hand motion fast enough so only the adults would see it.   
“We don’t fight that much!” Geoff snaps angrily causing the other’s to fall silent save for Felicia who was singing along to the radio, ignoring her Papa Geoff’s outburst.   
“Well I won’t give up on us even if the skies get rough, I’m giving you all of my love. I’m still looking up.” Felicia sings softly, and it causes the men to fall silent. It was rare that Fel ever sang in front of them anymore, much like her mother she could sing very well but would often choose to hide her talent... Ray would often catch their shy daughter singing to herself, or Leo. “I won't give up on us, God knows I'm tough enough. We've got a lot to learn, but God knows we're worth it….. I think that should be your guy’s new song.”  
“And why’s that Fel?”  
“Because it’s about being devoted to each other despite all the obstacles that get in the way… We all know you and Momma fight, but we also know that you two make a wonderful pair… There was a little bit when we discussed just leaving, but then.. then we saw how happy you make our Momma and Dex makes a strong argument about your character Papa Geoff.” Felicia explains with a yawn, her brothers had already fallen asleep, and soon she would too. “He loves you, and so does she… They just have a funny way of showing it.”  
“...” The men don’t really know what to say to the young girl’s confession, but what really worried them was that they had planned on leaving…  
‘Iri has more than once stopped their plots to runaway Geoffrey, she wasn’t lying when she told you she spends lots of time with them… She doesn’t have to be there in person to be there for them.’ Todd interjects having been there multiple times to help soothe baby pack. ‘They are a pack as much as you all are… Iri calls it pack-ception.’  
‘Were they going to kidnap her or…’  
‘...Not really, there was a time when if Dex would have asked her to spirit them away she would have gladly… It was right after she and Michael came home from their separation.’  
‘Wow… just wow.’  
‘Heavy, I know, but the important part is that they didn’t leave. Could have, Burnie and Joel had even offered to let them stay with them, but they didn’t.’  
‘Todd, why didn’t you tell me this earlier?’  
‘I figured it would upset you, and besides you’d only turn this into a negative.’  
‘I fail to see how this is even remotely positive.’  
‘Well first off she taught the kits that it is important to face your relationship problems head on, and not run away from them, second she didn’t isolate you from your children, and third she refused to give up on this pack despite all the problems it had… shows persistence.’  
‘And love.’ Geoff adds causing the fox in his mind to nod in agreement.  
‘She loves you, all of you… Though sometimes I don’t understand how.’ Todd jests before disappearing down into his companion’s mind again. Geoff and the others sit in silence during the drive home, not sure what to say to one another but mostly the quiet was appreciated because it allowed for a little self-reflection. It isn’t until they pull into the neighborhood does Ray pipe up.   
“Let’s get married.”  
“What?” The men mutter in surprise mixed with a lot of confusion…. a lot of fucking confusion.  
“Well it’s been like seven fucking years, I think it’s time somebody put a damn ring on my finger.” Ray declares sassily staring down the pair of Alphas. “Time to man up you two, I’m tired of being a sorta single lad.”  
“There is nothing single about you Raymond, and that’s a big step… We’ll need to talk about this.” Geoff says sternly, and notices how Michael seems to deflate at his words. “Michael?”  
“Geoffrey Lazer Ramsey, will you marry me?”  
“.... I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that question right now.”  
“.... Coward.”  
“It’s… We’ll talk about this later, Iri and I have to go.” Geoff says sharply as he exits the car to find Iri sitting patiently in her own, and Gavin placing soft kisses on her lips through the driver’s side window.   
“I love you.”  
“I love you more.”  
“Gavi, I don’t think it’s physically possible for you to love me more than I love you.”  
“Lass, I love you so much that instead of God save the queen, it’s God save Iridessa.”  
“Aww you would change an entire national saying for me?”  
“Of course I would, I love you Lass.”  
“I love you so much that if we were drowning I would give you the oxygen in my lungs through one last kiss.” Iri vows causing the man resting his forehead against hers to chuckle.   
“I love you so much that I’m going to marry you.” Gavin states with a loving smile that Iri mirrors.   
“And I love you so much that I’m going to say yes.”  
“Alright I get it you two, you love each other a lot. Iri we need to get going.” Geoff declares urgently, interrupting the two love birds causing them to roll their eyes. Iri switches over to the passenger’s seat so Geoff can drive, and Gavin waves them off before heading towards the house with the others. The gent doesn’t say anything more as he watches Iri give him soft smiles. “What?.... Iri what are you looking at me like that for?”   
“Merely admiring my mate’s profile… Why am I not allowed to do that anymore?”  
“There is nothing to admire, I’m an old man.”  
“Geoff, there is always something to admire about you. Whether it be the way your muscles ripple when you pin me to a wall, or the lines on your face suggest you’ve never stopped smiling.” Iri murmurs sweetly, and for some reason this causes Geoff to become suspicious.   
“What are you buttering me up for?”  
“Nothing… Absolutely nothing.” Iri swears as she leans over to rest her head on his shoulder, and the man says nothing else choosing to use his powers to flick the tip of her tail softly. “Geoff, when are you going to marry us?”  
“So that’s what this is about.”  
“Well… The Omegas and I have been talking and… and we think it’s time all of us get married.”  
“The Omegas?... Are you going to fucking start a revolution on us?”  
“Maybe… Maybe we’ll just hold back orgasms till you agree… Or maybe we’ll tease you till you two can’t say anything other than yes to whatever question we ask…. There’s lots of options for us Geoffrey.”  
“Like leaving?”  
“.... no… Not leaving… Well maybe, they say separation makes the heart grow fonder.” Iri muses, and at this Geoff snaps. He grabs her by the throat, and forces her to kiss him.  
“Iridessa Skye Burns, if you ever leave me again I will kill him… I will fucking drop him like a stone.” Geoff threatens in a tone that makes Iri’s blood sing with the need to please. She purrs softly till the man loosens his grip, and kisses her gently... She didn't know who 'he' was, but Iri honestly didn't want to find out. “Mine.”  
“Yours, always yours.”  
“Good girl, and if we get married whose name will you take?”  
“...Hmmm, what are my choices?”  
“You can have Ramsey, Haywood, or hyphenate. Though it is traditional for Omegas in a pack to take their Pack Alpha’s last name.”  
“Iridessa Ramsey-Burns, Iridessa Haywood-Burns. Iridessa Free…. Screw it, I want Gavin’s last name.”  
“Kit that’s not an option…. well I mean it sorta is, but then you would have to be Iridessa Ramsey Free…. I think you should just take my last name.”  
“So you can continue on with your harem?”  
“Damn right… I’ll have Michael, you, Gav, Ryan, and Ray. We can start our own little brothel, call it Orgasm Hunters.” Geoff teases lightly with a smirk, and Iri just rolls her eyes before going back to thinking about the name thing. “The Lads are already down with taking my name. It’s just you and Ryan on the fence.”  
“Well if everyone else is doing it then what the hell, I’ll take your name… Poor Godric, must be hard on the wolf knowing that he’s getting lumped in like an Omega.”  
“Yeah, I think that’s the hardest part of this… He has too much pride for his own good. Though I must say my mother will probably be thrilled to hear we’re finally getting married, and now I can finally rub it in Burnie’s face. Burnie can’t grouse at me every time we have sex… Aww fuck yes!”  
“Really? That is what you're most excited about?”  
“... Kit, I love you but your father has become almost adamant about this sex thing… Like he actually seeks me out during the work day to yell at me.”  
“... He just wants you to marry me Geoff, no more freebies.”  
“Why buy the cow when I can get the milk for free?”  
“Shut up Ramsey before I bite you, and did you just call me a cow?”  
“Metaphorically.”  
“.... very well then figuratively you can take that knot and shove it up your ass because I’m not going near it.” Iri states huffily, crossing her arms and leaning on her window with a glare. “Maybe I’ll give Derrick something to masturbate to tonight.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Oh please Geoffrey, you said it yourself. An omega all sweaty and bristling, all it would take is the tiniest of purrs.” Iri taunts with pursed lips causing Geoff’s teasing lips to downturn in anger. “Maybe I’ll brush his crotch with my tail, or touch his upper thigh ‘accidentally’... Possibilities are endless.”  
“....”  
“.....”  
“...................................”  
“..................................................” The pair say nothing instead having an intense stare down as they sat in the parking lot. Iri’s unwavering glare, and Geoff’s own frigid one filling the car with a denseness that you could cut with a knife. It isn’t until a knock on the hood is sounded that draws the pair from their stares.  
“Burns let’s go, I haven’t all night.” Harrison’s impatient tone sounds, he’d heard from Derrick that instead of him teaching her how to dance her mate was… Which wasn’t upsetting in the least except for the fact that they were supposed to be in sync, but he supposed that they would just have to practice another night.   
“Harrison, you actually do… You live here.” Iri quips as she bounces out of the truck to flick the man’s nose teasingly. “Geoff this is Harrison, Harrison this is Geoff.”  
“Nice to meet you Geoff.”  
“And you as well.” Geoff says warily, his eyes appraising the Alpha standing before him. The man was tall, like six two tall with a pair of doe eyes. He was slim with a caring smile and muscles that suggested he worked out often… which if Geoff thought about it he probably did. There was a gentle breeze that allowed the gent to catch an oaky scent mixed with a hint of nuttiness… Alright well maybe it would be fair to say that Geoff was a bit insecure. As if sensing this Harrison smiles brightly, trying to reassure the ex-soldier before him only to hear him growl lowly at his mate. “I hate you.”  
“Well I love you, and this is my job so suck it up.” Iri quips while tugging Geoff towards the building by the hand, and a smirk on her lips. ‘Try not to ogle.’  
‘Hmm, keep teasing and I’ll show Godric.’  
‘I dare you.’  
“Such a naughty Kit, I really ought to train you out of that.”  
“Geoff!” Iri growls in embarrassment, her ears flicking down flatly to the top of her head, and her tail wrapping tightly around her. Harrison says nothing with a grin as he listens to the pair interact.   
“Shush Kit, now let us go dance.”   
“... Geoff, Burns this way.”   
“Harrison, where are we doing this?”  
“The field house where we do all your training, oh Derrick needs you to run through the laser course again as well as our tactical efficiency course.”  
“Uh okay.” Iri mumbles sheepishly, she hoped Geoff didn’t ask what that was because he wasn’t going to like it at all.  
“Still using live ammunition?” Geoff inquires causing both of them to glance at him in surprise. “What? Iri you forget that Todd and I used to be in the army, we had to do similar training as well.”  
“Echo squad, my father was on your team Geoffrey… I don’t know if you remember him, his name was Gordon, but.”  
“Delta…He was the best damn gunner that I’d ever seen, no one was better at manning a fifty cal than him.” Geoff says fondly as he looks over the twenty-seven year old standing before him. He could see Delta in this man now that he thought about it: his height, his proud stature, the way he smiled softly like he always found something funny even when there was clearly nothing to find funny.   
“Thank you Geoff, it means a lot to hear you say that… If it’s any consolation, I’m going to protect your mate with my life.”  
“I don’t doubt that, just make sure she thinks before she acts… Her irrationality will be her downfall.”  
“I resent that.” Iri gripes as they enter the large field house to find it filled with elegant music, and Derrick sitting on the bleachers wearing a thoughtful expression. “Hey Derr.” Iri greets cheerily just to piss Geoff off, sprinting over to where the man was sitting, and offering him a smile. “Derr what’s with the long face?”  
“No reason… just thinking.” Derrick states with a sheepish look as he meets his Cadet’s unbelieving stare.   
“Uh-huh, well let's get this show on the road. I have actual work to do this weekend.”


	99. A moon and it's meaning to the wolf

Two hours later

“Geoff if you step on my god damn foot one more time, I am going to decapitate you.” Iri threatens as she feels the Alpha crush her foot for the thousandth time. “Christ!” She growls when he steps on her pinky toe. “I’m done, I can’t fucking do this!” She declares pushing Geoff away from her, and kicking off her heels.   
“Iri, Kit I’m sorry.” Geoff offers, but he can tell the woman was far past sorry by the way her tail flicks in annoyance. “Kit, I’m trying.”  
“Okay, time for a break… Burns cool off, Geoff focus on the patterns.” Derrick coaches as he watches the pair splinter off. Iri exits the room to go get a drink, and Geoff sits on the nearby bleachers.  
“Derrick, I don’t know what’s wrong with my fucking feet… I guess dancing just isn’t my thing.”   
“It’s alright Mr. Ramsey, not everyone is great at dancing.” Derrick tells the frustrated Alpha who was sighing beside him.  
“Pointers?”  
“Stop focusing on being her Alpha, and just feel the rhythm… No one here is going to take your mate, and honestly no one wants to.”  
“She’s a bit of a handful isn’t she?”  
“Yes.. I’ve never had an Omegan operative that was so combative, so willing to challenge an Alpha for dominance… Not even my partner had the same fire as her.” Derrick explains to the man who is chuckling quietly.   
“She will fight anyone and everyone as long as she has a reason… Our son is the same way, I forgot to mention how he verbally assaulted a woman… Just like his mother does.” Geoff tells the other who is smiling, and leafing through some papers. “Derrick, I want to make this very clear. She is mine, and nothing you say or do will change that. Mine.”  
“Ramsey, you couldn’t be any clearer if you pissed on her.” Derrick states barely giving the gent a second glance; he was prepared for some Ramsey's possessiveness however, he thought this man was a bit overkill. “Don’t you trust her?”  
“No, its not me he doesn’t trust. It’s you, and that handsome smile of yours.” Iri answers as she re-enters the room, when Geoff reaches for her she skirts to the side. “No offense Geoffrey, but I need to learn how to dance, not get my toes stepped on.” Striding over to where Harrison was leaning against the wall in boredom, at her appearance he offers her a hand, and she takes it gladly. Derrick hits the button for the music, and the pair begins running through the steps. Geoff watches as the pair glide elegantly across the room, Harrison spinning her on occasion, and finally coming to a stop in front of the elder pair both wearing smirks. “See this is dancing, not the mess we were doing.”  
“Alright Kit, I get it… Let me try again?” Geoff inquires and watches the woman smile softly before switching partners. Derrick starts the music from the beginning, and Geoff begins to lead them in a simple waltz. It wasn’t nearly as fluid as Harrison and Iri’s, but significantly improved and not nearly as toe-crushing. “See I can do it.”  
“Yes you can, and I’m very proud of you.” Iri murmurs, pulling the man down for a kiss as he pulls her hips flush with his. The pair kiss breathless, and plan to continue until they hear the sound of Derrick clearing his throat.  
“Again.”  
About Ten

Geoff was yawning widely as he watched his mate dodge bullets for the second consecutive hour, and before that it had been working through a laser maze. However, as he was dozing he hears Iri scream and watches as she fell to the ground in pain. It was at that moment he forgot what was happening, or that this was merely training but he used his powers to disarm the pair and toss them halfway across the room. Sprinting to his mate’s side he finds angry tears streaked down her face, and blood rushing out of the six wounds on her body. Geoff still running on autopilot wastes no time in drawing the metal from her body, and using his power to sew the flesh back together. Picking her up he takes them to the bleachers where he rocks the shaking woman, and purring softly at his Omega.   
“Shh Kit, it’s alright Kit… No more pain baby girl, it’s all gone.” Geoff shushes as he rocks her slowly causing Iri to go stiff in embarrassment.   
“Geoff, I’m… I’m fine.” Iri sniffles wiping at her eyes, and trying to pull out of her Alpha’s tight grip only to feel him pull her closer. ‘Papa let go.’  
‘Kit, it’s time to go home… Papa is sleepy.’ Geoff murmurs into her mind, and stands up abruptly still refusing to allow her down. Giving a nod to Derrick who nods in return he carries her to the car, and places her in the seat before going over to his own side. Iri curls up tightly in the seat with a soft whimper when Geoff places a hand on her tail. “Shh baby girl just go to sleep and we’ll be there before you know it.”  
‘He babies you.’ Harrison accuses in Iri’s sleepy mind, and rolling over she ignores the man in her mind, favoring the silence that he leaves in his wake, and snoring softly after a minute or two.   
“Kit?”  
“.....”  
“Out like a light… like always.” Geoff teases quietly waiting to see if she would respond only to find her tail flicking in annoyance, but that could have easily been Lexi. ‘Todd?’  
‘Yes Geoff?’  
‘I love her.’  
‘I am well aware.’ Todd answers with a humorous tone as he appears, sitting on Iri’s unused armrest. ‘Are you going to propose?’  
‘....’  
‘She’s not Griffon.... Hell the farthest thing from Griffon most days.’  
‘....’  
‘She loves you, they all love you…. Lance in particular would love it if you proposed.’  
‘....’  
‘You can do this, we can do this.’ Todd coaches his companion who still maintains his steely silence. The fox could have peeked over the thin wall Geoffrey put between them, but he knew his companion valued his privacy. ‘Geoff what are you thinking?’  
‘Nothing Todd, absolutely nothing… I think Michael was right when he mentioned me babying her.. and she clearly doesn’t need babying.’  
‘No Geoff we really don’t.’ Lexi interjects as she appears on the gent’s shoulder as a tiny dragon.   
“Oh hey Lex, how’s our girl?” Geoff inquires, and Lexi merely shrugs while draping her tiny body over his neck like a scarf. The dragon says nothing choosing to lie quietly on the man’s bourbon scented neck. “Lex?”   
“She’s fine… She’s always fine Geoff, she’s incredibly proud of you.” Lexi finally answers after several minutes of silence.   
“Why of me?”  
“Because you managed to think with your brain instead of your dick.”  
“Uh… I do that often.”  
“Geoffrey she means that you saw the situation for what it was and not what your instincts told you it could have been. In otherwise you reigned in your primal instincts.” Todd explains as he noses gently at the sleepy dragon, and smiles when she unwraps herself to wrap around him only to fall down by Geoff’s feet. Lexi whines softly in discomfort until Todd levitates her up to lie in Geoff’s lap. “Lex, you know I’m not corporeal.”   
“Alpha.” Lexi whines in a drawn out needy tone that has Geoff sighing.   
“Go to sleep Alexia, but go back to your Mistress first.” Geoff commands watching the dragon concede, and disappear back into Iri’s mind. Once gone the gent focuses on the road ahead, and driving them home, the thought of marriage lingering on his mind.

Home

Gavin and Ray were in the middle of playing another round of slayer when they heard the garage door open. Placing their controllers down they head into the laundry room to see Geoff carrying a sleeping Iri into the house.   
“Hey Geoff.” Gavin greets quietly, he must have surprised the man because when Geoff turns he accidentally knocks Iri’s head into the washer causing the woman to awake with a grimace.  
“Oh, shit sorry Iri.” Geoff apologizes quickly when the woman drags herself free of his grip. “Baby girl let’s go to bed.”  
“Fuck off Geoff, I need to draw some sketches.” Iri mutters sorely, her body aches from all the training and now a migraine was beginning to start thanks to him. “Why were you carrying me?”  
“I..I didn’t want to wake you.” Geoff lies, the real reason was because liked carrying her but she wouldn’t like that reason. “Why are you so grouchy?”  
“...” Iri stares at him in mild irritation before pushing past the others to head upstairs to her art room.   
“Geoff that may have been a dumb question.” Ray mumbles as he leaves the Alpha to head back to his game, and Gavin just shrugs before following him. Kicking off his shoes Geoff sighs as he grabs a beer from the kitchen and settles on the living room couch to watch whatever Michael and Ryan were watching. At the gent’s appearance Michael purrs and shifts over to curl up closely to his Alpha.   
“I’m glad you're still my happy Omega.” Geoff purrs causing the ginger to chuckle softly as he continues his nuzzling. “How was Dex?”  
“Quiet…. Really quiet Geoff, and that worries me.” Ryan states suspicion lacing through his tone, turning to face the man.  
“Do you think he’s plotting?”  
“He is his mother’s son.” Geoff adds with a smirk that causes the other two to roll their eyes at him. “You know at first I thought this CIA deal was going to be bad for Iri, but… but I think this may be the best thing to ever happen to her.”  
“Really?” Both state incredulously their surprised eyes open wide in shock.   
“Yeah… She needs it…” Geoff trails off with an ominous tone that Ryan can’t help think puts Godric’s to shame. “She will never be the docile omegan housewife we want her to be.”  
“Geoff the only person who wanted that was you.” Ryan interjects quietly as the gent takes a swig of his beer with a sheepish smile.  
“God forbid, I fall in love with a docile woman.” Geoff mutters under his breath, but given Michael’s proximity he could still hear him.   
“You’d get bored real fast Geoff, besides you told us your first ex-wife left you because life was too… Oh what’s the word I’m thinking of?”  
“I believe it is drab, or perhaps dull?”  
“Haha you two, I get it.” Geoff sneers as he rest his head on the back of the couch. “So Ry-bear have you decided if you’ll take my name or not?” He inquires changing the subject a smidge.  
“.... I suppose I have.” Ryan answers softly causing the pair to perk up instantly. “I’ll take your name Ramsey, but Felicia keeps Haywood.”  
“Yeah that goes for Leonard too.”   
“And Scarlett as well!” Gavin shouts from downstairs, he and Ray had been listening quietly from the couch downstairs. The group waits to see if Iri would answer as well, but no sound other than silence comes drifting down the stairs. Curiosity getting the better of him Geoff gets off the couch to check on her. Knocking on the door to her studio softly he opens it after he hears a phrase that sounded like come in sounded from the other side. Opening the door he finds Iri sitting in the middle of the room with about ten different pencils moving in various ways around her. Some were on pads of paper while others on single sheets clipped to clipboards levitating in the air.   
“Wow.” Geoff comments in amazement, Iri on the other hand tries very hard to ignore her mate's intrusion. This was incredibly difficult, and talking to Geoff right now would be impossible. “Hey I was wondering.”  
‘Fuck.’ Iri thinks to herself, he always did this when she was busy. “Geoff go away.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I can’t have… Damn it!” Iri curses as she loses control of the pencils, causing them to shatter. “Shit… Geoff, I need to go to the store.”  
“Uhhhh, did I do that?”  
“Not really, but you helped… What do you need Papa?” Iri asks, her tone less strained now that she’d given up on her task for the moment.   
“Oh I just wanted to know whose name Dexter was going to take.”  
“He already has yours Geoff… He’s had it since birth.” Iri trails off giving her mate a dumbfounded look. “You don’t even know your son’s name do you?”  
“I do so!”  
“Then what is it?”  
“Dexter Griffith Ramsey.” Geoff stutters out hesitantly.  
“Griffith?... The town?” Iri says in confusion causing Geoff to rethink the middle name.  
“I meant Griffin!”   
“............”  
“Baby girl come on stop glaring at me like that….. Iri?”  
“Let’s go to bed.” Iri declares suddenly, she doubted any art store would be open right now and besides she could finish this tomorrow morning. “Why would we name him after a town?”  
“Cause he’s going to be well-established.”  
“.... That’s cheesy even for you, and for the record please stop carrying me Geoff… Makes me feel childish.”  
“But I like holding you.” Geoff states with a smile and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Makes me feel safe.”  
“How does holding me make you feel safe?”  
“Because worst case scenario I have you as a human shield.”  
“That’s reassuring Geoff, really is.” Iri sighs while shrugging out of his arms only to be pulled back in. “Maybe they were right when they called you a coward.”  
“Name calling is mean.”  
“Not name calling if it’s the truth.” They hear a quiet voice mutter from outside of the room, and craning their necks to see their owner; they find Dex glaring at his father angrily, well more so than usual. “You didn’t even know my name.”  
“I was joking Dexy, of course I know your name.” Geoff assures his son who continues glaring at him, however he just shifts his tired gaze to his mother.  
“Mom, I’m having nightmares again.” Dex says tiredly, and Iri purses her lips before pulling free of Geoff to pick up their son.   
“You want to talk about it?” Iri asks, her son shakes his head choosing to bury his face in his mother’s neck and find comfort in her scent. “Shhh it’s alright Dex, it wasn’t real and besides if it was I’d just kick its ass.”  
“Somehow I don’t think you would this time Mom, this one is sort of an ultimatum for its victim.” Dex whispers into her shoulder, his eyes fluttering softly until sleep claimed him again leaving Iri and Geoff standing there with pursed lips.  
‘Death dreams again…. Do you think this is his gift?’ Iri asks Geoff mentally, the gent doesn’t answer back at first. ‘Geoff?’  
‘Neither of us have even a hint of prophecy in our bloodlines, so I don’t think so… However, he may have accidentally entered someone’s mind as they died.’ Geoff explains to the woman, but Iri shakes her head. ‘No?’  
‘It happens so frequently though, he gets these dreams every night Geoff… Or dreams with similar tragedies.’  
‘Perhaps he is drawn to death, I’ve known Predators with gifts that revolve purely around death.’  
‘I… I hope not. That would be terrible.’  
‘Not really, some gifts help ease others into death by putting them at ease with their fate. Others can predict death down to the second, helping to prevent many deaths.’ Geoff explains as he wraps his arms around Iri’s waist while she carried their son and kissing his exposed forehead lovingly. ‘But I don’t believe his gift will have anything to do with death.’  
‘Oh and how do you know that?’  
‘Because I do… call it intuition.’ Geoff teases as he follows Iri to the kit’s bedroom where the rest are sleeping peacefully… save for Scarlett who turns away from her window at the entrance of her mother and Geoff.   
“Scar why are you still awake?”  
“No reason.” Scar answers plainly while turning back to stare at the silver crescent moon wistfully. Geoff says nothing as he walks over and lifts the small girl up, and taking her back to her bed. “Papa Geoff, why’d you do that?”  
“Because you need to sleep.”  
“Yes sir.” She mumbles softly before rolling over and closing her eyes. After tucking Dex back in Iri exits the room, and Geoff nudges her towards the bedroom. Pulling off her clothes she changes into Geoff’s discard shirt, and joins him in the bed.   
“Why don’t you wear your own pajamas?” Geoff murmurs into her lips as he kisses her gently, and watches Iri shrugs unknowingly before nuzzling herself close to him. “What do you think Scarlett was thinking about?”  
“The moon.” Iri answers plainly.  
“Why the moon?”  
“Because she’s a wolf Geoff, and every wolf thinks about the moon. Gavin thinks about it a lot versus Ryan… It calls to them when they sleep, especially on nights where it is full. Haven’t you ever noticed the pair is particularly energetic on those nights?” Iri explains to her clueless mate who wears an expression of confusion.   
“Really?”  
“Indeed… Have you never heard them howling?”  
“I… I mean I’ve heard wolves howling, but I never knew it was them...I bet that is how the legend of werewolves got started, think about half-man half-wolves shifting and howling at the moon on nights when it’s full.”  
“.... You're slow sometimes… like almost mentally handicapped kind of slow.” Iri teases quietly in between breathy chuckles. “Of course that is how that myth got started, it was a primitive way for people to explain a scientific problem no one at the time understood.”  
“Shut up Iridessa, you're not the quickest either sometimes.”  
“Ouch, hurtful much.”  
“I’ll show you hurtful.” Geoff teases as he pins the woman on her stomach to the mattress and shuts the door with his powers. Lifting up her shirt he exposes her pale butt, and begins by laying a few light handed slaps on it; however, much to his displeasure she lies there wearing a steely eyed expression. Increasing his slaps slowly he peppers her butt until he garners a reaction… but he never does instead he just continues to hit the bruising flesh. “Iri this is not nearly as relaxing as it used to be… for either party I believe.”   
“Aw Papa giving up so soon?”  
“Iri, your ass is fairly bruised and I don’t want Ryan to get upset.”  
“Fuck Ryan, Papa show me you mean business… Teach this naughty girl not to disobey her Papa.” Iri pants, arching her ass up wantonly and bearing her neck for Geoff. “Please.”  
“... Kit be a good girl and get my crop.” Geoff commands in a dark lusty tone that has Iri leaping off the bed to find it in the closet, grabbing her collar and leash as well. “Oh do you think you deserve to wear my collar?”  
“...” Iri says nothing choosing to stare submissively at the ground and wait for another order.  
“Kit, I asked you a question.” Geoff states in an authoritative voice as he takes off her shirt completely.  
“Yes?” Iri stammers out softly hoping it was the right one however, the sigh through Geoff’s nose let’s her know it isn’t.   
“No, you most definitely do not, but perhaps you will be after I use this. Hands where I can see them.” Geoff snaps as he gets off the bed and gestures for her to lean over the foot of the bed. Iri takes her place at the edge where he pointed and places her hands on the covers, her tail waving playfully. Grabbing the appendage tightly he gives it a few rough tugs causing her to whine in pain and arch up towards him. “Keep this still Kit.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri replies, stilling her tail dutifully and spreading her legs wide.   
“How many do you think you deserve?” Geoff asks as he runs the tip of his crop over her sensitive butt, and teasing it over the pale flesh of her back giving it several quick, hits that cause the fox beneath him to jump in surprise. “How. Many.”  
“Te...ten.” Iri stutters, her toes curling in pleasure and her slick just starting to drip down her thighs. She isn’t sure if Geoff noticed the release of slick itself or perhaps the assault on his nose but he trails the crop down between her legs and rubs her clit sensually before flicking his wrist twice. Geoff listens with a smile as the woman gasps in both pain and pleasure at the blows, her legs shaking slightly.   
“Ten? Do you really believe that’s enough for you Kit?”  
“...” Iri isn’t quite capable of words so she chooses to shake her head and moans freely when he does the same thing four more times, her hips jumping each time.   
“Iridessa this will go on all night if you continue to disobey direct orders… Tell me are you this disobedient for Derrick?”  
“Yes...well no… sometimes.” Iri mutters, her mind barely able to form words as he continues his treatment with the crop and switches between her ass and clit. “What is it with you and Derrick?”  
“Ah, ah, ah, Kit, I ask the questions here… Can I trust you to keep your hands there or do I need to get the cuffs?” Geoff asks sternly as he watches the woman tweak her nipples guiltily. Iri however, continues her tweaking and doesn’t stop until Geoff grabs her hands and forces them into the cuffs tied on each side of the bed. “Bad girl.” He snaps as he lays down six hits in succession causing the woman to chew her lower lip in pain, her body now arching to get away from them. “Oh, so now you want to leave.” Geoff taunts as he places the crop down, and walks away from the bed leaving the woman in confusion. He comes back with a blindfold and slips it over her eyes. “Move and I won’t hesitate to tie you to the bedpost all night.” Geoff warns and watches as the woman’s tail slumps down to the side as do her ears.   
“Papa?”  
“Hush, and be a good girl… If you are very good I’ll bring back a surprise.” Geoff says as he pats her marked up ass, and then exits the room leaving her alone.


	100. You had one rule Geoff! One Rule!

Downstairs

Geoff heads back down to the couch and looks over to find Michael sitting on Ryan’s lap, grinding slightly.   
“Ry, play with me.” Michael whines when the gent continues to ignore him for the documentary on the T.V, however when Geoff sits down his attention instantly turns to him. He goes to get up, but Ryan growls darkly and Geoff smirks from his side of the couch, nursing another beer. “Please.”  
“Good boys need to learn to wait, now hush and let me finish this.” Ryan scolds as he lowers his hand to rub Michael through his pants, helping to placate the needy Omega on his lap. Michael purrs quietly into Ryan’s dewy scented neck and kisses at the flesh he finds there, nipping occasionally but otherwise quiet. It isn’t until about ten minutes later that Ray and Gavin wander up to join them on the couch do the lads start whining needily. “Hush, all of you.” The gent says sternly causing them to fall silent with whines trapped in their throats. Gavin sits on Geoff’s lap and begins grinding hoping to win the man over only to feel hands stilling his hips.   
“Geoff please.”  
“Ryan told you to hush, and I would listen to him.” Geoff warns and the Brit says nothing more choosing to stand up and storm up the stairs to the bedroom. Following him with a sigh a few moments later he finds Gavin on his knees behind Iri and lapping at her exposed pussy causing moans to fall from both parties’ lips. “Gavin David Free, what are you doing?” Geoff snaps and the guilty man instantly freezes, his tongue mid-swipe stops as well… The pair hear Iri growl in frustration. “Answer me.”  
“No… nothing.”  
“Oh, so now you think it’s okay to lie to me?.. Wow you two are on a roll today… Clothes off, legs spread.” Geoff orders and Gavin wastes no time in complying. He kneels on the floor waiting for more orders. However, Geoff provides none but he does tie Gavin’s hands to a bedpost, put a very tight cock cage on him, and then a vibrator up his ass.   
“Geoff, no!” Gavin whines when the gent clicks it on high, and turns on his heel to leave. “Bugger all.”  
“Shush Gavin, or I’ll get a gag… a dick one.”  
“Well maybe I’ll just keep on going then.”  
“Fine smart ass.” Geoff says as he goes to the closet grabs one of their thick dildo shaped gags and comes back over to the man who was now trying to squirm away. “Not so willingly now are we?”  
“...” Gavin says nothing choosing to clamp his jaw shut tightly to stop him from putting the gag in. Geoff however, not deterred in the slightest grabs ahold of the man’s nose and pinches his nostrils shut. He watches as Gavin tries to fight it, but soon the need for air overwhelms him and the lad opens his mouth gasping for air… only to find it filled with the large hard gag, which is then securely fastened around his head.   
“Now behave you two.” Geoff commands sternly as he leaves again to sit back on the couch only this time he finds Michael with his head in between Ryan’s thighs and the man unmoving. He gives Ryan a confused look as he tweaks Ray’s nipples causing the man to moan loudly.   
“It’s nice… You should try it, I’m sure Ray would be more than willing. Won’t you Raymond?”  
“Yes Alpha.” Ray moans as he sinks to the floor and opens his mouth in waiting. Geoff sits down on the couch and allows his flaccid cock to enter Ray’s warm mouth.   
“God…” Geoff trails off with a sigh as he bucks his hips a few times and Ray doesn’t even flinch, sitting perfectly still and waiting patiently. “Ray you have always been so well-behaved, but this… oh this takes the fucking cake… Ry how’s Michael doing?”  
“Very well, he tries to suck occasionally but other than that your Kitten is perfect.” Ryan praises with a smile, running his hands through the boy’s course red locks. Michael purrs around the cock in his mouth, and Ryan hums in appreciation at the vibration. “Good boy.”  
“It’s a shame those two upstairs aren’t as obedient as you two are…. Such good omegas.” Geoff purrs as he thrusts into Ray’s wanting mouth. “Come up here you.” Geoff murmurs as Ray pulls off with of him and comes up to kiss the gent.   
“Mhmm.” Ray moans as the elder gent works his way into his mouth, and he couldn’t help the flush he felt on his cheeks when Geoff’s hard cock rubs against his stomach. “Geoff.”  
“God it’s so fucking cute that you still blush like a virgin… Mmm, do you want me to play with that smooth cock of yours? Is your little cock aching for my touch?” Geoff teases the latino who ducks his head trying to hide his burning face. “Is this sweet little Kitten’s spots burning as much as your face is?”  
“....” Ray can’t make more than a quiet noise of affirmation as Geoff continues kissing him deeply, and his hands roaming over the lad’s chest caressing his glowing spots occasionally.   
“Ry is he like this for you?”  
“No… well if the others are present then yes, but most of the time no.” Ryan answers as he pulls Ray over for a kiss while Michael whines needily from his mate’s crotch. “Michael would you like something?”  
“Pease.” Michael tries to say around Ryan’s cock causing the gent to smirk before he pulls him up, and begins to kiss him. “Thank you.”   
“Mmm just doing my job Mogar, now it would please your king if you…. Just like that!” Ryan praises as the Omega works the skin on his neck roughly. Michael sucks a dark hickey onto his neck, and then bites the skin till he’s bleeding. “Good boy Mogar, such a good boy… Fuck yes!”   
“Mad King please… Take me to your bed…. Alright this is weird, Ryan fuck me please.”  
“Not a fan of this role play?”  
“No, now if you don’t take me to that bed and fuck me I’m going to show you the meaning of oligarchy.” Michael growls lowly, he hoped that made sense but he was ninety percent sure it didn’t.   
“A small group of people running a country, institution, or organization?” Ryan states in confusion.   
“Yeah baby boy that doesn’t make any sense.”  
“Doesn’t have to as long as someone fucks me.” Michael moans as he trails a finger between his cheeks and plays with his slick rim on Ryan’s lap. “Besides wouldn’t you rather fuck me than discuss my analogies?... I’m wet Ry.… very, very wet.” Michael trails off as he gets off the man and starts toward the stairs, a seductive smile on his lips. Ryan wastes no time in following the lad, and Geoff just chuckles softly from where he sits kissing a breathless Ray.   
“Oye!” They hear in Gavin’s loud accented voice come down the stairs causing Geoff to part from Ray with a sigh.   
“Come on Ray, let’s see what he’s so flustered about.” Geoff murmurs with a nip to his ear, and Ray follows wantingly and very willingly.

Upstairs

When Ryan and Michael make it to the bedroom they find Iri blindfolded and spread out at the foot of the bed with Gavin tied to a post by her moaning around a gag in his mouth.   
“Stag, untie Gav please his jaw is starting to ache… Poor Puppy.” Iri mumbles sadly, hoping it was actually Ryan at the door and not Geoff. She could tell it was an Alpha judging by the strength of their scent, but arousal had clouded it so Iri couldn’t pick out the subtlety of Ryan… However, listening to the calculated footsteps as they drew near she knew it was Ryan for sure. Ryan makes no noise as he steps around behind Iri, and rubs at her welted flesh causing her to wince.  
“Bambi, who gave these to you?”  
“....”  
“Bambi, I asked you a question!” Ryan growls as he swats her bruised ass forcefully, and Iri cries out softly into the bed sheet. Michael says nothing as he slips onto the bed and takes her head into his lap, scratching her furry ears till she purrs beneath him.  
“Vixen, answer Ryan.” Michael murmurs quietly, wincing when he feels Ryan hit her again. “Did Geoff do this?”  
“Yes, and I’m not sure why you two are being like this.” Iri states her soft tone turning to anger, Geoff could whip her if she wanted him to. Using her powers she works Gavin free of his restraints, vibrator, and his gag. Gavin coughs harshly as Iri extracts the gag gently, and she strains her head to make sure he wasn’t hurt…. after wiggling her blindfold off. Iri sighs with a smile when Gavin stops coughing and nuzzles her leg. “Your welcome Gav.”  
“Oye!” Gavin shouts when he feels Ryan’s hand grip his hair tightly and wrenches him up. “Ry stop that hurts!”  
“Yo Ry, what are you doing?” Ray asks as he and Geoff enter to find him holding Gavin roughly.  
“Ry-bear what are you doing?”  
“Geoffrey, I told you that if you were to play then I was to be here. We had a very simple rule Geoffrey, and what is this?”  
“Ryan, let go of Gav.” Ray mumbles noticing the omega whimpering in pain.  
“Geoffrey.” Ryan starts, his tone turning dark and his fist clenching tighter in Gavin’s hair.  
“Ryan let.” Michael starts to say worriedly as tears start to streak down Gav’s face.  
“I told you.” Ryan snarls ignoring the whimpering man at his side as his grip tightens in such a way that threatened to rip part of the man’s scalp out.  
“Ryan!” Iri growls forcing Ryan to release a crying Gavin who was shaking in the Alpha’s tight grip, and then tossing him against a wall. She rips the cuffs off her wrists and pins Ryan by his throat to the wall. “Never, ever touch him like that again Ryan.” Iri threatens bitterly, slamming the man against the wall once before releasing the gent who slid down the wall while holding his already bruising throat. She says nothing more, kneeling beside Gavin who is still mewling feebly on the ground near the dresser and holding his head in pain. Gavin leans into Iri’s open arms as she soothes the frazzled man. ‘I will destroy you Ryan Haywood.’ Iri growls fearlessly in Ryan’s mind as she holds Gavin and kisses his forehead while he scents at her neck lightly. No one would ever make Gavin a victim of abuse, especially not their mate.  
“Gav are you okay?” Geoff inquires as he reaches for the Omega only to see him flinch away and pull closer to Iri. He glances to Ryan who is already wearing an expression of regret, and looking to the floor in submission. “Gav, he didn’t mean to.”  
“Shut up Geoff, you aren’t helping.” Michael states abruptly causing the gent to clamp his mouth shut, he’d been on the receiving end of this kind of treatment by an alpha before, and no amount of kind words from another would make it better. “Iri, take him to another room for a while.”   
“Good idea, come on Gav.” Iri ushers as she hefts her mate up easily and carries him to the guest room. Once in another room she curls up on the bed with him resting his head on her chest as she strokes the side of his face soothingly and working her way down to his bared neck. “I won’t let him hurt you Gavi, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Iri promises with a smile that has Gavin purring in her arms. She would protect this man with her life, and with her new skills… well really just honed skills, no one would hurt him or any of them under her watch.  
“I.. He...I love you.”  
“As do I love you, like the moon loves her stars and the sun loves his planets.” Iri states to the shaking man, she remembers when Gavin told her of his father’s abusive treatment when he discovered his eldest son was an Omega. She remembers hearing from Gavin about how he would beat him till he could barely move, or how his mother would sneer and spit at his presence. His parents acted like it was a choice, and his status had been a description of character… They’d shunned him, and that was about the time Burnie and Geoff found the mousy teen aspiring to be a cameraman. Soon he had been on his way to America where Geoff became his proxy Alpha and he only went home when his parents forced him to… But then again that was only until he was eighteen and then he could stay away as long as he wanted. “I love you so much that I’d change earth’s polarity if that meant I could have only a moment more with you.”  
“I’d become a professional marathon runner so I could outrun every Alpha trying to get to you.”  
“If you had an incurable disease then I would give my body to science if that meant finding you a cure.”  
“I would turn myself into a white blood cell, inject myself into your bloodstream, and fight off every disease you ever had.”  
“.... I don’t think I can beat that.” Iri murmurs with a smile as Gavin looks up to her with loving eyes. “But I can say that I love you.”  
“And in the end that’s all that matters I suppose.” Gavin says back as he shifts their positions so she is now nuzzled into his chest and Iri is tucked up under his chin. “He didn’t mean to.”  
“Ryan should have never touched you like that, he wants to preach about self control then he needs to find some.” Iri states pulling Gavin down to look in his soft turquoise eyes, she could see the forgiveness that already resided there for aforementioned Alpha. “Geoff may be abusive, but at least he didn’t hide behind fancy words or his predator.” The pair don’t notice him lurking in the doorway till he starts to speak.  
“Gavin, I’m very sorry… I don’t know what came over me, and there is no one to blame but myself. I take full responsibility for my actions, and I apologize for it.” Ryan tells the man apologetically and Gavin nods curtly still clinging to Iri tightly. “Gav, don’t be scared.” He says as he inches his way over to the bed, and sits on the edge of it. Reaching out a hand warily resting it on the hesitant Omega only to hear Iri’s dark growl sounded.   
“Go away Ryan.” Iri snarls her tone threatening.  
“Puppy, don’t be afraid… I won’t hurt you.” Ryan purrs in a soft voice that was meant to put the omegas at ease only serving to further aggravate Iri, but at least Gavin doesn’t flinch when he touches him. The gent leans down to nuzzle the man’s leg, but Iri must have thought something different because he finds himself pinned to the floor suddenly and her teeth at his throat. “Bambi, I’m not…” Ryan tries to explain but decides words weren’t working with her, but actions seemed to. Bearing his throat in submission the woman backs off warily, and Ryan has to fight every instinct he has to quell the need to force her into submission. He maintains that position until Iri relaxes and nips his throat softly, getting up off the man she resumes her place beside Gavin who had curled up tightly on himself. Taking this as a good thing Ryan sits up and inches back over to the bed where Iri glares at him, whining lowly he nuzzles the edge of the mattress and slowly climbs up when he receives no growl. Shifting down he wags his tail playfully and tickles Gavin’s toes with his tongue causing the fearful Omega to whine and pull his feet up closer to himself. However, Ryan doesn’t let this deter him as he edges closer to the pair on his belly with his ears flat trying to show sorriness. Iri snaps viciously at him, letting the wolf know he was close enough before he settles down near them. Gavin falls asleep quickly in Iri’s arms, and Ryan falls asleep slowly at the end of the bed. Iri on the other hand stares off into the darkness, making note of Michael and Ray purring in the bedroom.. Her ears flicking wantingly towards the sound, and her scent twinging with need slightly.


	101. The Only Ultimatum

A few hours later

Ryan awakes to the sound of Iri panting, and Gavin snoring beside her; his curiosity getting the better of him he shifts back and cocks his head at the woman. She was on her hands and knees with her hips rocking back and forth at a slow pace.   
“Vixen, what are you doing?” Ryan asks groggily causing said woman to instantly still, and bare her teeth at him. “Aw Bambi… Do you need a knot?”  
“No… not from you.” Iri growls bitterly as the man behind her sighs.   
“I’m going to fuck that right out of you.”  
“I dare you.” Iri challenges and this time Ryan doesn’t hold back his instincts, he tackles the woman to the floor, and pins her swiftly to the wood floor. “Get off.”  
“No, not until you stop growling at me.”  
“.... Fine, stop hurting Gavin.”  
“I didn’t mean to Iridessa, and you know that. I was angry, and I didn’t even leave a mark on him. Look he’s sleeping peacefully, no permanent damage.” Ryan assures the fierce woman who seems to still at this. “It was an accident.”  
“Accident or not it shall not happen again.” Iri warns, her hips arching up against the man’s crotch and rubbing needily. “Now fuck me.”  
“Still so bossy, I specifically remember telling you to stop growling at me.”   
“No, now stick your thick cock in my wet pussy and fuck me.”   
“Again you're so insistent…. Be my gentle little fawn, and I’ll fuck you like you want.”  
“....”  
“Nothing to say to that?”  
“....”  
“Fawn?”  
“Burnie always taught me that if you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all… at least not in person.” Iri mumbles to the gent who cocks his head at this. “You said be gentle, and that’s not in the nature of my words or actions… Now spread my thighs, and shove it in.”  
“Fine, I’ll indulge you my fiery little fox.” Ryan acquiesces as he works himself free and then does as the woman asked. Her back arches and her mouth flies open with lusty moans filling the air, she uses her powers to shut the door and really allow herself to be loud. However, that only last a few minutes before Gavin’s confused whines fill the pairs ears.   
“Vixen?... Vixen why are you so loud?” Gavin groans as he sits up to find Iri being drilled by Ryan on the floor, and suddenly his tiredness is forgotten. It is replaced by a need to play.   
“Gav, do you need something?” Ryan asks as he continues his rough pounding of Iri’s body, and barely gives a glance to the sleepy Omega.   
“I want… I want you to touch me.”  
“Do you now Gav, where would you like me to touch you?”  
“My ass, I want to feel those calloused palms caressing my cheeks while your hard cock stretches my slick soaked hole wide.” Gavin purrs needily into Ryan’s hand when he drags it off of Iri’s side.   
“Uh excuse you Gavi, I was here first.” Iri says, sounding a bit like a petulant child. “Besides shouldn’t you be asleep?”  
“Don’t treat me like you treat our kits.”  
“Aww why not? You look so lovely, sleeping in Geoff’s lap.” Iri goads her earlier angry forgotten, and replaced with a teasing humor that soon lands her Gavin’s teeth on her exposed shoulder. He peppers her skin with dark bites that make the woman flinch away from both of them, pulling off Ryan’s cock in her haste. Gavin seeing his chance bowls Ryan over and sinks himself down eagerly on the man’s lap despite the way Iri growls in frustration. “You conniving flea-bitten bitch.”  
‘Kit, come to Papa.’ Geoff’s soft tone commands from inside iri’s mind, he could feel her frustration from the bedroom and figured he could go another round or two while Michael and Ray played with each other. Leaving the pair with her tail flitting in annoyance she is met by Geoff’s open arms and soft kisses to the side of her neck. “Is your Daddy being mean?”  
“No, Gavin’s being a mutt.” Iri mutters bitterly, her tone tinted slightly with arousal when the gent nips the scent gland in her neck. “A real… Horny… Mutt.”  
“Shh, Kit let Papa take care of you, don’t worry about what your Puppy is doing…. He’s a slut anyways.” Geoff teases her while pushing her down onto the mattress, and Michael purrs happily at her appearance. Ray makes a noise of contentment when he feels Iri’s hand wander over his nearby chest, and Michael fiddles with the base of her tail as Geoff nudges her to lay down on her stomach. “Arch baby girl, arch up so Papa can play.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri replies obediently and Geoff runs a finger through the slick, teasing her clit occasionally and filling her up with his other fingers. “yes…. Yeah…. Geoff almost….”  
“Kit, not yet. Hold off for the boys and I.”  
“Hurry.”  
“Skye you can’t rush perfection.” Ray taunts when Michael suddenly starts licking his exposed hole.  
“You taste flowery.” Michael comments in between swipes and Ray just rolls his eyes. “Like...sorta potturi-y.”  
“Shut up and tongue fuck me will you?”

About Two a.m.

Iri laid staring blankly at the window sill, her mind and body tired but not enough so to actually fall asleep, it was an odd in-between she had just recently discovered.   
‘Mistress what are you thinking about?’  
‘The mission… what if I’m not ready? What if I get us killed, or something worse?’   
‘Mistress, we still have several weeks till the ball, plenty of time for you to sate your worries.’  
‘Time…. It seems my life has always revolved around having time. Time for them, time for work, time for training, time for killing… Time for death…. so much time.’  
‘Iridessa, stop thinking so hard about this… trust me when I say that you will do fine, and Harrison will be there to back you up. Remember this is just intel, no fighting.’ Todd coaches as he appears on the sill and offers the woman a smile in hopes of soothing her, but it seems to do naught as she just continues her blank stare. ‘You are ready.’   
‘Of course I am Todd, I always am whether I know it or not.’ Iri mutters while sitting up, and exiting the room to go god knows where. Even Lexi didn’t know where her mistress went on restless nights like these because Iri severed their connection. 

Dexter 3 a.m.

Dexter sat deep in the woods his fox ears flicking at each sound, and his mind open to every other mind in the area. He could hear squirrel thoughts, which were his favorite because they always flashed by so fast. The thoughts ranged from I’m hungry to where is my house, and what am I doing. Dex can’t help, but smile as he follows the squirrel from the ground his body twisting and turning to avoid the obstacles on the forest floor. He follows the creature until it stops and sits on its haunches sniffing the air for danger.   
‘Vixen.’ It thinks in fear before disappearing into a nearby den, and Dex turns around when he hears the sound of snapping twigs. The second grader narrows his eyes in curiosity as he faces the new presence. He instantly recognizes vixen as his mother, and meets her concerned gaze with a smile of his own.   
“Hey Momma.” Dex greets, but his mother only continues with her stare. “Momma?”  
“Dex, what are you doing out here? Are you alone?”  
“I am.. well except for the woodland animals, and you.”  
“Why are you out here alone?” Iri asks worriedly as she leans down to pick up her kit by the scruff of his neck only for him to strafe to the side playfully. Meeting his challenge with one of her own and scooping him up nimbly despite his dodging. “You should be in bed.”  
“Momma, I can walk on my own.” Dex mumbles petulantly causing Iri to smirk and place him back on his feet. The boy shakes his fur out, and nuzzles his mother’s side affectionately. “I came out here because… because it helps me think.”  
“Think about what?”  
“The man I killed.” Dex admits softly, and watches as his mother posture goes rigid. “I… I didn’t… he was going to hurt me, and I was all alone… I didn’t mean to.” Iri says nothing choosing to shift back and pick up her shaking son, who shifts back as well. “It was the night when Papa got taken, and I got separated from Papa Ray.. He started a fire to distract them, but I had been lagging behind helping Fel catch up to Rapa and the man… I couldn’t out run him after he nicked me with his throwing knife… Momma, I...I stopped his heart like… like you did.” Dexter explains in a scared shaky voice, and his mother says naught choosing to hold him tightly while rocking back and forth in a soothing motion. He hasn’t told anyone what truly happened that night, and how he escaped the group of people chasing him… Much like his mother, he desired nothing more than to forget the whole thing happened but… but it was on nights like these where the fingernail moon graced the scattered cloud night sky that he was reminded of the awful thing he did. Dex wondered silently if it was nights like these that reminded his mother of the tragedies she’s be apart of.  
“Dex, can you use them freely?”  
“No... It was just at that moment, and I think it was instinctual… Leo’s form has changed.”  
“His form?”  
“He turns into a lion cub instead of a lynx like his dad. His fur is really soft Momma, and the reason we always smirk when you call him your little lion is because he is.” Dex explains trying to draw his mother’s attention away from him.   
“Dex, how do you know you killed him instead of just knocking him unconscious?” Iri inquires and her son meets her soft eyes warily.  
“I… I felt his heart crush.”  
“What?”  
“You know that fatality move where the fighter sticks their hand inside the other dude and crushes his heart… I felt it, it was horrible.” Dexter remarks quietly from his mother’s comforting embrace, she still stays quiet… Much too quiet for his liking, her silence drew forth both of their anxieties and it took a great amount of willpower from them both to keep a level head. However, perhaps Iri wasn’t as strong as she thought she was because of the pair she feels tears slip down her face first. Dex was maybe seconds behind as the gravity of his actions finally sinks in. “Momma, I.. I never wanted to kill him.” Dex snivels into his mother’s chest, and the woman merely nods in understanding. “He wanted to kill me, Momma I didn’t want to die.”  
“I know Dexy, I know you didn’t mean to.” Iri cries as she lies them down on the forest floor, leaves scattered around them. “Is there a voice yet?”  
“A voice?”  
“Did anyone talk to you when it happened?”  
“No Momma, should there have been?”  
“...Not at first… At one point a voice will surface, and he or she will be your Predator. Do you know what a Predator is?”  
“Is that like Lexi, and Marcus?”  
“Exactly like that… That voice whoever it is will become part of you, and help you with any problems you face. They will become a very close friend, and a light in a sea of perpetual darkness.” Iri murmurs softly to her distraught son who lies beside her sobbing in the dirt. She too was crying, but hers was controlled, merely tears streaming from her eyes. “I never wanted this for you… I wanted you to grow up in a normal house, with a normal family, and… and just a sense of normality.”  
“Momma we will never be normal, we turn into animals for christ’s sake.”  
“Not just any animals foxes, a breed rare among our kind and something people will try to use you for. A fox must be.”  
“Alert, and always vigilant to the dangers of their world.”  
“Good boy.” Iri praises when her son recites a rule she had taught him specifically, she taught all her children rules but Dex’s were tweaked due to his genetic status.   
“Momma can we sleep here tonight, the moonlight is soothing.”  
“Dex, we can but promise me one thing.”  
“Anything Momma.”   
“Do not hide something like this from me again, those nightmares you’ve been having are because of the indecision you feel in your mind. You must choose to either accept this man’s death as a necessary tragedy and move on, or choose to dwell on it and allow it to consume your thoughts.” Iri explains seriously to her son who barely says anything before letting a deep breath out through his nose, much like his father did when he was faced with an ultimatum.   
“He was going to kill me.”  
“Yes he probably was, but this is your choice Dex…. This is something I can’t fight or work out for you, no matter how much I want to.”  
“I know Momma… I was right.”  
“About what Dexy?”  
“You can’t fight death… It is the only ultimatum.” Dex mumbles tiredly into his mother’s chest, and nuzzles her lovingly. “I love you much more than I could ever describe.”  
“And I love you more than any phrase could ever describe.”  
“To Pluto and back?”  
“Yes, to Pluto and back.” Iri confirms, drawing her tail close to them for warmth and kissing her son’s forehead with a weak smile. “Forever, and always?”  
“Forever, and always.” Dex murmurs back before falling into a restful slumber, a slumber he hasn’t had since he’d killed that man. Iri too falls into a restful sleep despite the cold hard ground she slept on making sure to keep Dex close so he wouldn’t be forced to lie in the dirt. Shielding others was her specialty, or at least her ability to try and shield others.


	102. Geoff... He knows stuff... like brain stuff.

In the Morning

Iri awoke to the feeling of a wet nose nudging hers, a wet puppy nose. Shifting onto her side and blinking herself awake she finds Gavin’s familiar wolf form as well as Ryan’s staring at her with bright canine smiles and wagging tails.   
“Morning guys.”  
“Iri, what are you two doing out here?”  
“Mmm sleeping… at least we were until you two showed up. What time is it?”  
“About eleven thirty, damn near gave Geoff a heart attack when he discovered you two gone.” Ryan answers softly while nudging a still sleeping Dexter in Iri’s arms. The boy wakes groggily with a grin on his lips and a well-rested look in his eyes. Ryan hadn’t seen the boy look so refreshed in weeks, and he wondered what had changed in him; he also noticed how much better Iri looked as well. “You two look pretty happy for having slept in a forest all night.”  
“What can I say my spine feels realigned thanks to this ground.” Iri answers casually, keeping her son’s secret. She wasn’t quite sure when she’d tell Geoff, but by the look in Dex’s eyes now he didn’t want anyone else to know. ‘Not yet Dex, but we need to tell your father eventually.’  
“Thanks Momma, you're the best!” Dex says cheerfully as he peppers the side of her face in swift kisses and nuzzles her lovingly. “Thanks for taking me on a camp out.”  
“No problem Dex, maybe next time we can take everyone instead of just us.”  
“This was a test, I wouldn’t want to take the others and they have a bad time…. This way we can optimize our camping experience.” Dex lies with a skill that makes his mother proud… in a deviant kind of way. “Papas would you like to go camping with us?”  
“Uh… Yeah, of course we would… Ry loves camping.” Gavin interjects with a knowing smirk and Ryan’s distasteful glare.  
“Gav, why would I want to live like a primitive homosapien when we have a perfectly grand house right there. No bugs, controlled environment, plenty of food, no wild animals, and most of all a comfortable bed I can pin you two to.” Ryan explains as he shifts back and pins Iri to the ground with Dex in between them giggling. The gent merely kisses the top of his head and then brushes his mother’s lips with far more gusto.   
“Why couldn’t you have been my father?... You're so much cooler than Papa.” Dex mutters quietly into his mother’s chest as Ryan finally pulls back for a breath. “And smoother.”  
“Mmm I may be all of those things, but your father is the most courageous man I’ve ever met and besides without him there would be no us.”  
“What do you mean Rapa?”  
“Let me tell you a story Dex, the story of how this whole pack began.”

An hour later

Ryan told their story much better than Iri or Gavin ever could and by the end she was curled up in Gavin’s warm embrace with Dex in Ryan’s. Iri and Gavin both wearing soft smiles, and Dex wearing a curious one. He was fascinated by the gent’s story and by the end cocking his head to the side in confusion.   
“Momma if you hadn’t slapped Papa, then none of this would happen.” Dex remarks quietly, he wondered if all relationships were like this or if it was only his families… He’d ask Felix on Monday, or maybe Jordan…. Probably Felix though, he’d been to his house like twice and his parents were definitely cooler than his… At least cooler than his father. “Also Momma why didn’t you just pick Gavin?”  
“Because him, your father, and Michael were a pack and I didn’t want to split them up.”  
“But if you really didn’t like my Papa in the first place then why torture yourself with him?”  
“I… Uh… It’s not torture, and I love your father. We just had a rocky start.... Besides Dexy, we are a pack and if we weren’t than you probably wouldn’t be you… You’d be part British, and no one wants that.” Iri states causing the man holding her to squawk indignantly.   
“Oye!”  
“Oh hush, my little Puppy. I love you and I love your rich cultural heritage. God save the queen and all.” Iri teases and watches the man meet her eyes with a scowl, he pulls her in for a rough kiss and bites her bottom lip with his sharp canines. She tries to pull away, but he just continues his rough treatment till she is breathless and lying panting on the dusty ground beneath them. Gavin however, doesn’t stop choosing to work a knee between her thighs and bite at her neck leaving dark marks that has Dex rolling his eyes.   
“Momma, I wish they kissed you like Disney Princes kissed their Princesses.” Dex comments causing Gavin to pull back at look at him in confusion. “It’s always soft and sweet, not rough and bruising.”  
“Mmm perhaps but nothing says love like a bruise.” Iri tells her son, and suddenly she didn’t want that to be true… She didn’t want him to think like that. “I.. I was being sarcastic Dex, love is not like a bruise. Love is knowing that even when life gets hard, your partner is in it with you. Love is knowing that when you are at your worst that they will be there to help you up. Love isn’t a kiss or a fist, love is something that not everyone can understand, but for those who do it’s truly wonderful.” Dex listens to his mother’s soft and hesitantly spoken words, he knew that she didn’t say these words lightly.  
“Momma, how do you know if someone loves you?... Like really loves you.”  
“I… I.. You just know Dex… As unhelpful that is, it’s true.” Iri murmurs while staring deeply into Gavin’s green eyes with a loving smile as he rests his forehead on hers. “It will be as easy as breathing, or.”  
“Like riding a bike.” Gavin finishes and Iri nods at this from where she laid on the ground, and Ryan just rolls his eyes at the sappy pair.   
“It’s also science, and a chemical reaction in the brain… You fall in love with your brain not your heart, despite what romantics say.” Ryan states his tone taking a scientist tone to it, and it made Gavin and Iri roll their eyes at his statement. “But I will say that the heart can be a powerful influence.”   
‘Iridessa, where are you? Is Dex with you? What are you doing?’ Geoff’s angry tone interrupts her thoughts, it was rare that he managed this… However, it only meant that he was pissed… Like really pissed. Iri shoves the gent out quickly before pulling away from Gav and lifting Dex up easily.  
“Geoff is mad.” Iri mutters with a tired sigh as she takes off towards the house with Gavin and Ryan trailing behind her. “Seems he is worried about us.”  
“Papa is always worried about us…. I’m almost a hundred percent sure we’re all he worries about.” Dex comments, his sigh sounding exactly like his mother’s. “If only he trusted us.”  
“I don’t trust you two as far as I can throw you.” Geoff growls angrily as he meets them at the back gate. Dex and Iri wear expressions of repentance while Gavin and Ryan wear matching pleasant smiles. “You are grounded by the way, and you… I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, but this is not something you should teaching our son.”  
“Yes Geoff.” Iri mumbles in defeat, she could argue till she was blue in the face but without telling the man exactly what happened he wouldn’t believe her.   
“W..what?”  
“I said yes Geoff... You're right, I won’t do it again.” Iri declares causing a wave of surprise to come over the eldest gent as he watched the woman for signs of lying only to find her wearing a remorseful look. “Dex, running away is not a viable solution to your problems. Do you understand this?”  
“I do, but Momma.”  
“No butts, no running away.” Iri says cutting off her son who nodded quietly, he bit his lips in apprehension till his mother kissed his cheek. ‘Don’t worry about your father, I can handle him.’  
‘Momma, I love you.’  
‘I know Dexy, now go play with your siblings.’ Iri tells him with a smile and places him down, he scampers off into the house to find the others. “Geoff we were just camping.”  
“Sure you were… Why don’t you go upstairs and wait for me?”  
“If I refuse?” Iri challenges with a sharp tone, her eyes sparkling and her tail wagging playfully.  
“Why must you two always fight? Ry, Fel and the others want to go on a bike ride so let’s go.” Ray interrupts the pair who turn at the appearance of the man. “Come on Ry.”  
“Duty calls, Gav you coming?”  
“Mmm not this time, she needs a bath and so do I.” Gavin murmurs and Iri just chuckles softly before nudging her lover into the pool, he lands with a loud splash and surfaces with a glare. Her chuckling turns to full blown laughter that has her nearly breathless as the soaked man lifts himself out of the frigid water. “This is not what I meant.”  
“Oh…. my bad.” Iri teases, and as fast as her laughter came it was gone, replaced by a soul-crushing amount of sadness… Such a powerful emotion that it drags her to her knees with tears in her eyes, and a sob in her throat. “Gav?”  
“Shit, I didn’t mean to do that… Sorry it’s reflexive sometimes.” Gavin apologizes quickly as he releases the woman’s emotions, however she still remains kneeling on the ground by Geoff. The gent reaches down to stroke the shaking woman, her mind working through the dregs of their lover’s ability. “Love?”  
“Why am I even alive?” Iri mumbles shakily, she hated everything and everything hated her. She just wanted to die, and all it would take was a simple command.  
“Love? Love I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Gavin says hurriedly as he uses his powers to flood happiness through her mind in hopes of clearing out the sadness he put their. “I love you like an Alpha wolf loves their Omega.”  
“I… I can’t feel my limbs.” Iri mumbles woozily, her mind reeling from the lack of serotonin to the flood of it. Her brain chemistry was currently so fucked up that her neurons weren’t firing properly, and her amygdala wasn’t able to process her emotions in a regulatory way… In other words her mind was shutting down to compensate for the change, and that is when her eyes flutter shut.   
“Love? Love! Geoff is she… She’s not dead is she?”   
“No… Gavin, you need to be careful… Messing with a person’s limbic system is no joking matter.”  
“Limbic system?”  
“It’s the part of the brain that controls the basic emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, happiness. Also sex drive, need to care for young, and drives basic urges like hunger… In other words not something to play with Gavi.” Geoff explains and the other nods gravely, leaning down to lift the unconscious woman up.  
“How do you know all that?” Gavin asks as the gent opens the door for him while they make their way up the stairs to the bedroom.   
“I went to school once.”  
“Geoff that’s like college level knowledge, or at least advanced biology.”  
“Uh… My powers revolve around the manipulation of the mind and it helps when you know how it works.” Geoff tells Gavin who lays Iri down on the bed gently. “Erik, before he was crazy used to study the mind with me in the barracks… We often had a lot of downtime.”  
“Really?”  
“Mhmm, sometimes months in between missions and we spent that time in what we thought was a productive way.” Geoff says in a tone that made Gavin think that the Alphas might have had more than just a platonic friendship.   
“Geoff?”  
“Yes Gavin?”  
“Did you sleep with… did you ever sleep with Erik?”  
“Gav, when you spend days out in the desert, just you two, watching each other’s backs. You tend to… to uh.”  
“You fucking shagged him didn’t you?”  
“He wasn’t always a total asshole!” Geoff argues angrily while Gavin wears a smirk.  
“It could be because you have a thing for authoritative people.” Gavin adds with a teasing smile, and Geoff just glowers at him. The Brit could tell Geoff had, had enough so he tones it down with another comment. “I’m only messing with you, and if you fell in love with him then he couldn’t have always been that bad.”  
“He used to be… It doesn’t matter now Gav, he’s dead and that’s for the best.” Geoff remarks as they exit the room quietly, leaving the woman to reboot her mind alone. “Well now we’re alone, whatever shall we do?”  
“Uh… I have to clean the phantom, and Dan wants me to call him. I’m going to meet up with him in England soon for a Slo Mo Guys.” Gavin answers sheepishly, and hesitates to add his next comment. “Scarlett is coming with me, my parents want to meet her.”  
“Gav, do you think that’s wise?” Geoff asks, they all knew Gavin’s parents were abusive, but they also knew he still cared for them despite their animosity towards him… Sorta like loving a cactus, you could hug it all you want but all you’ll get back is stabbed by its needles.   
“I… Dan said he’ll come with me. I think it’s important for her to meet them at least once.” Gavin mumbles sheepishly, truth be told he was nervous for this visit. Not only was it with his terrible parents, but he was bringing his daughter along too. This was a recipe for disaster, but hopefully it would be fine… hopefully.   
“Whatever you believe is best, you are her father after all and I won’t tell you how to raise her.” Geoff says with a smile, he knew Gavin would protect Scarlett with his life, hell he’d already done it once. “Though I should add Lexi and Iri can fly really fast if you get in trouble… and I know CIA dude has a private jet at his disposal.”  
“How do you know that?” Gavin inquires curiously, and Geoff just wears an impish smile. “Did you… Geoffrey!”  
“It was just a quick look, I wanted to make sure he was on his A-game… Iri deserves the best.”  
“Geoff she does, but that doesn’t give you the right to invade his mind! Geoff that breaks like the one rule you taught Iri when she first gained her powers. First it was don’t invade people’s minds, and… and I think the second was don’t get yourself killed.” Gavin growls in disappointment at his Alpha who stood there rolling his eyes petulantly.   
“Yeah well she’s broken both of those rules many times, so what if I do it this once.”  
“What happened to leading by example?”  
“That has never been my motto, Gavvers. Now don’t you have a camera to clean, and an Alpha to call?”  
“Stop being spiteful old man.” Gavin mutters quietly as he shoulder’s past the gent who had been leaning in for a kiss. “Also if you don't play by your own rules then why should anyone else.” Gavin states before he exits through the laundry room door and goes out into the garage to mess with his camera. He left Geoff in an interesting position the Alpha could do his work, go work whatever stick Gav had somehow managed to get shoved up his ass out, or he could go cuddle with Iri assuming she was still asleep. Geoff was definitely a fan of the last one, heading back upstairs he opens the door to find Iri on her hands and knees working a vibrator in and out of her pussy with a cock ring around her tail buzzing loudly. She doesn’t seem to notice Geoff enter because her moans fall liberally from her lips like snow in Alaska.   
“Kit?” Geoff says questioningly as he shuts the door softly, and the woman lies frozen on the bed.   
“Geo...Geoff, what are you doing up here?” Iri stutters out in surprise and Geoff just cocks his head in confusion at her tone. “I thought you were with Gav.”  
“I was, but uh he’s got stuff to do. What’s this?”  
“Just… Oh fuck.” Iri moans out lustily when she feels Geoff move the toy in and out from across the room. “I… I woke up, and was…. Yes!”  
“Ah, ah, ah not yet… why were you so surprised when I came up?”  
“I...Papa please.”  
“Answer me.”  
“I didn’t want you to knot me.”  
“.... Why not?”  
“My… It hurts.” Iri mumbles softly in embarrassment, she’d pulled several muscles last night and now things were a bit tender. “I… I didn’t want to upset you.”  
“Baby doll, you wouldn’t upset me… Do you want me to look?”   
“Stop calling me that Geoff, for the love of whatever god you worship stop it or I am going to gut you like a fish… and could you?” Iri growls as the man pulls the toy out his lover gently, she tries not to wince but does causing Geoff to whine softly. He strokes her tail soothingly and wears a worried expression when he sees the blood on the toy. Nudging her onto her back she opens her legs so the gent can look. Geoff makes note of every flinch, and wince as the woman grips her tail tightly. Lubing up his finger he inserts it slowly, feeling the inside of her vaginal walls he can feel several tears and even a cut. “Geoff, Geoff stop that hurts.” Iri whines, biting her lip in an attempt to hold back the sobs.   
“Kit, this is more than just pulling a muscle. This is a tear, Kit have you been wet the last few times we’ve… You know.” Geoff asks hesitantly, looking up to the crying woman who was shaking.. Putting a hand to her inner thigh he kneads the muscles. “Kit?”  
“I.. sometimes… Geoff can you just heal it, it hurts really bad and I can’t heal what I can’t see.”  
“Of course baby girl, no need to cry.” Geoff soothes the shaking woman as he uses his powers to heal the small cuts littering her insides. “Why didn’t you tell us? We would have stopped.”  
“I.. You were so happy, and it didn’t hurt that much.”  
“I hate you.”  
“I hate you more.”  
“I hate you the most.”  
“... Hmm.”  
“What?”  
“Nothing, I was just thinking.” Iri answers thoughtfully her mind trails off to the mission she was coming up on, and the possibility that this would be her first and possibly last one. For some reason death hung over her thoughts like a dark cloud that refused to scatter. She had even created a will in the event of her death, Derrick had assured her she’d be fine but promised to deliver it if need be. “Geoff, I don’t think I’m going to but if I die will you promise me something?”  
“Kit, you aren’t going to die.”  
“I know, but if I do just promise me something.”  
“Okay, what is it?”  
“I would like you to make them forget me, make everyone forget I ever existed… I don’t want to cause any heart break, and I don’t think Dex could handle my death.” Iri says solemnly and Geoff only stares up at her in shock. “It would be.”  
“No, I won’t make him forget his mother and I won’t make anyone forget you. Iri, you will be remembered whether you like it or not…. Besides heartbreak is just part of life, and this will motivate you to be careful… Pick your battles, and move with caution.”  
“Geoff.”  
“No, you will be fine… End of story. Now tell me if this hurts.” Geoff states as he rubs her pussy gently, making sure to tease her clit to help get her into it.  
“It doesn’t hurt, but… Please not now.” Iri mumbles softly causing Geoff to give her a worried look as he sits up, and pulls her into his arms. She nuzzles his neck lovingly, and Geoff purrs into her hair, kissing her head softly. “I love you.”  
“Like a stoner loves his weed.”  
“....”  
“What?”  
“Like Michael loves his protein powder.”  
“Or Gavin his hair gel.”  
“Ryan his laptop.”  
“Ray his Twitch hoodie.”  
“You suck at this Geoff.” Gavin interjects as he opens the door to find the pair cuddling be the head of the bed. “Iri, I love you like a Canadian loves maple syrup.”  
“Yeah, I suck at this says the dude talking about syrup.”  
“It doesn’t matter what analogy you make as long as the feeling is behind it.” Iri declares causing both of them to face the woman who was curled up tightly into Geoff. She doesn’t say anything else choosing to close her eyes and allow his heartbeat to lull her asleep.   
“Iri?” Geoff murmurs quietly when he feels the woman’s breathing even out into slumber. “Kit are you still awake?” He receives no answer from his fox, and Gavin nuzzles her shoulder till she shifts towards him. Gavin purrs contently when he feels her wrap her arms around his neck, and pull him close. “Gav, you down for a nap?”  
“Always am… Go make that budget Geoff.”  
“How did you know?”  
“You always make a budget for the month.” Gavin mutters with a smile, and that is when Geoff decides to take his leave. He heads out of the bedroom to the dining room where his laptop sits on the table, and grabs several piles of bills to sort out. Putting on his reading glasses he begins to work out the budget for the month, and a schedule for them as well as the kits. He can’t be at it more than an hour before Iri wanders down with a sleepy smile on her lips, and her tail flitting sensually. She says nothing as she steps towards the gent with her smoky scent hinted with arousal and sleep. Geoff however, chooses to ignore her as he twiddles the pen between his lips with his tongue while typing something on a spreadsheet. Iri never one to be ignored walks around to the back of the chair and teases kisses along his exposed neck.   
“Iridessa, I’m busy.”  
“I know, but those glasses Geoff.”  
“What about my glasses?” Geoff asks as he looks at her with his glasses perched on his nose, and a smirk on his lips.   
“You look like a sexy accountant… Teach me about mortgages Mister.” Iri purrs into his throat causing the smirking man to chuckle breathily. “Or maybe a 401k.”  
“Baby girl, what would you like to know?” Geoff inquires with a smile as he pushes his chair out far enough so she could straddle his lap, and continue her assault of his neck. Iri just shrugs unknowingly and nuzzles him happily. “Well do you know what a mortgage does?”  
“It allows old men like you to buy his pack a house.”  
“Mmm not quite, a mortgage is type of loan however it has a fixed rate and is usually used when purchasing large items such as a house. So like when you bought a car you didn’t get a mortgage you got a loan. Basically a mortgage says you will either pay back the money or they get the property.” Geoff explains to the woman who stares at him with pure boredom, he says nothing choosing to roll his eyes at her. “If I died tomorrow you would need to know this.”  
“No I wouldn’t, we have Ryan.”  
“Wow, quick to replace me eh?”  
“It’s not really a replacement Geoffrey more of an upgrade.” Ryan teases as he and the others enter through the front door to find Iri on Geoff’s lap as he did presumably what the gent thought was his budget. “I’m like a newer, better version of you.. and I know how a lot of shit works.”  
“See, he’s got us covered.” Iri quips with a smile and Geoff just flicks her ears causing her to bite his neck roughly.  
“Ow, don’t bite!” Geoff snaps at her and she just gets off of him to flee to Michael’s open and waiting arms. “Oh I see how it is, go pout to your white knight… Ry-bear will you help me with this?” Geoff asks with pouty lips, and sad eyes. The gent sighs tiredly, but doesn’t object as he settles down beside his elder. Michael kisses Iri with a grin and pulls her towards the stairs with a suggestive smile. However, before they can make it up the stairs Iri feels a hand tug her skirt, looking down she finds Scarlett and Felicia staring up at her.  
“Momma, can we take Lexi for a ride in the woods? I’ll be really careful.” Scarlett promises and Iri nods in yes while Lexi disconnects, appearing outside in her Andalusian form stamping her foot excitedly. The girls squeal in delight before racing outside, Lexi bows to allow the pair on, and just like that they take off into the forest. Iri watches with a smile and can’t help but notice the lack of Leo and Dexter, turning back to Michael he gestures to the front yard where the boys were playing soccer with Ray and Gavin. She wasn’t quite sure when he snuck out, but they appeared to be having a good time out there and that was all that mattered.   
“Lass, let’s go up to the bedroom.”  
“Sure.” Iri says with a smile as she let’s herself be led upstairs, leaving the gents alone to their task.


	103. I hate you.... like seriously Geoff

Six p.m.

Iri no longer rested in Michael’s arms, now she sat on the roof watching her sons and mates play on the grass below. She said nothing when a breeze nudged her back towards the window sill, where Michael waited to place a kiss on her lips. He pulls her back in and then motions to the door.   
“We use the stairs in this house.”  
“Not when I can basically fly.”  
“That’s a fair point, but even the greatest fall.”  
“Spoken like a true scholar.” Iri mumbles with a roll of her eyes as she exits the cinnamony smelling room. “You are like a candle.”  
“What?”  
“You smell like a candle, a cinnamony candle.”   
“Hmm, you remind me of a barbecue… It’s a shame Geoff isn’t making brisket.” Michael comments causing Iri to roll her eyes as they descend the stairs to find Geoff pushed up again the table with Ryan rutting into him roughly, his blonde hair matted down with sweat and Geoff’s own brown sticking to his face as he got pounded into.   
“God yes, fucking so tight for me Geoff. Tell me how much you love this, love being forced open by my cock.” Ryan purrs into his elder’s ear, who only makes a sound of contentment below him. However that wasn’t what Ryan wanted so reaching down he grips Geoff’s dick tightly causing the other to whine needily. “I asked you to do something Geoffrey.”  
“I love it, alright.” Geoff mumbles sheepishly, he didn’t want the kits hearing but Ryan didn’t seem satisfied by this.   
“Louder.”  
“The kits.”  
“Louder.” Ryan demands with a rough thrust of his hips, a yelp falls from Geoff’s lips as he prepares to do it again.  
“I love the way this feels Ry, I love when you treat me like a needy bitch.” Geoff nearly shouts, and Ryan smiles in triumph while releasing the gent. Ryan picks up his pace again, and that is when he notices the Omegas lingering in the background both wearing smirks at the complacent man beneath him. Calling them over with a flick of his eyes they stroll over slowly to stand in front of Geoff who bites his lip in apprehension, and Ryan feels him get tighter in embarrassment. “Go away.”  
“Ah, ah, ah don’t be rude Geoffrey… Iri be a dear and come here.” Ryan scolds as he slaps Geoff’s pale ass harshly while she slinks closer to the man. He motions for her to get on her knees and she didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know what Ryan wanted her to do next. Settling under Geoff she opens her mouth wide and takes him easily, sucking in time with Ryan’s thrusts. Michael watches the trio with a lusty smile before exiting the house to go play with Leo and Dex. It doesn’t take Geoff long to cum under the pairs ministrations and Ryan follows soon after him however, pulling out before his knot caught. Geoff, too far gone in the pleasure grips Iri’s hair tightly so his knot can catch, locking snugly between her lips despite her noises of protest. “Geoff, you're like wine.”  
“Shut up Ryan, and get me a paper towel.” Geoff says interrupting the man before he could start with his endless praises. Ryan rolls his eyes only briefly before doing as he asked, and comes back with several. “Baby do.”  
‘DON’T CALL ME THAT!’ Iri shouts in their minds angrily, it was bad enough she was stuck like this for half an hour.   
“Kit, I wasn’t going to. I was going to ask you what you wanted for dinner.” Geoff answers softly causing the seething woman to relax, and mumble what sounded like sorry around his dick. He couldn’t help it when he spurted down her throat due to the vibrations. Iri makes a choking sound, and tries to pull back but it only makes Geoff growl lowly. “Sorry Kit, just.. just don’t talk.”  
‘I hate you.’  
“I am aware, now what do you want for dinner?”  
‘I don’t care, Michael wanted brisket.’  
“I know what he wanted, but I asked you what you wanted.”  
“Geoff maybe you shouldn’t have done that here.” Ryan mutters quietly when he hears the front door open and the sound of light footsteps streaking towards them reaches their ears. “Stop, don’t come in here!”  
“Why not Rapa?” Dex inquires as he steps into the dining room to find his mother kneeling with a horrified look in her eyes, and Geoff wearing a similar one on his face. It isn’t long before the rest of the crew files in and stare at them in confusion. “Uh.” Ryan stutters out not sure what to tell them as the Omegas chuckle loudly save for Iri who looked mortified, and the kits continued to cock their heads in confusion.   
“I… I.. uh.”  
“Oh Momma, did Papa Geoff hit his dick?” Scarlett asks worriedly when the pair enter in through the glass door behind them. “I saw her doing that to Daddy Michael a few days ago, he hurt his dick and that’s how she heals it.” The girl explains confidently, meanwhile Gavin’s chuckles turn to a horrified gasp. “What Poppa? She’s helping him.”  
“Scar that is… Scar what she’s doing is…” Gavin stammers out, trying to find an explanation that would make sense to them. Ray ever the blunt of this group just rolls his eyes and opens his mouth.  
“She’s not healing him, she’s making him feel good. This is how adults make each other happy sometimes.”   
“Huh?” They mumble in confusion as Iri just closes her eyes, trying to keep from crying. Gavin could feel her panic and decides that maybe explaining things weren’t the best idea… They were only second graders for fuck’s sake.   
“Mom, don’t cry it’ll be okay. Papa Geoff, you're hurting her.” Leo murmurs worriedly as he goes to his mother’s side in comfort, and begins nuzzling her lovingly. “It’ll be okay Mom.”  
‘Kits go upstairs please.’  
“But Momma.”  
‘Upstairs!’ Iri nearly shouts in their minds and she watches them hesitantly leave, concerned expressions on their faces. ‘Geoffrey make them forget, now!’ Iri orders sharply, her tone even though mentally took an edge that the gent didn’t dare fuck with. The man nods slowly and once they were upstairs in their room he makes them forget the last few minutes, and then tells them to stay upstairs for awhile.  
“It’s done Kit.” Geoff tells her, and smiles when her expression relaxes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think they would come in so soon.”  
“Geoff it’s seven o’clock they’re probably hungry.” Michael states as he glances to the kitchen oven to see the clock’s green digital numbers.   
“Ray, let’s agree that we aren’t going to explain sex till they at least get to middle school… Tch this is how adults make each other feel good.” Ryan scolds the man who was just shrugging.   
“They were going to find out sooner or later, and besides I didn’t see any of you offering solutions.” Ray mutters with pursed lips as he glares at the man.  
“Yeah I don’t really want Scarlett thinking that is how we make each other feel good… At least you didn’t say she was hugging his penis with her mouth.” Gavin says lightly, and it was moments like these he was glad Geoff is a telepath capable of altering memories… though the more he thought about it, had Geoff ever altered his memory?   
‘He did once Gavin…. but some things should remain forgotten.’ Iri murmurs solemnly in her mate’s mind, a traumatic event can either make or break a person and this one would destroy Gavin… Positively decimate the man’s mind, so he would never ever remember it… ever.  
‘It’s my memory, I deserve to know.’  
‘No you don’t Gavin, no one deserves that… Especially not you my sweet Pup.’ Iri tells the man with severity who seems to hesitantly accept her silence. ‘Gavin, I won’t tell you because I care… If I didn’t love you, I would let you remember.’  
“Okay, Love.” Gavin mumbles softly as he settles on the ground beside her, and begins stroking her tail with a smile on his lips. He says nothing more choosing to sit there silently petting the still frazzled woman. “Geoff how much longer?”  
“Gav… ugh fuck… Iri I told you not to moan like that.” Geoff growls, his tone thin and voice tight from holding back moans. Iri says nothing, partially because she can’t, choosing to instead glower at her Alpha; her jaw was locking up and it fucking hurt so in an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure she was groaning lowly, effectively opening up her already sore throat. She hadn’t thought Geoff to be so sensitive as to cum again, causing her to nearly choke on it. “Baby girl just a few more minutes.”  
‘It better be Geoffrey, I fucking hate you… Couldn’t just pull out like Ryan did?’  
“That mouth of yours is damn near addictive, and it should be down now.” Geoff answers with a smirk, his knot slowly starting to deflate. It takes merely seconds before Iri pulls off with a pop, and takes her sore jaw into her hands, massaging the muscles in slow circles. “I love you.”  
“Whatever Geoff.” Iri mutters while standing up suddenly and heading towards the front door. “I have work I need to do.”  
“Baby girl don’t be like that, come on what’s so important that it can’t wait till Monday?”  
“I.. Gray needs some X-Ray and Vav concepts hammered out, he trusted me with this… So I’m going to go.” Iri says sheepishly, and this wasn’t even a lie. Gray had asked her to take care of this before Monday so it was now seven thirty Sunday night and all the stuff she needed was at the office. Leaving her no choice but to go, which sucked because she was looking forward to a hot-meal with her pack… but duty called she supposed. Hesitantly she starts to open the door again, noticing briefly the disappointment in her pack mates’ eyes… Iri took no pleasure in leaving as she grabbed her keys and exited the house swiftly, lingering wouldn’t get this work done any faster. 

Ten O’clock

Dex couldn’t help, but feel like he was missing something as he stared into his father’s eyes. He felt like something important had happened that he should remember, but perhaps it wasn’t when he notices his father giving him a concerned look.  
“Dex, you okay?” Geoff inquires his son still staring at him intensely, like he had something he wanted to say to him.   
“I… I killed a man Papa.” Dex confesses softly to his father, the man had been absentmindedly typing on his laptop with Michael laying on his thigh. Geoff turns to his son in confusion, and his mouth suddenly going dry. “It was on the night you disappeared, and that man was here instead… Papa Ray… There was so much fire and the confusion… I was helping Felicia, and then suddenly they were gone. I..I.. He was going to. I didn’t have a choice, and.. and it… I stopped his heart, just like Momma did to Erik. He didn’t suffer... Momma told me… Momma said that I… She promised not to tell you, I made her promise, and that’s why we were in the woods. I got restless last night, and she did too, and she found me… Papa I didn’t want to kill him, but he was going to kill me.” Dexter manages to stutter out to his father who instantly takes him into his arms and Michael merely offers the boy a sad look.   
“Oh Dex.” Geoff starts slowly, but stops halfway through because he doesn’t know how to finish that sentence. His son had killed a man at the age of seven… Seven years old, the age when their supposed to be playing pretend, running around, discovering who they are, and his son had killed a man. “Dex it’s okay, it’ll be okay.”  
“Momma told me that Erik forced that man to kill me, that he wouldn’t stop until I was dead or he was dead.”  
“She’s right… Dex was there a voice?”  
“No… Momma told me that someday there will be a voice and that they’ll be here to help me.”  
“Mmhmm, and they will protect you… Todd protects me all the time.”  
“Yup, and so does Marcus.”   
“When you hear that voice will you be sure to tell me right away? Don’t hide this from us Dexy, and do you regret killing that man?” Geoff asks, he wanted to gauge his son’s remorse. It was a simple way to understand the predator that was starting to surface in his son, and he wanted to know what they were dealing with.  
“Yes, and no… I regret having to kill him, but if I wouldn’t have then he would have killed me and I.. I don’t want to die yet.” Dex says sheepishly, he felt his mind become warm and fuzzy at this admittance but wasn’t sure why. “He didn’t deserve to die, but neither did I.”  
“I understand, but you must remember that we aren’t to kill others… We need to incapacitate before killing, so if something like that ever happens again don’t kill them but knock them out.”  
“I… Will that ever happen again?”  
“Dex, if I say no then I might be a liar, but if I say yes I might be as well… Just know that if it happens again don’t kill unless you are forced to.” Geoff explains to his son who is nuzzling his neck lightly, and sighing in contentment at the peachy scent he finds there. “I love you.”  
“I love you like a lion loves his cub.”  
“Hmm, you know I’m no good at this game.”  
“Well try Papa, just try.”  
“Very well, I love you like you love macaroni and cheese.” Geoff teases causing his son to giggle and look up at him from his shoulder with a yawn, a sleepy gaze in his eyes as well. “I love you like the sandman loves his sand.”  
“I love you… like Momma loves you.” Dex trails off sleepily from his father’s arms, Geoff says nothing more choosing to kiss his head and take him upstairs to his bed. He lies him down gently on the bed next to his sister… However, it wasn’t Scarlett it was Felicia and he can’t help but wonder why the sudden switch. As if she heard him her eyes pop open, catching the gent’s gaze after he places his boy down. Felicia reaches for Geoff who lifts her easily, and notices how puffy her eyes were… suggesting that she’d been crying. Taking the girl out of the room, and into Iri’s nearby studio he rocks side to side trying to soothe the sniffling blonde.   
“Felicia, what’s wrong baby doll?”  
“No...Nothing.” Fel sniffles into his shoulder, burying her head deep into his shoulder.  
“Baby doll, I can’t help you if you won’t tell me what’s wrong… Now come on what’s so bad that it’s got you crying?”  
“Leo… Leo.. It’s stupid.”  
“What did Leo do?” Geoff asks gently trying to coax the meek girl to talk, but it only seems to cause reluctance.   
“He… I… Where’s my Daddy?” Fel mutters, she wanted her Daddy not Papa Geoff. She wanted him because he understood what she felt, the fear of abandonment, the fear that Leo would outgrow her that he wouldn’t need her like she needed him… It was something he told her about her Pops, her Daddy always worried that Pops would leave him.  
“I think he’s outside in the garage, but Felicia you need to be in bed. Baby doll you have school tomorrow, and then dance; you need your sleep.” Geoff reasons while rocking from side to side and humming soothingly like Ryan would when she was fussy. “If you must wait, wait for them here in my arms as I shake. If you must weep, do it right here in my bed as I sleep. If you must mourn my love, mourn with the moon and the stars up above.”  
“If you must mourn don’t do it alone…. If you must leave, leave as though fire burns under your feet. If you must speak, speak every word as though it were unique.” Iri sings somberly as she enters the room through quietly, aware of the fact that Geoff was trying to get Felicia to fall asleep.  
“If you must die sweetheart die knowing your life was my life’s best part…. If you must die remember your life.” Geoff sings softly, finally lulling the reluctant girl into a deep slumber as Iri places her backpack down by the desk and takes her from the Alpha.   
“So this is who you call baby doll.” Iri murmurs quietly with a smirk causing Geoff to roll his eyes as the pair disappear back into the kit’s room to find Leo whimpering distraughtly from Michael’s arms as he rocked him near the window.   
“Shh, Leonard… Shh.”  
“Dad, she hates me… She.” Leo nearly sobs into his father’s shoulder, oblivious to the trio’s entrance. “I didn’t mean to.”  
“I know Leonard, I know.” Michael assures his son, who was mad at himself for yelling at his sister earlier. From what he could get out of the boy, Leo had apparently called Felicia clingy and pushed the girl away from where he and Dex had been playing when she tried to join in… Normal sibling stuff, but when he went to apologize she wouldn’t speak to him instead choosing to flee to Scarlett, and then settle in Dex’s bed hoping her elder brother would cuddle with her when he came to bed. “What have I told you about yelling at her? She isn’t like Scarlett or Dex, Felicia takes that to heart.”  
“I know, Papa Ryan calls her a morning glory for good reason… She wilts easily.” Leo comments sadly while meeting his father’s amber eyes demurely.   
“Leo, don’t cry… She isn’t mad at you anymore.” Iri assures her son gently causing the boy to light up at his mother’s words and wipe his eyes quickly. “Michael, put him in their bed.”   
“Sure thing.” Michael says as he places his son down, and Iri places Fel down beside him. Leo wastes no time in pulling his sister tightly into his arms, and nuzzling her back happily. Fel purrs sleepily in her brother’s grip, and Leo sighs contently. They might fight, but she was still his sister.   
“I love you Leo, now go to sleep.” Iri says to the boy whose breathing is already starting to even out in a way that meant he was sleeping. The adults exit quickly, shutting the door softly and Iri can’t help but wonder where Scarlett was. “Where’s Scar?”  
“She and Gavin are in the yard talking about their trip.” Michael answers, and notices how Iri stiffens at this. The woman knew of the trip, but it didn’t mean she liked it. She wasn’t sure she wanted those people to be apart of her daughter’s life, even if they were Gavin’s parents… Gavin’s parents weren’t good people, definitely not as loving as the Jones or Iri’s parents, or even Ryan’s folks… and now that she thinks about it Geoff’s parents were really awesome too, and Ray’s sister was cool when she visited at Christmas. “Iri?”  
“Nothing, I was just thinking… Scar needs to be in bed, she much like her father are useless if they don’t have their eight hours.” Iri states in a very mom-like tone that makes the pair chuckle softly. “What? You know it’s true.”  
“No, I’m not debating you… It’s just that mom voice is killing me.”  
“I don’t have a mom voice Geoffrey.” Iri growls in a deadpan voice with a glare to the eldest man that softens when Michael wraps his arms around her waist, and kisses her neck line. “Mmm Chaton.”  
“Que, Zorra?” Micheal questions causing Iri to cock her head in confusion. “It’s Spanish Vixen.”  
“Spanish?”  
“You know the language most spoken after French, and much more useful in this state.”  
“Touche Red, touche.” Iri mumbles, she did have to give him that one. “I don’t want to go to training tomorrow night.”  
“Then don’t.” Ryan whispers as he appears in the living room with Ray not far behind, and both covered in wood shavings. “We were building shelves for the office.”  
“You guys can finally get rid of all the boxes.”  
“Now hold your horses Iri, that would require effort.” Ray states lazily with his hands held up in front of him, tch who did she think they were… people who cared about clutter?  
“You may not, but Jack does and I’m sure he’ll be ecstatic.” Iri quips after hearing Ray's thoughts, and the others just shrug; however she knew that they would all be glad for some more space in their cramped office. Burnie had been talking about moving them, but Matt said something about not being in the budget this month. Pulling from Michael’s embrace she heads to the kitchen attempting to find some sort of nourishment seeing as she hadn’t eaten yet today and Harrison would be all over her ass tomorrow night about it.   
“Plates in the microwave Bambi.”   
“Thanks Stag.” Iri bids as she grabs the plate of cold food from the appliance, and begins eating slowly. It was a damn shame she’d missed this meal because it was ribs, and those were best right off the grill but still delicious now. Choosing to ignore her surrounding as she eats casually at the counter Iri doesn’t even register Ryan’s hand when it comes over to snag a broccoli floret, reacting on instinct she whips around and grips his throat tightly, a threatening growl in her throat. The man drops the food instantly, and Iri purrs softly while releasing him and going back to her meal, tail swaying happily.   
“Christ Iri, how hard has that man been training you?” Ryan inquires while rubbing his throat in shock and mild worried, he’d hate to see her really pissed.   
“Hard, and fast… It feels like everything is rushed, and he never slows down even when I beg him to… Just faster, and faster.” Iri mutters in between bites and feels Ryan hold her tightly, nuzzling her back lovingly. “Sorry about earlier, do you want this?” Iri offers apologetically her mind now not purely running on instinct allows her to share. The gent lifts his head up to rest on her shoulder and takes the piece of food resting between her teeth, smirking he kisses the woman lightly, and pulls back to chew the food. Purring contently she turns her head back for more kisses, ignoring the mostly full plate of food in front her.   
“Eat dinner Bambi, and then you need to go to bed.”  
“I’m not a baby Ryan, I can make my own choices… Besides what if I want to stay up and fuck you.”  
“I would love that, but you need to sleep.” Ryan says authoritatively, and notices how the woman deflates at his tone. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’m tired too.”   
“Sleep is for the dead.” Iri mutters with contempt while finishing up her food, and pulling from the gent’s grasp to put her plate in the dishwasher. She leaves Ryan alone in the kitchen, and heads into the living room where Gavin and the others are snuggled up on the couch. The Brit wears an expression that Iri rarely ever sees on him, it was forlorn… almost like he regretted something deeply. Slipping into his mind she finds Lance and him arguing about the trip, and not just petty things like flight times but true arguments… as though the wolf feared for them, both his companion and their daughter. Iri says nothing choosing to listen quietly in the background to the wolf’s angry snapping.  
‘Gav, I won’t let you take us. Those people are destructive and dangerous, I don’t want Scar exposed to that!’  
‘Lance, they’re my parents.. We can’t… we can’t hide from them forever.’  
‘Gavin, they won’t change and you know it...Don’t you… It’s just not worth it.’ Lance argues catching himself before he unleashed Gavin’s memory, Geoff had been inexperienced when he repressed this one and the triggers were very sensitive. The wolf at this point notices a curiosity that isn’t theirs and soon finds Iridessa lurking in the background. ‘Iri what do you want?’  
‘Nothing, I was just wondering what’s wrong with Gavin… He looks sad.’ Iri tells the wolf, who gives up at this point and slinks away into Gavin’s mind.   
‘If you want to go fine, but I can’t promise you’ll like what you find.’ Lance relents finally, he didn’t want to argue anymore since clearly his master wasn’t going to listen to reason. He hoped desperately that Gavin’s mind wouldn’t be triggered, but part of him knew it would be impossible for it not to be.   
“It’ll be okay Gavi, it always is.” Iri murmurs softly into the man’s ears as she sits down on his open lap, and kisses his neckline gently, enjoying his relaxing purrs. “You won’t… Promise me you won’t let them hurt her.”  
“Never Love, I’d kill them before they could… They can hurt me all they want, but never her, never our sweet Scarlett.” Gavin promises seriously as Iri nuzzles his neck, scenting lightly, and he strokes his mating scar on her hip. “I love you to the moon and back.”  
“And I will love you till the last breath leaves my body.”  
“What about after?” Gavin inquires with a smirk that has Iri rolling her eyes, he knew what her answer would be but he still liked to hear it because it was a vow… a declaration of her love, and he knew she meant it down to the last word.  
“As my soul inevitably descends into Hades realm I will love you. I will love you as I ride Charon’s dark ferry, as I pass over the great murky river Styx, far past the gate guarded by the mighty Cerberus, and even whilst I am judged by Hades himself.” Iri vows to the Brit who merely purrs in response at her declaration of love.. Every time he heard it, he couldn’t help the sense of love he felt in his heart at her words. “For you my Eurydice, I would brave the perils underworld.”  
“My gallant Orpheus, I would follow you anywhere.” Gavin says affectionately and Iri isn’t sure what makes tears prick in her eyes, but they do and it forces her to hide in the lad’s neck… Her tears aren’t tears of joy, or happiness rather they’re regret… How could she do this? How could she sign that contract? What an imbecilic thing to do, and now.. and now she understood finally… She finally understood Geoff’s anger, it wasn’t that she took the job, no it was that she didn’t think about this...She had been selfish, and almost cripplingly naive about it. If she died there would be no more this, no more ‘I love you like’, no more pack snuggling, no more family time, and no more… no more her. “Love?”  
“Geoff, I.. I... I finally understand.” Iri stammers, biting her lip to keep from sobbing as she stared at the floor in disappointment. “I.. I wasn’t thinking about us when I made that deal, I was thinking about myself… And now my selfishness could kill me.”  
“I know Kit, but now isn’t the time for apologies. Now it is time for you to make the best of it, they own you for many years and I want you to live through it…. Promise me you’ll be my clever girl.”  
“Always Papa.” Iri whispers solemnly, her tail caressing Geoff’s face lovingly. “Gav, let’s go to bed.”  
“Before you go remember that I do what I do because I care, not because I am mean.” Geoff murmurs with a smile as he pulls the fox-hybrid in for a kiss, his kisses trailing down to her neck where she bears his scar. Kissing the flesh lightly like he did the first time he bit her, Geoff bites down causing a gasp to be drawn from her lips, and her body naturally bucks away only to be stilled by his dark growl. After renewing the mark he pulls back to find her eyes fluttering sleepily and her body pliant against Gavin’s. “Now go to sleep Kit, we’ll be up there soon.” Geoff whispers in her ears watching how they flicker back and forth at the sound. Taking this as their cue to leave Gavin lifts Iri easily and heads upstairs with the sleeping woman in his arms. With them gone Michael and Ray decide that it was time for bed, heading up soon after they did leaving the gents alone. “Ry?”  
“Yeah Geoff?”  
“How weird do you think it will be purchasing five engagement rings?.. Like what do you think the salesman will say?” Geoff asks with a grin, and Ryan says nothing choosing to straddle the man’s lap while placing rough kisses on his neck. “I thought you were tired.”  
“Mmm I’m never too tired for you to knot me… I’m already stretched, all you need to do is slip right in.” Ryan urges, his tone hazy with lust as he gets off Geoff’s lap to be on all fours on the couch beside him, wiggling his hips playfully and wantonly.   
“What phase is the moon in tonight?” Geoff inquires curiously as he tugged off the man’s shorts and begins fingering him, he was starting to wonder if Iri’s hypothesis was correct.   
“It’s full why?” Ryan whines needily as Geoff continues his slow teasing, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust the man to be ready, he just liked to tease and a desperate Ryan was a hot Ryan. “Geoff, I’m begging you. Stick that cock of yours inside my wanting ass.”  
“Ry, do you get horny with the phases of the moon?” Geoff asks bluntly causing Ryan to still, and his ass clenches tightly around his fingers. Ignoring his reaction Geoff continues moving his fingers and scissoring them widely, drawing a needy moan from the wanting Alpha beneath him. “Tell me, or I’ll get a toy to finish you off… I know which one you use.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Oh try me Ryan, I am your Alpha and I can command you to like it.” Geoff states sternly, meeting his challenge with strict eyes that Ryan meets with a challenge of his own…. but the man soon acquiesces, and cants his hips up.   
“I do, and sometimes Godric teases me about it… Says I’m worse than an Omega in heat.” Ryan tells Geoff quickly, his face red in embarrassment, and his ears burning as well. He just wanted to hide because he knew Geoff would laugh at him, Alphas always did… However, the laughter never comes and the man above him only makes reassuring purrs in response and undoes his jeans. Geoff barely had to pump himself till he was ready, and sinking into the wet Alpha under him causes a moan to sound from both of them. “Geoff.”  
“God damn Ry… You're wetter than Michael when he watches S&M porn.”  
“He still does that?”  
“Every Tuesday night, and then spends about an hour making Iri help him reenact it…. sometimes Gav too if he’s around.” Geoff explains with a smile as he thrusts roughly into him. He doesn’t slow down until Ryan cums with a shout, and his hips sink onto the blanket covered couch cushions. However, Geoff wasn’t done yet and pulls the man back up so he is again arching his back line, the swell of his back well defined in the living room light. “Did I say you could rest Ryan?”  
“No Geoff.” Ryan moans with a gasp, and feels Geoff slam his hips back into him. “Damn… Geoffrey!” He shouts when a hand grips his dick tightly, and begins stroking again. Geoff merely smirks as he pounds the man, and kisses bruises into Ryan’s spine. The eldest gent was getting close and before he can pull out he feels his knot catch on Ryan’s rim and lock inside him tightly. Geoff allows Ryan to slump forward with a groan this time. “.. You… I… Hate.”  
“Mmm join the club, I didn’t want to make a mess… unlike you .” Geoff mumbles into his lover’s sweaty blonde hair, and nibbles playfully at his ear lobe. Ryan says nothing choosing to huff out a sigh, and lie under the gent… though it wasn’t like he could do much of anything else at this point. “Besides isn’t this what you wanted Ry-bear? To feel your rim stretched wide, knotted like a proper bitch.” Geoff adds quietly into the man’s shoulder, resting his head there as Ryan lies purring contently beneath him when he jerks his hips. “That’s right, purr for your Papa.”  
“....No Geoff. Just no.”  
“Aw come on, be a good boy for Papa and purr.”  
“Geoff, I am not calling you Papa.”  
“Fine, but will you at least purr for me?”  
“That.. that can be arranged.” Ryan says with a yawn, and starts purring softly when Geoff’s strokes his ears knowingly. “I still… I still can’t believe you.”  
“Shh, go to sleep Ry… Shh.” Geoff urges the nearly sleeping man who seems to finally give in at his Alpha’s persistence.


	104. I'm the loneliest of all

The night before Gav and Scars Departure  
Three Weeks Later

Gavin laid in bed with Scarlett fiddling with her father’s scruffy face hair, and a lingering question in her mind. Scarlett could ask it, but she wasn’t quite sure she wanted an answer and it wasn’t until her mother steps out of the bathroom in her dress does the girl sit up. She stares at her mother with wide eyes and a single word in her throat.   
“Beautiful.” The wolves say with smiles, and bright eyes.   
“Thanks guys.”  
“Momma, that looks like Weiss’ symbol.” Scarlett states while gesturing to the snowflake in the middle of her bosom. Iri makes her way over to where the pair sit and lifts up her daughter gently, the girl merely smiles and then continues on. “Plus it sparkles like frost, and Weiss is icy on the best of days.”  
“Hmm I suppose you’re right my little Snowflake.” Iri murmurs with a grin while turning her back to Gavin so he could undo the clear straps that held the dress up. “Are you excited to meet your other grandparents?”  
“....” Scarlett goes quiet at this and chooses to fiddle with one of her mother’s red curls, and twirling it around her finger.   
“Scar?”  
‘Momma, I don’t want to go… Lance says they’re mean, and Poppa doesn’t smell right when you mention their names.’ Scarlett thinks sheepishly at her mother, she knew her father was already stressed about this trip and she didn’t want her hesitance to stress him further. ‘He’s.. I just want him to be happy.’  
‘Scar, the only reason he’ll be unhappy is if you lie to him… Do you want me to talk to him for you?’  
“I.. I don’t want to go Poppa.” Scar states calmly, and her father merely sighs tiredly while taking her from Iri and into his arms. “I’m going to miss everyone, and what if Momma needs me?”  
“Well, I do have this thing called a phone so we could always Facetime with them, and besides they aren’t going anywhere.”  
“Scar, I think we can survive without you.” Iri assures her daughter who nods hesitantly as she watches her mother step out of the dress and hang it up on a hanger. “However, I must say that I will miss you two immensely.”  
“And we’ll miss you too.” Gavin says as they settle down onto the bed, the rest of the group was at Burnie’s house for dinner. Scarlett and Gavin had to pack so that was why they were the only ones here, Iri had just gotten back from training, and Derrick had her take the dress home because the ball was in two days. Lately he had been drilling her constantly, and wherever he could; leaving Iri in a state of fatigue that the woman had never known before. “Love, I wish you could come with us.”  
“Me too Gav, but I can’t I have to work.” Iri remarks sullenly, she wanted nothing more than to board the plane alongside them but she couldn’t…. She had other things to attend to, and Gavin knew that. Harrison the wily coyote he was mentioned using their helicopter to meet up with an M16 contact he had for a consultation, but Iri hadn’t agreed to anything yet… simply because using company resources for this reason was something she didn’t want the heat for; Harrison on the other hand was known around the agency for his stunts… He had many disciplinary forms, it was only by Derrick’s good graces that Harrison was still employed, well that and he was good at what he did. So that’s why they kept him around, well that and now Iri. Word around the lab was that Derrick’s superiors were quite astonished with the pairs scores… Tex and York… Her pack had laughed when they heard that from Derrick. See lately Geoff had taken a particular interest in her training and the men responsible for it. The lads had accepted the New Yorker easily, and he liked the trio of Omegas immensely, the Alpha unused to a group of Omegas so unlike their class… Derrick however, had been a bit of a hard sell, seeing as Geoff and Ryan knew the torch he carried for their mate… But Dex and Felicia had taken to him quickly, and eagerly showed the man their mother’s studio with a corner now designated to weaponry. Derrick had been intrigued by the woman’s painting skills, and even more so by the mural in her children's’ room. The dragons were extremely well done and the scenery was beautiful, perhaps she really should be working on her art. However, now as Iri laid in this bed reminiscing about the last few weeks she can’t help the nervousness she felt, she was letting her youngest daughter go to another country with her father to see his abusive parents.  
“Love?” Gavin inquires when he feels her anxiety flare, and her emotions become cluttered with it. He hoped she wouldn’t have any of these while he was gone. “Iri breathe, deep breaths.” Gavin coaches while stroking her head soothingly, and Scarlett purring in her chest.   
“I’m fine Gav, just normal anxiety… Nothing I can’t handle.” Iri assures him with a loving smile, and a yawn. Their daughter mirrors her mother’s yawn and nuzzles closer to her as Gavin snuggles in closely behind her, resting his chin on the top of her head. Wrapping his arms around Iri, he and the other two fall asleep quickly… In about twenty hours they will be in London and from there it would take about an hour and a half to get to Dan’s house by train if Lance remembered correctly… Whilst Iri, Gavin, and Scarlett slept, Lance let himself wonder if this was going to be as horrible as he thought it was or if he was merely being paranoid. However, before he can ponder further Lexi separates herself from Iri and waits for Lance to do his misty version of it. Once free he follows the vixen out the nearby window and onto the roof, the pair settle in the shingled surface, and gaze up at the crescent moon. Neither saying anything, choosing to enjoy each other’s presence in silence. It isn’t until a car pulls up in the drive a few hours later does the wolf finally speak.   
‘This will destroy him, if he figures it out.’ Lance comments somberly, and Lexi just nuzzles into the wolf’s misty side.   
'I… I can try and suppress it better.’ Lexi offers warily, there were certain complications that could arise from that though if she were to do a worse job than he may remember completely with no hope of ever erasing it from his mind. ‘Lance it is your call, I won’t try if you don’t want me to.’  
‘If his father.. If his father does.’  
‘His father won’t, Dan will be there this time and he won’t let him hurt you two. Dan, and your powers should be enough if it comes to that… How does a father do that to his own son?’  
‘Because he is an Alpha, and not every Alpha father is like Geoff or Ryan… Very few Alphas are as bad as Erik, but Gavin’s father is among the few who is close.’ Lance mutters under his breath, and meets Lexi’s worried eyes with soothing ones of his own. ‘But you are right, with our powers and Dan it should be more than enough to ward off his deranged father.’  
‘You will protect my mistress’ daughter, or I will skin you myself wolf… I will not hesitate to kill you Lancelot if they hurt her, and Iri won’t lift a finger to stop me.’ Lexi threatens in a voice colder than the arctic tundra, and it causes Lance to nod curtly in response his usual cheerfulness quelled instantly. ‘Scarlett is to be protected, and I will not accept failure.’  
‘Understood Alexia, and do not forget we are her father, really he’s her father but I love our little pup far more than I love living. So have no doubt in my mind that she will be safe.’  
‘Hey guys, what are you two doing up here… Lance shouldn’t you be in bed?’ Todd asks pleasantly as he appears in between the pair of bristling predators, the air heavy between them.  
‘Uh, yeah… I was just going, night.’ Lance bids quickly as he dissipates into the night air, leaving the foxes alone on the roof.  
‘How were Iri’s parents?’   
‘Good, they missed you guys though… Wondered why you weren’t able to come… The man suspects something.’  
‘And it is your job is to keep them out of this, I don’t care what you tell them but you are to not tell them the truth. As long as it’s believable we are fine.’ Lexi states tiredly, and Todd notices this immediately. He knew the vixen wasn’t nearly as stern when she had a full eight hours of sleep, and right now he guessed she was running on about thirty minutes give or take.  
‘Kit, go back to your mistress for the night… We’ll talk about this in the morning.’ Todd urges gently only to be met with a growl.   
‘I will go back when I know you will continue to keep up the facade.’  
‘Kit, I will. Now I’m begging you, go to bed. You have a long day, and an even longer one after that.’  
‘Good night Todd.’  
‘I love you.’  
‘And I love you more than I should.’ Lexi remarks quietly while Todd dissipates leaving her alone on the roof to make her way back to her mistress. Upon making it back to the bedroom she finds the bed now filled with everyone, and that alone was a feat. Geoff had Leo, and Dex snuggled into his chest with Michael on the other side of the pair. Ray was being held by Ryan with Felicia standing in the doorway, a look of reluctance on her face. Lexi makes her way over to the girl, and leads her back to her room where the girl gladly settles in Leo’s bed with her arms wrapped tightly around Lexi. "Mirror, mirror what’s behind you? Save me from the things I see."  
"I can keep it from the world why won’t you let me hide from me?" Felicia murmurs back, she had once joked to her mother about understanding how Weiss felt alone even when surrounded by others… but it wasn’t a joke at all, Fel understood how she felt… Even in a pack full of people, Felicia could always isolate herself without even trying. However, when her mother was around she never felt that way… Her mother would always find a way to make her feel loved… even now.  
“Fel?” Iri’s tired voice asks, and Fel sits up at the sound of her mother’s voice. “There you are.” Iri murmurs with a smile as she lifts her daughter up, and takes them to the guest room. “That bed was too crowded, so we’ll share this one.”  
“Okay, I’d love that Mommy.”  
“And so would I.” Iri purrs with a smile as she lies down on the bed with Felicia snuggled close.   
“I love you Mommy like the sky loves the stars.”  
“Felicia, I love you like a ballerina loves her tutu.” Iri teases causing her daughter to smile into her chest and curl closer to her mother. “And I love watching you dance.”  
“Dancing is amazing Mommy, and I feel just like a bird gliding across the stage… Thank you.”  
“It is my pleasure Morning glory, now let’s call it a night eh?”   
“Yes Mommy.” Fel says as her eyelids flutter shut, and Iri falls back asleep.


	105. Alcohol still the devil, but a great sleep aid

Ten a.m.

Iri stood waiting with Gavin and Scarlett for the plane to board and as the minutes ticked by she was regretting not going with them… She could leave the kits for the nights with the thought of always coming back, but now with Scarlett boarding a plane it felt permanent and that rattled her immensely.   
“Momma?”  
“Yes, Rose?”   
“Stop worrying, we’ll be fine.” Scar assures her mother with an excited smile, and a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, and good luck with your meeting on Saturday night… Speak from your heart, but draw from your soul.”  
“I love you too Scarlett, be safe and watch your father… Gavin be careful.”  
“BOARDING FLIGHT G144: AUSTIN TO LONDON.” They hear over the over-com and it’s at this point Gavin wiggles Scarlett out of her mother’s tight grip.   
“Always Love, be careful on Saturday. Use your brain, and think carefully… Don’t take chances.”  
“I won’t… Fare well thee my Prince and Princess, may Apollo light your paths in the day and may Artemis protect you in the night. “ Iri prays with a smile and Gavin just smirks at her while placing a soft kiss on her lips. His lips were soft and supple, the kiss itself was his unspoken promise to return, and as he pulled away Iri found herself reaching for him one last time. “Till death Gavin, till death.”  
“And the eternity after my Love, forever.” Gavin answers back lovingly as he and Scarlett leave to board the plane, leaving Iri alone in the staging area watching the people pass her by slowly… It was almost a sense of detachment she felt gazing at the individual’s flitting about around her, oblivious to her presence consumed with their own lives. Iri isn’t sure how long she stands there, but it’s long enough to receive a worried call from Geoff, which she didn’t answer still staring out on the large window that viewed the tarmac. She continues her silent staring until a hand is felt on her shoulder, turning to face its owner she finds Derrick standing beside her wearing a soft smile.   
“Burns?”  
“I’m fine Derr, just… just fine.”  
“No you aren’t… Iri it’s alright to be sad.”  
“Shut up Derrick, what are you doing here?” Iri questions sharply her senses finally come back to her after realizing that the plane wasn’t going to magically appear back on the runway.   
“Geoff was worried, but they can’t leave work and since this is part of my contract I figured I could make an appearance… Hey, let’s do something.”  
“Like what?” Iri asks, hoping it wasn’t more training and the man just shakes his head quickly seeing the hesitant look on her face.   
“Harrison, and I were going to go paint balling today anyways you should come with us.”  
“I’d rather not, not a fan of getting shot at.”  
“Then you signed the wrong contract.” Derrick tells her lightheartedly, and Iri just rolls her eyes while heading to the parking lot, leaving her handler behind. However, the man pursues her, refusing to let his cadet wallow two days before she was supposed to be at her best. “Trust me you’ll have fun.”

Five hours later

Iri absolutely hated paintball, and after today she was ninety percent sure she would erase her own memory of this so these memories would never remain in her mind… Now paintball itself wasn’t so bad, but paintball with CIA agents was terrible…. They brought a whole new definition to the word intense, and Iri hated it. She sat, glaring in Harrison’s blue Charger, covered in welts and several scrapes from where she ran into the equipment. Harrison however was beaming from ear to ear, having finally beaten Iri in a training session… Albeit impromptu, but a training session none the less. Derrick was about to say something, but Iri’s phone sounds in the tone they all recognize as Geoff’s. The fox ignores the tone, and turns to face her handler who is staring at her expectantly.   
“Are you going to answer that?”   
“No, he’s just going to yell at me… Anyways, are we done yet?”  
“Go for Harrison.” Harrison answers casually as he swipes the woman’s phone quickly despite the growl he receives from its owner. The pair had developed a sort of sibling style relationship, and Harrison loved to be the teasing older brother. “Yes… she’s right here… Uh, huh….Okay… Will do Geoff.” Harrison says while ending the call. “Dex is being reclusive, Felicia won’t talk, and Leo keeps biting his father.” Harrison reports causing Iri to sigh, and close her eyes in frustration.   
“I guess we’re done for today… Iri as always stop thinking with your heart and with your head.” Derrick coaches the woman, she was still trying to sacrifice herself when there was a good chance she didn’t need to. “Geoff won’t be around to heal you when you decide to take a bullet for Harrison.”  
“He has a point Iri, I don’t need to be saved and it would do you well to think more about saving yourself… You have a lot more to lose than I do.” Harrison reminds the woman, it wasn’t that he didn’t love her protectiveness but in the long run she needed to focus on herself a bit more… He had nothing to go home to, not even a fish but she had a family… a pack that loved her.  
“I will drive myself home, and I shall see you later.” Iri remarks solemnly as she exits the car and heads over to her own, a tear slipping free from her lids. Entering the vehicle she slams shut the door, and pounds the steering wheel in frustration…. ‘I hate this, I hate this, I hate you!’ Iri screams at herself through the rear view mirror. She didn’t want to go home to play Mommy, and pack mother… No she wanted to go to a bar, and drink until she couldn’t feel her limbs… and even Lexi was keen to that plan… For once she didn’t care about other people’s feelings and she didn’t care about consequences, not that she ever really did but right now she couldn’t care less about breathing if she tried. It couldn’t have taken her more than thirty minutes to get to a bar and Iri barely even thought as she entered the place… Her body on autopilot as she sat down and ordered several shots of absinthe. The first shot went down, and soon it was followed by another two before Iri just let herself be absorbed in the numbness she felt…. and god did it feel good, Iri couldn’t help the smirk that was lingering on her lips, for once she didn’t feel her nagging subconscious or Lexi asking her if this was the right thing to do… Or someone else begging for her attention, all she felt was a warming in her stomach, and a silence in her mind. As minutes ticked by she swapped her absinthe for Vodka, and Iri wasn’t sure how long she was sitting at the bar with a glass of vodka between her hands… She remembers how hesitant the bartender had been to give her that, but all it took was a few shakes of her tail and a little cleavage to win him over… stupid men she mutters in her mind. However, after glancing out a window she realizes that it was nearing seven o’clock… But as with most of her feelings right now she didn’t give a shit, and indifference felt wonderful… or maybe that was the alcohol? Iri wasn’t sure all she knew was that she didn’t give a fuck and when a fast song came on she didn’t hesitate to go dance to it. Her movements weren’t sloppy despite her intoxication level however, they were precise and well timed. Iri’s hips swaying with her arms high above her body, and moving as her hips did. She moves with no hesitation and dances with anyone who can match her pace, her eyes barely open as her hands fluffed out her hair playfully. Opening her blue eyes she catches a very familiar pair of green, and another blue... The blue were wearing a look of disappointment that Iri didn't care for as she cast him a flirtatious smile. The music slows slightly and her hips do as well, moving sensually with her tail flicking playfully.   
“Iridessa what are you doing here?” Geoff’s mildly angry tone asks as he meets his mate on the dance floor with Derrick by his side. The man had graciously allowed Geoff to use his tracking software that led him to a very, very drunk Iri. Iri doesn’t answer him choosing to ignore Geoff, and continue dancing. “Iridessa, I am speaking to you.”  
“...that’s the problem… Geoff I came here to be alone.” Iri grumbles as she feels Geoff hook his hands around her waist and bring them flush up against his. “I…”  
“You're being selfish, Kit.” Geoff mumbles quietly in her ears, and notices how the woman goes from being pliant in his grip to stiff and unyielding… She pulls from his arms, and works her way back to the bar where the bartender hands her, her glass as she takes a seat.   
“Miss is that man bothering you?” The bartender asks, his eyes darting to the older Alpha approaching the bar with another man not far behind.   
“No… Just top it off will you?”  
“Sure thing Darlin.” He says with an easy smile, and Iri can hear the low rumble in Geoff’s chest as he settles on a stool beside her.   
“Not every smile, is a flirtatious one.” Iri grumbles with a glare to the gent who is already sighing tiredly. “I...I just wanted…”  
“Kit, what did you want?” Geoff inquires softly as she rests her head on his nearby shoulder. “Tell Papa what you want.”  
“I...I just… I just wanted…. I….” Iri starts again, but trails off into her drink. Geoff says nothing as he works the glass free from her grip, and takes a sip himself. “Geoff, that’s.”  
“Christ, Iri how are you still on your feet?” Geoff grimaces at the taste of Ever-clear on his palate, and notices the glass was at least twelve ounces.   
“Lex, has been healing me a lot… but just enough.”  
“This man probably thinks you in-human.” Geoff teases her, and smiles when she does. “Are you finished Darling?”  
“Stop teasing me.” Iri snaps playfully, pouting her lip slightly, and stomping her foot when Geoff tugs her off the bar stool. “Geoff don’t you da.” Iri starts only to peter out into a giggle as her Alpha hefts her over his shoulder, and she just laughs.   
“Iri, I’m glad you're wearing shorts because those skimpy dresses of yours would be flashing the world.”  
“There… not that bad.”  
“Do you mean they’re?”  
“I’m drunk Geoff leave me alone.”  
“Kit did you drive?”  
“Yeah….Did you see Lopez 3.o?”  
“You named your car after RvB?”  
“No, but that brown car over there reminds me of him.” Iri states as she gestures to a brown Kia with her tail, and Geoff just sighs at her. “Put me down.”  
“Can you walk?”  
“... Mmm help me?” Iri inquires hesitantly as she wavers on her feet and Geoff just smiles as he pulls her into his side, and continues guiding her to his car. “Give Derrick your keys Kit.”  
“Okay… Derr-bear be gentle with Clovers… he’s delicate.” Iri states seriously as she uses her powers to fish out her keys and toss them to Derrick, who heads to find Iri’s car. Geoff guides his stumbling mate to his truck and watches her struggle to climb into the tall vehicle. Sighing quietly he walks to her side, and goes to help her but she snaps at him. “Geoff, I can do…. I can’t do this.”  
“I know, now let me help you.” Geoff says as he lifts the short woman easily, and smiles into a soft kiss he place on her cheek. After shutting the door and getting in himself, he finds Iri placing soft kisses on his neck. “Mmm you're distracting.”  
“Geoff, I just wanted to be alone… I just, I miss Scarlett and Gavin, and I’m nervous, and Miles was snappy over the phone, and Harrison was being a jerk, and I miss them.” Iri whines to Geoff who pulls her to rest on his thigh as he strokes her ears. “I don’t want to be a spy.”  
“I’m sorry Kit, but if it's any consolation I think you're a going to be a great one.” Geoff soothes as he pulls onto the road. Iri doesn’t say anything more, instead purring into Geoff’s soft touches and loving words. “I love you like a king loves his queen.”  
“I love you like Gwenivere loves Lancelot.”  
“I know, Tex.”  
“Shut up, Griff.”  
“Speaking of Griff, did you know that Leo calls Dex that sometimes?”  
“Mmhmm… he calls him it during games usually.” Iri murmurs sleepily into Geoff’s thigh as he drives them home. “Pull my tail Geoff.”  
“Like this?” Geoff inquires as he moves his hand from her head to the base of her tail, and begins tugging gently. He smiles at the way her body shifts so her hips are arching up and her forehead now rests on his jeans. “Iri, why don’t you go to sleep?”  
“Mmk… Just don’t… don’t go.” Iri begs softly into her mate’s jeans, and lowers her hips down. “I don’t mean to.”  
“Shh, just let Todd help you fall asleep… Shh Kit.” Geoff hushes the woman who nuzzles his thigh, and her words soon pan out into tiny purrs. “Good girl.” Geoff murmurs softly as he glances down to find the woman snoring contently on his thigh, her tail lying on the crook of his arm. The gent makes no move to move it as he turns onto the highway, it was about a thirty minute drive home.  
Home

Harrison sat on the couch reading a book to Dex and Felicia who were curled up on the burly Alpha whilst their parents cleaned up the kitchen. Leo was lurking over in the corner after being sentenced to stand there by his father after the seventh consecutive bite. Dex was purring sleepily with Felicia mimicking the sound as well, her eyes fluttering open and shut occasionally. Ray who had finished his task came in the living room to find Dex and Fel practically asleep on Harrison’s lap. Lifting his daughter up quickly, he reaches for Dex only to receive an angry growl from his lips.   
“I want my Momma.”  
“Dex, she’s not here right now. Come on, let’s go to bed Dexy.” Ray urges, but the boy only curls closer to Harrison causing the agent to smile and lift the boy up. “Thanks man… He’s a handful sometimes.”  
“Just like his mother I imagine.” Harrison states with a smirk as he follows the man to their bedroom where they lie the two children down, and tuck them in tightly. After closing the door gently they head back downstairs to find Michael talking in soft tones to a crying Leo.   
“Leo, your sister and Gavin will be home in seven days… now six.” Michael says his tone heavy with exhaustion, he can’t imagine what Gavin must be dealing with on his end… Scarlett was probably a blubbering mess.  
“Daddy, I miss her… I want Scarlett.” Leo cries softly into his father’s shoulder as the man scoops him up, rocking his son soothingly. “Daddy, where’s Mommy?”  
“She’s coming Buddy, she’s coming.” Michael assures his distraught son, they had been worried something like this might happen but Gavin had been insistent about his trip. About ten minutes after he says that Geoff enters through the front door with Iri in his arms sleeping peacefully and smelling of liquor… well more like reeking of liquor.”Hey Geoff… Where’d you finally find her, a liquor store?”  
“A bar actually.”  
“Alone?” Michael inquires, Iri never went to a bar by herself… like ever.  
“Yeah, she was drinking straight Everclear and dancing.”  
“Everclear? That’s fucking disgusting.”  
“She wanted to get drunk, and she wanted to forget… Everclear is good for that.” Harrison interjects quietly as he gestures to the sleeping woman. “Derrick has been rough on her lately… She’s just tired and alcohol always helps a person sleep.”   
“I have not been rough on her… it’s always been rigorous but she’s usually less fatigued when we trained. Geoff has she been sleeping well?”  
“No… not really. With Gavin and Scar leaving, she has been spending as much time as she can with them.” Geoff answers as he feels her shift in his arms, and slowly wake, a growl surfacing as her eyes blink open rapidly.  
“Mommy?”  
“...Leonard?... what… Harry?” Iri utters in confusion as she stands on her feet, and sees the boy reaching for her. Almost instinctively she lifts her son up, and begins to purr soothingly trying to comfort the distressed boy. “Harry, what are you doing here?”  
“We were having a barbecue tonight, remember?” Geoff says trying to jog the confused woman who only nods swiftly, accepting the information quietly and continuing to coo at her sleepy son. Iri says nothing more choosing to take her leave upstairs where she meets the worried eyes of Ryan and Ray. Pushing past them she takes her son to his room, and places him down beside Felicia. She leaves after placing kisses on their foreheads, and striding out silently; from there she heads to the bathroom, and proceeds to puke her guts out. The alcohol scorching her esophagus, and she was glad she hadn’t eaten anything yet today. After several painful bouts of vomiting she rests her head on the toilet seat and lets loose a string of curses that would put a sailor to shame… her mother was probably rolling in her grave… Iri doesn’t know why but that thought causes a laugh to fall from her burning lips, and it wasn’t just a soft chuckle but a full body laugh that has the men in the doorway watching her worriedly.   
“I am so fucked… so fucked it’s not even funny.” Iri comments to herself still unaware of the men listening to her, and after her laughter subsides Michael knocks softly on the open door. She shifts her gaze up, her eyes no longer dark and stormy rather lighter suggesting a mood change. “Uh… sup?”  
“You okay Lass?”  
“Just peachy Red… how was your barbecue?”  
“Pretty good, missed you though. Geoff’s meat was fucking delicious… as always.” Michael says to the nauseous woman who pukes into the toilet again.   
“You’ve always loved the taste… of.. his meat… Is… Harry gone?”  
“Yeah he just left after Derrick dropped off your car.”  
“Good, I was wondering… about Clovers.” Iri groans into the toilet bowl, and Michael places a cool washcloth on the back of her burning neck. “Thanks.”  
“No problem… So was it worth it?”  
“Yeah.” Iri admits quietly, causing a fair amount of surprise to be felt by Michael as he strokes her back gently. The rest of the group had dissipated leaving Iri and Michael alone in that bathroom as she pukes. “Though, I could do without this part.”  
“Iri, what were you drinking for?”  
“To have a good time?” Iri tries hoping her lie sounded more convincing than she thought it did, but judging by the sound of discontent he makes she knows it wasn’t.   
“You only binge drink in times of crisis.” Michael points out causing her to chuckle softly at the man’s deduction. “Don’t laugh you know it’s true.”  
“I laugh because you're right, and I... no matter how great I think I am it’s never good enough… Nothing is ever good enough, and it’s a hard pill to swallow.” Iri remarks, meeting Michael’s caring eyes with her own steely gaze. “I’m sorry… You know what alcohol does to me.”  
“Lass must you always be so down on yourself?”  
“... It.”  
“You know, Felicia has the same negative attitude as you do.”  
“I know… I know.” Iri nearly sobs into the toilet bowl, and curses herself for having not influenced their genetics more… She could have fucking made those kids superheroes, but for some reason Iri wasn’t so sure playing God was such a great plan. At some point she needed to draw the line, if not only for the sake of her humanity. “We’re working on that, and dance has done wonders for her confidence.”  
“Mhmm the way she glides across that stage with such grace… She’s a natural.” Michael comments with a smile as he takes Iri into his arms while leaning against the wall. “Feel better?”  
“Between you, alcohol, and my revelation I think I do.”  
“Well that’s good at least.”  
“Silver linings Michael, silver linings.” Iri murmurs into his shoulder, her eyelids fluttering slowly.  
“Let’s go to bed.”  
“I’m.. not even… tired.”  
“Humor me Vixen?”  
“You go.. I’ll catch up.” Iri purrs into his side, and untwines herself from him as he sighs quietly, leaving the woman alone in the bathroom. Once gone Iri pulls out her cell, shuts the door, and dials Burnie’s number, it rings maybe two times before her father picks up.   
“What’s up Princess?” Burnie asks pleasantly, but when he receives no answer from her he begins to worry. “Iri?”  
“Do you think Gavin is okay?”  
“I… I believe so. Princess that was a long time ago, I’m sure his father has changed.”  
“People never change, and you know it.”  
“Iri if you are worried, call him.”   
“I.. I don’t want to be 'that mate'.”  
“Then have Michael do it, he’ll be 'that mate' for you.”  
“Daddy.” Iri whimpers through the line causing Burnie to finally understand why she had called him. “Daddy please.”  
“I am not calling him, either man up or never know.” Burnie states as he hears her disappointed sigh from the other end. “Goodnight Princess.”  
“Night Dad.” Iri bids as he hangs up, and dials another number. “Papa.”  
“No, Iridessa.” She hears Burnie shout through the line. “Sorry Kiddo.” Joel apologizes as he hangs up quickly. At her parent’s refusal Iri lies against the wall pouting silently, and cursing herself for not being braver… What if he was in danger, and they needed her? What would she do? Jump on a plane to the U.K.? However, before she can continue cursing her lack of courage Geoff opens the door hesitantly to find his mate pouting.   
“Kit, Burnie texted me and told me to tell you to stop trying to get them to do your dirty work.” Geoff states causing the woman to continue cursing quietly, and sit there. “Are you coming to bed?”  
“Papa, I’m tired.” Iri says with her lips pouted cutely, and her arms reaching for Geoff like their children did when they were sleepy. “Carry me?”  
“Very well Kit.” Geoff sighs as he lifts her up easily, and notices how despite her training she was still light as a feather. “I wish you would put on weight.. . I can feel your ribs… and your abs.”  
“I’m healthy Papa… Fine.” Iri assures him before slipping under the blanket of sleep, and Geoff just places her down on the bed next to Michael. He works her clothing off her, and puts on one of Gavin’s shirts knowing she’d take comfort in his scent… Hopefully her dreams would be calm enough to allow her some sort of rest. After dressing her, he falls into bed beside her and pulls the covers over them. Nuzzling her neck he smiles when she purrs into Michael’s chest and grinds on the man’s knee resting between her bare thighs.   
“Geoff leave her be.” Ray scolds from the other side of the bed, the woman’s scent starting to hint at arousal. At the Latino’s request Geoff relents in his nuzzling and settles for laying his arm over the pair, letting it rest on Michael’s hip. The group falls asleep quickly, with worrisome thoughts of their mates across the ocean.


	106. Distress

The Next day  
London, England  
About Noon

Gavin and Scarlett landed around noon in England, and after grabbing their bags they get on the train heading to his town. Scarlett at first had been excitedly staring out the windows, but now she was resting in her father’s arms sleeping peacefully. Poor thing was jet-lagged beyond belief and no matter how excited she was her body demanded sleep. Leaving Gavin alone with his thoughts, Lance still wasn’t speaking to him choosing to lurk in the back of his mind warily… though he was waiting for an inevitable fallout that only he knew would come. As the train zipped passed the rolling hills of the english countryside Gav had to fight the urge to call his mates and beg to come home. See as the train grew ever closer to their destination Gavin felt his courage wavering. What was he thinking? He should have just told his parents to sod off, and if they wanted to meet their granddaughter they could shove it. What made him think they would act any different to his precious baby girl than they had him?

2 p.m

The train finally made it’s way to his stop, and Gavin was practically radiating regret at this point. Scarlett was not fairing much better and the loss of her siblings had sunken in leaving her a whimpering mess as Gavin carried her and their luggage; his patience beginning to run thin and it wasn’t until someone practically bowled him over on the platform did Gavin succumb to the stress. He sat in the middle of the walkway, tears streaking down his face and Scarlett crying hysterically into his shoulder, passerby’s weaving around them not bothering to help the crying pair. Gavin isn’t sure how long he sits there before he feels a worried hand on his shoulder, and the scent of coffee and mint fills his nostrils; looking up he sees Dan’s caring mocha eyes staring back at him offering a helping hand.   
“B, what are you doing down there?” Dan asks with concern as he watches his friend slowly stand up and embrace him. After pulling back he spies the child now currently curling into his pant’s leg, her eyes puffy and red from crying, lips still quivering. “Hello, Lass. Now who might you be?” The man asks his tone light as he stoops down to her level to meet her turquoise eyes, and he couldn’t help but be reminded of Gavin when he saw her.   
“Dan this is Scarlett, mine and Iri’s daughter.” Gavin explains to his friend who merely smiles brightly at the child looking to him with tear-filled eyes.   
“Lass, what’s the matter? Hmm has your father seen a spider?” Dan jests lightly causing the girl to smile slightly and wrap her arms around his neck tightly. “Oooh, she’s a strong one… Are you sure she’s yours?”  
“Oye, spiders are terrifying and you know that you nob.” Gavin comments as his friend lifts Scarlett up and grabs one of their duffels.   
“You realize I’ve been shot right?”  
“Whatever Army man.” Gavin scoffs, he can’t help but be reminded of the time he died however, decides to keep that piece of information to himself… Dan didn’t need to know that, the man worried about him enough as is. He was the closest thing to family Gavin had on this side of the world.  
“Come along Lass, the car awaits.” Dan says to Scarlett who rests her head on his shoulder, taking comfort in the Alpha scent she found there… It was nothing compared to Papa Geoff, but it was still nice in it’s own way. The trio makes their way to Dan’s car and from there they head to the man’s small two bedroom house. By the time they do Scarlett is snoring on the backseat, and Gavin is slumbering in the passenger’s seat. “B, hey B, Gav wake up we’re here.”  
“No… Go away Dan.”  
“Come on Gavino up you hop, Lass are you up?”  
“Yes Uncle Dan, I’m still tired.” Scarlett answers sleepily as she blinked herself awake slowly, and hops out of the car. She waits patiently for her father to rouse himself, and when he does they grab the luggage to head into the house. Dan leads them to his spare bedroom, and smiles at the way the pair curls up on the bed. Once they were settled under the covers Dan shuts the door, and heads to his living room to kill some time while the pair nap. 

Several hours later

Dan was in the middle of a skype call with a few of his squad mates when he hears the sound of Gavin’s phone vibrating from the kitchen counter. Bidding his friends goodbye he dashes to grab the phone, and answers it.  
“Hello, Gavin’s phone.”  
“Dan? Dan where’s Gavin?” A woman’s worried voice inquires and Dan recognizes this as Iri… Unless Gavin had another woman in his life… “Dan where is he?” He hears the edge in her voice, it was stern and unnerving coated in desperation.   
“No need to worry Doll, he’s just resting with Scarlett… They were pretty tuckered out when I found them at the station.” He assures the woman who makes a small sound that he couldn’t quite decipher. It was mix between relief and anxiety… an interesting mix. “Doll?”  
“My name is Iridessa stop calling me Doll.” Iri snaps over the line. Dan is mildly surprised by her resistance, and chalks it up to her worry for her child and mate. He’d never met her perse, but from the way Gavin described her she was exquisite in both nature and beauty.  
“Very well Iridessa, would you like me to tell him you called?” Dan asks when he notices the woman’s hesitance to speak more, he doesn’t notice Gavin who has awoken and is rubbing his eyes sleepily. “Oh actually he’s right here… Gav, Iri is on the phone.”  
“Love!” The man purrs excitedly as he grabs his phone from Dan and disappears out back to talk to her leaving Dan smirking after him, his tiredness soon forgotten. Turning back to his T.V. which had been playing the news was droning on about the upcoming dignitary’s ball that was supposed to help settle conflicts in Europe. Gavin comes back after several moments and swipes the remote from Dan to change the channel to another news station, and his eyes are glued to the screen. Shifting his eyes up his gaze is caught on a gorgeous redhaired woman waving to the camera with a flirtatious smile, her evening gown was sapphire and fit her excellently. Her hair was curled in large ringlets to one side, and a sparkly snowflake keeping the ringlets together while her bangs were framing her slender face. Dan could smell the sudden arousal in the air and turns to see Gavin nearly drooling at the screen.   
“B?”  
“She’s going to be my wife one day.” Gavin tells Dan with a smirk causing the Alpha to cock his head in confusion. “Dan that’s Iridessa…” Gavin trails off meeting Dan’s disbelieving gaze with a confident look. “Scar who is that on the screen?” He asks his daughter who had wandered over after using the bathroom. Scarlett stares at the tv for a few brief seconds before gasping in recognition.   
“Momma! Momma looks so pretty! Poppa she’s stunning!” Scarlett chatters excitedly as she watches her mother look directly into the camera and blow a kiss as though she knew they were watching. She can’t help the tears that threaten to fall as she sits down on the sofa beside her father. However, taking a deep breath she wills them away and focuses on her mother gliding away from the entrance way by Uncle Harrison. “I… I wish… I’m sure Papa Geoff is fuming at home.”  
“Oh, I know he is.”  
“B?”  
“Yeah Dan?” Gavin answers curiously as he hears his friend still floundering at this sudden revelation.   
“Who was that man by her side?”   
“Harrison, why?”  
“Why are they at that ball?”  
“...”  
“Poppa, what’s wrong?... Uncle Dan, Momma is a spy and Harrison is her partner. Dexy has really great hearing as a fox.” Scarlett tells him with absolutely no hesitation whatsoever, and Gavin just balks at her. “Oh.. Oh was that a secret?.. Oh Poppa, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was a secret, Poppa I.”  
“A spy?” Dan mutters in confusion. “Like actual espionage?”  
“Yeah, and that man with her is her partner… I’m going to be married to a sexy spy, and all you’ve got is your hand.” Gavin gloats to his still speechless friend, who is staring at the screen like he’s seen a ghost. “Dan what’s wrong?”  
“That man you call Harrison… He died saving me in Afghanistan, from an I.E.D… I.. I saw his body blown to bits.” Dan stammers to his friend who is still in shock.  
“Harry was just at the house last time we were there… Are you sure it’s the same man?”  
“You don’t forget the man who saved you from a burning humvee Gav, you never forget that.” Dan says seriously, his face still trained on the pair walking towards a set of stairs and into the actual event.  
“Poppa what is he talking about?”  
“.... How could he…”   
“Gavin, I have no clue but when you see him next… You need to thank him for me, thank him for everything.”   
“Of course Dan, of course… Do you know what an Apex Predator is?”  
“I do, Harrison was one of them. Why?”   
“Because.”  
“B, I already knew that. I take it Iri is one as well, and that would make you my sweet little Lass one as well.” Dan deduces perfectly causing Gavin to squawk in surprise. “Gav, you smell different.. you smell presented and not only in a Omega way, but rather a.. well I don’t know how to explain it, but you smell right… finally.”  
“Poppa what are you guys talking about?”  
“Scar, something that I will explain to you when you are older.”  
“Okay… what’s for dinner?” Scarlett asks, and Gavin just sighs while looking at his phone it was about ten at night here, so roughly four in the afternoon in America which begged the question why was the ball being held so early? As though Dan read his mind he gestures to the bottom of the screen where it states the meeting was being held in Marseille, France.   
“Do you think she’ll come visit you before she heads back?” Dan inquires and Gavin just shrugs, he wasn’t sure but it was comforting to know that if he called she could be here in an hour or two with the way Lexi flew. “Also for future reference don’t tell people about her job, B.”  
“What? It’s just you Dan, and besides who are you going to tell?”  
“...B, just don’t tell anyone okay? It just makes her job harder… Does she have an operative name?”  
“Yeah, but it’s a secret.”  
“Sod off Gav, what’s her operative name?”  
“Daphne, it’s her real name.”  
“Her real name?”  
“Long story Dan, I’ll tell you on the way to get dinner.” Gav states as he lifts Scarlett up, and Dan grabs his keys to head into the city to get something to eat.


	107. I need him... I need him more than I ever realized.

Lexi  
Marseilles, France

Lexi stared anxiously as she hid in the courtyard as a minuscule fox, crouched behind a stone pillar and listening to a pair of well dressed guests talk politely about some business they had to attend to... Ominous, but then again everything they seemed to be apart of these days were ominous... Just part of the job she supposed. Lexi wasn’t sure what their business was, but it involved an astonishing amount of code words that she was relaying back to Iri. 

Iri 

Harrison spun Iri elegantly to the orchestral music of a basic waltz, and he watches his partner stare into his eyes; her gaze a thoughtful one. After first he says nothing, choosing to continue swaying along to the gradually slowing music, and keep a watchful eye on the party guests around them making sure to keep his distance and every so often tapping into the link Lexi would give him. It isn’t till he notices Iri’s eyes blink rapidly, and her eyes refocus on him does he begin to wonder what she found out.  
“Tex?” Harrison whispers curiously into her ear, hoping to get in on whatever she knew. “Tex, what’s she got?”  
“It seems Czech Republic, and Bolivia have… York, I’m not sure they keep saying the words militia, dictator, and mobilize.”  
“Tex, we’re here for Russian Intel, nothing else. Tell Lexi to come back, we need to find Puttin.” Harrison orders gently and Iri does as he asks feeling the fox snap back into her mind. Iri says nothing as the pair sway in time with the music, and right as Harrison is about to say something he feels Iri pulled from his hands by another man. She can’t even question her attacker before Iri is shepherded from the dance floor, and the safety of Harrison’s arms as well. Her senses were assaulted by the smell of chloroform, but no cloth to be felt; turning to face him she is met with the eyes of a man Derrick had warned her of… Nikolai Zorin, the Russian operative. He was known in the business as a fearsome killer with a single jagged scar over his left carotid artery, but other than that handsome enough to woo most women… She didn’t know what his powers were only that he was a snake hybrid, and that one bite from him was lethal enough to kill. Nikolai whisks the fox away to the hotel section of the venue, and he watches with a smirk as she weakly tried to tug away from him once in the elevator.  
“Hmm not yet Kotik, now tell me what’s a vixen like you doing in a place like this?” Nikolai begins to question, but Iri continues her struggling causing a sigh to be sounded from his lips. “Kotik, let’s do this the easy way… Now tell me what are you doing here?”  
“Dancing.” Iri states taking on a french accented voice, she didn’t know what this man knew and with the scent clouding their minds it would take Lexi a little longer to break through… Hopefully Harrison was on his way in case things decided to get physical.  
“Cut the act American, I know what you are. I’ve seen you working towards my leader all night, what are you searching for?”  
“What’s it to you Nikolai?” Iri quips in a childish manner that causes the elder spy to chuckle as he guides her from the elevator to a nearby room where she’s shoved roughly into a chair, and her limbs tied down. Despite her resistance Iri finds herself tied down, and a hand caressing her cheek. His touches reminded her of Erik and she had to physically fight the urge not to vomit in disgust, Lexi assured her that she almost made it into his mind all she needed was time. And Iri could give Lex time, hell all she had to do was keep this guy… judging by his overall pompous attitude she doubted it would even be a challenge.  
“Like a babe in the streets, you know nothing of the game you're playing… Now what are you searching for?” Nikolai asks in a threatening tone, Iri wasn’t sure at what point he grabbed a knife, but now she felt the cold bite of steel against her cheek, a thin cut was made as he trailed it down her throat at her silence. “I will not ask you again Kotik.”  
“The fountain of youth.” Iri spits at him with enough venom to keep him from thinking he’d won just yet, and grits her teeth as the knife slices down her neck, though only through the first layer of epidermis… Easy to heal, and Iri did so as he continued to trail down to Geoff’s mating scar. At first the man doesn’t appear to notice it but as the blood wells up and smears the makeup she specifically placed there to hide it. The man says nothing as he wipes at the skin and sees the dark, claiming mark… A chuckle falls from his lips as he wonders what else his intel had missed about this woman, oh well he supposed… Information is always best learned first hand.  
“Kotik, you truly are foolish aren’t you?” Nikolai states as he plunges the blade into her upper arm and dragging down in hopes of gaining a reaction from the woman, but only receives a dulled groan that has the man growling in frustration. “Tell me Tex, what would your mate think of you now?”  
“Well I’d be pretty damn proud of her, Nik if you could kindly step aside.” Harrison snaps as he busts through the door, and dual wielding M-9 Berettas. “Tex?”  
“I’m fine, Lexi got what she needed.” Iri informs her partner who smirks at the snake hissing angrily at him. Using her powers she rips the blade from her arm and cuts herself free as Harrison enters the room, his guns pointed and cocked at Nikolai who stood baffled by vixen’s sudden change. Her demeanor which was once angry turns into a cool, calculated one as she rights herself and looks to her energetic partner. “York, let’s go.”  
“Aw can’t I at least put one in him?”  
“No, let’s go.” Iri commands sternly as she raises a fist and tosses Nikolai against the hotel wall, knocking him unconscious. Harrison merely sighs in defeat before uncocking his guns, and slipping them back in his jacket while offering Iri an arm. She rolls her eyes while ignoring his offer, and exits the room with him not far behind. “Are we done?”  
“Derrick she’s got it… Uh-huh… Minimal damage… To her at least.” Harrison relays to their handler from his ear piece, and looks over to see Iri picking at her now blood-crusted neck with bored eyes. She had allowed herself to ‘fall’ under the snake’s spell, and while Lexi had been working information free from the man she’d been keeping him occupied on the outside. After exiting the venue through the back they take a cab to the docks, and from there step onto the boat that would take them to the Aircraft carrier that housed their helicopter. Harrison still wearing his triumphant smirk says nothing as he glances back to see the vixen dropping her dress, and changing into something far less glamorous… “What team is it this week?”  
“It’s Gav’s, Crystal Palace I think… Sounds like a narcotic.” Iri states with a nonchalant shrug, and pulls the clip from her hair, letting her curls fall loosely around her head as she pulls on a pair of black leggings. After donning the dark blue sweater she sits beside Harrison up in the front of the speed boat and looks up to the sky to see the moon in a crescent shape.  
“Eh, never cared for soccer much… More of a football fan.”  
“Spoken like a true American.” Iri teases, a thought nagging in the back of her mind, but she quells it quickly.   
“Tch, spoken like a woman.” Harrison tosses back as Iri uses her powers to steer the boat while the man changed into a pair of jeans and a giants sweatshirt, he chances a glance to his companion who seems to be in a thoughtful mood tonight. “Tex, what’s up with you lately? It’s like you're here, but not.”  
“Nothing… where’s the med kit?” Iri asks changing the subject and Harrison shakes his head as they pull up to the large ship. “We don’t have one?”  
“No, I forgot to grab one after my last mission. Just wait till we get on the boat, Derrick will want intel as they stitch you up.” Harrison tells the somber woman, who says nothing more before Lexi appears nearby as a dragon and Iri mounts her swiftly. “Where are you going?”   
“No where, my shoulder hurts and I don’t feel like climbing.” Iri states tiredly as Lexi snags Harrison’s arm and flies him up with them after tying the boat off. They land expertly on the deck, but is met by several assault rifles pointed at their faces. Her mood was foul and when she sees the weaponry Iri wastes no time in violently ripping the weapons from their grips and casting them uselessly to the side, using her powers easily she creates a pathway through the soldiers. She strides past them an icy glare on her lips, and straight to the commander who wears a welcoming smile.   
“Tex, York back so soon?”  
“Yes, it went exceptionally well.”  
“Derrick is waiting for you in the conference room, he’s on line one.” The captain tells the woman who wears an expression of curtness while her partner was grinning happily beside her and following close behind her, giving the captain of the ship a salute. Following Iri with complete confidence they wind up in a simple navy adorned conference room: a large round table, an office phone, a laptop, and a large T.V screen displaying the United State’s seal on it. Harrison plants himself down in one of the chairs, and pushes a button on the laptop that displays Derrick back at Predators Labs as Iri grabs the med kit that one of the privates had handed to her before she dismissed him with a nod. Sitting down at the table she pulls off the hoodie, and opened the necessary supplies to stitch the stab wound. It was about six inches in length and Iri was surprised it wasn’t worse by the way Nikolai had drug the blade through her skin. Disinfecting the wound with a bottle of vodka, and takes a swig herself before passing it to Harrison who takes a swig as well. She listens to Derrick ramble about something, and Harrison explain what they learned but her thoughts were still stuck on Gavin and Scarlett. Iri hoped that they were okay, that they were eating well and Gav remembered to kiss her goodnight for her, and that they were safe… and.  
“Burns?... Hey earth to Burns.” Harrison interjects her quiet anxiety attack, and the woman merely shifts her cold gaze to meet his light hearted one. “Derrick asked you a question.”  
“I’m sorry, what?”  
“Did Nikolai hurt you?”  
“No, nothing that won’t heal in a week or two… Less when Geoff sees it. Do you have everything you need?” Iri asks, her tone mimicking the worry she felt in her mind, but not her body language which would suggest restlessness. Harrison knew his partner was a hard read sometimes, but right now she was nearly impossible. Usually she was bright, her tail flitting, and her lips curled into a smile but right now her lips were drawn tight and her eyes dark. Now her lips suggested anger as did her tone, but her tail dancing anxiously behind her said worry and he guessed her eyes were dark from anxiety as well… Though he wasn’t sure why, they’d been successful.. She should be happy, but perhaps she was still worried about Gavin and Scarlett.   
“Yes, I have what I need. Excellent job Burns, and to you as well Harrison… Though that was nothing surprising given the amount of work you two put in. I’ll see you in a few hours. Sheorn out.” Derrick praises the pair with a smile before clicking the end button leaving the pair in an uneasy silence. Harrison offers the woman the bottle who takes it gladly, and coats her finished stitches in one last cleansing bath before placing a bandage on it. He hands her the discarded hoodie, and then offers her a hand after she puts it back on. She takes it hesitantly and he leads her to a bed.   
“Why don’t you sleep for a little while, I know how you much using your powers like that tires you out.” Harrison offers with grin, and Iri just smiles but shakes her head in no.   
“We.. we should get back.”  
“Nah, I’ll call Derrick back. He’ll understand.”  
“.... thanks York.”  
“Eh, don’t get used to it Tex… Sleep good, I’ll be in the Rec room.”  
“Be careful, keep wooing to the minimum… I don’t want to have to come save your ass from Sailors.” Iri warns her rambunctious companion who just rolls his eyes as he exits leaving Iri alone to rest. She settles down on the bed, and stares up blankly at the ceiling her thoughts wandering back to Dex and the confession he’d told her a few weeks ago… She hoped the boy would never had to kill again, and she prayed to whatever deity would listen that he never would have to… Not that they had ever listened before, but perhaps this time they would. With that last thought she allows Lexi to usher her under the familiar blanket of sleep. 

A few hours later

Harrison wanders back to the room wondering if Iri had actually fallen asleep, or if she was just staring at the ceiling with that somber look of hers. About four feet from the room he hears a blood curdling scream, and acting on instinct he rushes into the room to find his partner wide eyed and shaking, tears streaming down her face.  
“Burns?... Burns are you.”  
“I’m fine, Harrison.” Iri shouts angrily as she calms herself, and focuses on her breathing. She needed to calm down or she was going to be like this all night, and that wasn’t something she wanted Harrison to see. However, Harrison already saw it and Iri didn’t know it but he understood how she felt… He was no stranger to the harshness of reality, and the pain of being left alone to deal with it. Sitting down on the bed he isn’t surprised by the way Iri curls into his side, and he offers his partner a soothing rumble in his chest. It was nothing compared to her Alphas, but it was sweet of him to try… and Iri appreciated that immensely. “Can… Can you take me to Gavin?”  
“I can.”  
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah.” Harrison responds with a kiss to her forehead and pulls her to stand beside him. He leads her to a helipad, and after strapping in the pair take off towards Oxfordshire, England.


	108. Taken

Gavin and Scarlett  
Gavin’s Parents House  
Noon

Scarlett could feel something wrong with her father when her grandfather hugged him as they entered the house, and it became even worse when her grandmother entered the small living room where they sat… Their contemptuous stares, and disapproving eyes told a story that Scarlett didn’t want to hear. Scarlett had never been so unwelcomed in her life, and she no longer had any doubt in her mind that these people were every bit as horrible as Lance had warned her about. She wished her mother was here to tell them to off, or Dex because he’d have no problem doing it… He got every bit of their mother’s fiercity and had absolutely no problem using it. Curling closer to her father she whimpers softly into his side, trying to draw him from his thoughts. Scar didn’t know what they were, but by the fear his eyes portrayed they must have been horrendous and it became more and more unsettling as the minutes ticked by.   
“Poppa let’s go back to Uncle Dan’s.” Scarlett urges her father, ignoring the way her grandfather clears his throat angrily.   
“Scarlett, two adults are talking. Don’t be rude… Gavin, is this what kind of person you’ve raised your daughter to be… I always knew you were a bloody duffer, and it’s no surprise that she is as well.” He states with a disappointed growl as the man stands up, and grabs his son by the hair forcing him to meet his fearsome gaze. Gavin can say nothing as his father hurls insults at him merely flinching at each harsh word. “Mingey, gormless Omega.” Is the last thing Gavin hears before a knock is sounded at the door, and his father cocks his head in confusion. His mother exits the room to come back with Iridessa wearing an angry lipped snarl.  
“Let go of him.” Iri demands harshly her tail lashing and her ears pinned back in anger; the Alpha in question scoffs at the woman before releasing his son.   
“And who are you to tell me what to do to my son.” The man snarls, meeting Iri fearlessly even as the woman’s tail lashes and her ears point down angrily. “Mary take Scarlett in the other room while I deal with these Omegas.”  
“You will take my daughter no where! Scar, Gav let’s go.” Iri states as she lifts a shaking Scarlett into her arms, and pulls her lanky mate to her side with an outstretched hand. The trio exits the house quickly unaware of one of the men following them.  
“Gavin,” He shouts causing Iri to stop and the group turns to face the Alpha. “don’t bother coming back, and keep that worthless child of yours away as well!” He finishes bitterly, a slap is felt on Iri’s face but she just continues on, and Iri can feel how the pair continue to shake in her arms. Tugging them gently towards Dan’s house, or at least the last known house Harrison had known was Dan’s with a soothing purr on her lips. It can’t take more than ten minutes before she finds the small house, no car in the driveway, and the door locked. Flipping the lock quickly she ushers them inside and that is when the pair truly begin to break down. Scarlett breaks into ragged sobs as does her father.   
“Shhh, I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry Gavin, and Scarlett. He is wrong, so terribly wrong, and awful… He’s just an awful person. You aren’t worthless Scar, and Gavin you don’t need them… You have us, and Burnie loves you like a father so don’t even worry about it… Shh.” Iri tells them trying to comfort the distraught pair, and succeeds only minimally when Scarlett stops sobbing to meet her mother’s loving gaze.   
“Lancelot was right, they’re horrible.” Scarlett declares to her mother who nods in agreement as her father continues to sob into Iri’s shoulder. “Poppa, I’m sorry… Poppy and Pappy think you're amazing, and so do we, and we love you… so… so forget them, you don’t need them.” Scar says to her father who does naught, but cry and this is when Iri puts her down to heft Gavin up. Iri was sure it looked ridiculous but this is how she gets him to the spare bedroom, she lies down with him sobbing into her arms, and Scarlett grabs her mother’s phone leaving them alone. She dials the first number she can think of, and waits for the other to pick up.

The Ramsey house

Dex heard the house phone ring about three times before he decides to get it, Ryan and his Dad were out leaving just Michael and Ray in charge. They were outside with his brother and sister while he was painting in his mother’s studio. After sprinting out of the room and grabbing a receiver he answers it to find a frantic Scarlett on the other end.   
“Papa Geoff, my Poppa is crying and now Momma is crying too and I.. Uncle Dan isn’t here, and I don’t know what to do.” Scarlett rambles, assuming it was Geoff on the phone only to hear Dexter’s worried voice filter through.  
“Why is your Dad crying?” Dex asks his panicked sister who sounds like she might as well start crying. “Scar, why are they crying?”  
“Because Poppa’s dad is an asshole, and he called us worthless, and he called Poppa so many awful things Dexy… Dexy, I want to come home. I want to snuggle on the couch with you and the others while Daddy Ryan tells a story, and… this place is absolutely horrible.” Scar sobs into the receiver as her brother listens quietly. “I want to come home.”  
“Scar, shhh don’t cry… Tell me… Tell me about Uncle Dan.” Dex says trying to get his sister to think about something else. “Does he have any pets?”  
“N..no… No, and he’s really nice… He gave me this weird U.K. candy that Poppa loves, honestly I think it’s gross.” Scar tells her brother who chuckles over the line, and she cocks her head at this; her tone turns to a growl at Dex’s sudden giggle. “What’s so funny Dex?”  
“Scar… stop Rapa!”  
“Hello?” Ryan’s voice asks as he continues tickling Dex while picking up the phone. “Dex who were you talking to?”  
“Daddy Ryan!” Scarlett cheers loudly through the line causing Ryan to smile on his end.   
“Hello Scarlett, how’s the visit going?”  
“Terrible, these people are nothing like Poppy and Pappy, or Pawpaw and Nana! I hate this place, Momma and Poppa won’t stop crying, and I want to come home.” Scarlett declares to Ryan who stops tickling Dex, and stands up to leave but the boy shakes his head.   
“Don’t tell Papa, he’ll be mad and worried.” Dex whispers quickly to Ryan who purses his lips, but remains in the room and sits down on a chair. The boy trots over and reaches for the gent as he listens to Scarlett’s tale, picking him up he can’t believe the things Scarlett is telling him, and he feels his anger rising with each word.  
“And he hit Momma.”  
“He did what?” Ryan growls in a questioning tone, and that is when Geoff enters the room to find Ryan raging into the phone.  
“Poppa’s dad slapped her, and.”  
“Scar put your mother on the phone now.” Ryan demands as he taps his head, silently telling Geoff to use his powers to catch up, and when he does Dex notices his father’s eyes narrow in anger. It can’t be more than a few moments before Scar speaks again, but it isn’t Scarlett rather a deeper voice… a more Russian voice.  
“So this is the Kotik’s sweet daughter… hmm I assumed Harrison was her mate, but I take it that he isn’t.” The voice conjectures into the line, and Ryan feels his blood run cold at the new voice. This voice was sinister and dark, and it made Godric itch to kill it.  
“Who are you and what do you want?” Ryan asks causing the Russian to chuckle, he can hear Scarlett’s scared whimper in the background. “Don’t hurt her.”  
“I won’t, but tell your mate this isn’t over yet… Tell her that she hasn’t even scratched the surface.” The voice states before the line goes dead, and leaving Scarlett alone with the man. She tried to scream, but the smell of the room was making her sleepy and the man merely smiles at her. “Shh sweet one, just sleep now.”   
Several hours later 

Iri awoke to shaking, and Harrison’s worried voice.  
“York?... York what’s wrong?”  
“Tex get your stuff and get theirs too, Nikolai was here which means we need to go.” Harrison states to the dazed woman, who was nodding and already on her feet. “Ryan called me, he said he had Scarlett but she’s fine, she’s sleeping in the living room.”  
“..What? How did he find us?”  
“I don’t know, but right now we need to go.” Harrison urges as he throws a pair of duffels at her, and turns to where Iri is lifting Gavin like a child. “There’s a taxi waiting for us, ready?”  
“Get Scarlett, I’ll grab everything else.” Iri tells the man who exits the room to grab her daughter, and right as they’re leaving Dan enters the house, several bags of food in his hand.   
“Doll?” Dan murmurs when he sees Gavin still sleeping on the woman’s shoulder, and the man he thought dead standing beside her. “Har…Harrison?”  
“Sup mate?” Harrison says in his flawless British accent, he remembered this man from a mission he had to complete many years ago. They had been friends, and Derrick had made his exit quite violent if he remembered correctly… A Humvee exploding, and a burnt up body in his stead… Derrick always had a flair for dramatics. “I trust you're doing well?”  
“Yeah.. Uh..”  
“D, I would love to stay and chat but we’ve really got to go… Lovely to see you again though.” Harrison says cutting off the bumbling man, he watches as Iri places Gavin down in the seat, kisses Scarlett’s forehead, and looks to him with one of those looks he knew all too well. “Tex what are you thinking?”  
“York, go with them. Keep them safe, and whatever you do don’t tell Geoff.”  
“Tex, Tex don’t do this.”  
“Huh, that’s funny York… You telling me what to do, but uh seriously don’t tell Geoff.” Iri says with one last flippant smile before shoving Harrison into the car and forcing the driver to go. She used her powers in such a way that the driver wouldn’t stop until they reached their destination or he was dead. Iri can already feel the lashing she would receive from Geoff when she got home for this stunt, but after Erik she was never one for the game of cat and mouse. So with that she turns to a floundering Dan, who still stood in shock at the scene that befell him. “Dan shut your mouth, you’ll catch flies in it.” Iri teases trying to break the man of his dumbfounded stare, it was honestly becoming rather annoying. ‘Lex, how do you supposed he tracked me?’  
‘.... Perhaps he placed something on that knife before he stabbed you with it?’  
‘Mmm I didn’t think about that, I thought he hacked the tracker Derrick put in me… Speaking of which can we disable that?’ Iri asks the fox mentally as they begin walking down the side of the street, she had no idea where to go but this felt like the correct way. As she strolled down the lane, she felt a presence lurking behind her, and turning swiftly she is met with the very man she’d been looking for. However, before a single word can be said or a thought had a bite is felt on her flesh and a dizziness descends upon her, casting her body in a haze that no amount of fighting would clear. Pushing free of the man’s grasp she stumbles several steps before succumbing to the poison, he reaches down to grab the fallen vixen a smirk on his lips.  
“Kotik, you have no idea of the game you're playing…” Nikolai states, his tone fading into a chuckle at the woman’s foolishness. The foxes were always his favorite to catch because usually they had high resistance and tolerance for pain which made torture far more enjoyable on his end, but eventually he would wear them down and this one would be the same.


	109. The Squadron Fate Forgot, Iri's Greatest Folly, and Geoff's Somber Misconception

Somewhere, sometime later

Iri awoke with a pounding in her head, and a piece of bread being shoved at her lips. Turning her head to the side she notices her current surroundings. The walls were stone, and the only light was cast by a torch on the side of the wall, very medieval dungeon-like. She attempts to move her arms only to feel the familiar weight of iron clasped around them, her ankles stuck in a similar bondage. Blinking rapidly she allows her eyes to adjust and sees the face before her one she knew. It was Nikolai which wasn’t all that surprising given the circumstances, but why was he trying to give her bread? Growling suddenly she lunges forward at the man, testing the strength and length of her bonds as well as her own muscles. It was something Derrick had consistently warned her about, always know your limits and predicaments.   
“So feisty still? I would have thought after a week of torture you’d be exhausted.” He states as he picks up the piece of fallen bread and offers it again to her only to see it rebuked. “Very well, it’s good bread though.” Nikolai mumbles with a shrug as he begins to eat it. He watches the vixen stare at him with her calculated look, it hadn’t changed in a week her resistance was admirable but beginning to become frustrating. So far he had learned nothing other than perfect square roots, and the lyrics to many American songs… Which wasn’t what he was looking for, and soon his superiors would begin demanding answers or his head.   
“Fuck you, and the pony you rode in on.” Iri spits at the snake, her mouth was dry so it wasn’t very effective but the venom was still there, and in her mind that was all that counts.   
“Kotik, you know I will get the answers I seek one way or another so why not make this easier on yourself and just give them to me?” Nikolai purrs soothingly, hoping to persuade the Omega to yield to him. He believed the Americans had a phrase for this, ‘You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.’ “Just give me something before I truly have to get violent.”  
“Fuck. You.” Iri snarls while shifting in the cuffs, breaking a hand free she uses her powers to toss him against a stone wall roughly and breaks free from the rest of her bonds. Searching his mind swiftly she finds a floor map, and a weapon's depot that would be enough to get her out of here. After chaining the man up and gagging him she grabs several knives and his pistol before opening the door an inch to check on the outside. She goes to ask Lexi what she sees, but then remembers sending the fox home right before she’d been knocked out. They had a contingency plan that if she ever got into a situation like this Lexi was to assume Iri’s form, and continue on till she returned. Hopefully Lexi had stuck to the plan, but who was she kidding Todd probably figured it out by now. With that thought nagging her mind she stealthily walked down the hallways making sure to keep her feet light and movements quiet in the echoey stone prison. She runs down the hallway and takes out two guards standing at the weapon’s room. Entering the room she finds it empty and begins donning the appropriate attire as well as weaponry, once outfitted well enough she heads back out and up the nearby staircase which led to the a vast wintery landscape. There were trees everywhere and snow was falling from the sky. Wasting no time she takes off into the woods heading for the nearest clearing she could find, so Derrick’s tracker could find her. Iri didn’t expect the result to be instantaneous, but this way he could have Harrison and his squad come find her… all she had to do was survive till then… Perhaps it was be time to call Lexi back.

Lexi 

Lexi had been drawing in Iri’s art studio, and being as reclusive as possible this whole week; she was hoping that Iri came home soon because Geoff was beginning to get angry at her. Iri had tried to coach the fox through acting like her, but it never seemed to work quite right and left all parties involved suspicious especially Geoff. However, before she can continue that thought a knock is sounded on the door and she feels a familiar tugging that made her sigh in relief. Thinking quickly she disappears out of the open window and then dissipates into the air. She feels herself reform in her mistress’s mind in the middle of a fire fight.  
‘Mistress!’  
‘Hey… Lex, I need your help. I can’t take much more of this, can you find Harrison?’ Iri greets the fox warmly, but she had several gun shots and exhaustion was beginning to wear her down… Plus she was on her last clip to make matters about ten times worse. Iri hadn't taken stock of all her wounds yet she was using adrenaline and her powers to keep herself stable, but that was only going to last so long.   
‘He’s on his way, but helicopters only fly so fast…. You're lucky he isn’t farther away.’  
‘Wh… where is he?’ Iri asks while switching position and using her powers to fire rocks like bullets at her enemies.   
‘On the east coast of Turkey, it’s going to take some time Mistress.’  
‘How long?’ Iri asks her companion who seems skittish at the answer she has to give. ‘Alexia give me a time now.’  
‘Three hours give or take.’  
“Fuck!... Alright we can do this.” Iri says shifting down and sprinting off into the snow towards the setting sun with the sun going down that would help provide her cover as she waited for her partner to arrive… hopefully he wasn’t late for once in his fucking life.

Harrison 

He’d been in the middle of an interrogation when Russ handed him their satellite phone with the muttered words of Sheorn and Burns.   
“Sheorn?”  
“Her tracker finally pinged she’s in the Crimean Peninsula, I’ll send you the coordinates. I want you and your men ready to go in five, leave that man for the local authorities. Sheorn out.” Derrick states quickly, and ends the call just as quickly. Harrison can’t help the smirk that befalls his lips when he realizes his partner was still kicking, though he wasn’t surprised... she was a tough one. With one last kick to gut Harrison and his team loads up, and head out; he notices the gps was telling them about three hours to her location in perfect conditions but judging by the storm picking up he guessed it would be longer than that. However, shoving that thought aside they head out guns loaded and steely optimism in their minds. 

Iri

She was being chased through the forest, and Iri had a funny feeling she was being herded somewhere because no matter which way she went there always seemed to be someone. Taking her chances she scrabbles up a tree in hopes of resting for at least a few minutes, it had been at least an hour since Lexi came back and by her calculations Harrison would hopefully be here soon… or he wouldn’t and she’d be dragged back into that hell hole for another round of torture…. Unless… Well it was moments like these that Iri wondered how the hell she’d lived this long.   
‘Lex?’  
‘Yes Mistress?’  
‘Can we fly out of here?’ Iri asks her companion who seems to be stunned by their idiocy. ‘Well can we?’  
‘Yeah, I can’t believe we didn’t think of that sooner. The snow will provide enough cover, and as long as you maintain a barrier around us I can get us out of here.’ Lexi explains to Iri who nods in understanding and shifts back quickly careful not to disturb the snow on the tree and alert the soldiers below. Realizing that there would be no quiet way for Lexi to form Iri just sighs, and says fuck it. ‘Mistress now!’ Lexi shouts as she forms under Iri and takes off while she creates a barrier around them allowing the dragon to fly unaffected by the bullets whizzing past them. Once they were high enough Iri took down the barrier for the most part making sure to maintain vital regions of her body, and Lexi’s as well.   
‘Well done Lex.’  
‘Not bad yourself Mistress, at this rate we should meet Harrison in the sky soon.’ Lexi tells Iri who is yawning tiredly, blood loss and her wounds were beginning to take a toll on her. ‘How bad?’  
‘Noth… nothing.’ Iri trails off her mind starting waver as her body does, Lexi takes over full control and keeps her from slipping off as she slumps forward.  
‘It always is Mistress.’

Harrison   
Two hours Later

Harrison was navigating through the storm as his squad prepared to descend, however before he can Russ motions to the radar.  
“Captain we got something big headed our way, and it don’t look friendly.”  
“Everyone get ready.” Harrison starts to issue commands, but stops when the object comes into view. He couldn’t believe his eyes as the white dragon glided towards them, and it isn’t until he spots a rider does he realize who it truly is. “Tex.”  
“Captain, what am I looking at exactly?” Thomas mutters in confusion as the beast hovers in front of them, waiting for directions. At this point Harrison transfers the controls to Russ, and opens the chopper’s bay door.  
“Lexi can you hear me?” Harrison shouts at the dragon who nods briefly and swings around towards him. “Pass me Tex, and then shift down to something smaller.” He commands the dragon, the squad watches as an unseen force levitates the body of a woman on board and then enters as well though as a small red fox. “How is she?”  
“Multiple gunshot wounds: here, here, and here. The lower left part of her leg has been shattered, her right wrist is broken, both thumbs are broken as well as her first two fingers on both hands, and she has six fractured ribs. Her right forearm is broken in two different places, and she has lost a lot of blood. Plus many lacerations, she is severely dehydrated, and undernourished not to mention exhausted, but no psychological trauma to be seen.” Lexi reports thoroughly to Harrison and his squad marvel at the body before him. “I tried to heal what I can, but most of these tasks are better suited to Otto and Harold.”  
“Understood, Russ take us home.”  
“Oscar-Mike.”

Iri  
6 hours later

Iri awoke to the sight of Harrison running a cloth over her face, and pain…. lots and lots of pain. She tries stupidly to move, but only screams in response, tears already making there way to the surface. Iri watches Harrison and another man flinch at the noise, but other than that make no movements.  
“Tex, don’t move.”  
“No….No duh.” Iri gasps out sharply as Harrison continues his task, but Iri was tired of it and rips the cloth from his hands using her powers and chucks it at him weakly. “You were late.”  
“And I thought you were dead.”  
“Tch, it’ll take more than that to kill me…. how bad?”  
“Real bad Tex, real fucking bad.” Harrison answers her as he gingerly helps the woman sit up off the helicopter’s floor only to hear her scream again, and watches her wretch into an empty bag Lexi found. “Tex how did you.”  
“A lady never reveals her secrets.” Iri jests in between bouts of vomiting, and once she was done she lays her head against Harrison’s nearby chest. “Thanks… thanks for coming.”  
“My pleasure, wish we could have got there sooner.”  
“Nah, I would have missed all the fun… Geoff?”  
“From what Lexi has shown me, he doesn’t suspect a thing but is rather upset by the way you seem to be dodging them.”  
“Scarlett won state in her event, and Felicia dances the lead in her studio's production of Swan Lake next week.” Lexi tells her mistress who smirks with a pained grimace, and fights to stay conscious. “Dex and Leo miss you.”  
“I… I miss them too… Tell Derr, I found them but they weren’t… They weren’t them.” Iri rambles into Harrison’s side her body slumping into him, and her mind shutting down.   
“Tex?” Harrison asks worriedly, but Lexi shakes her head.  
“She’s just tired Harry, let her sleep.” Russ assures his captain from the driver’s seat who seems to hesitantly accept that explanation. “It’s a damn miracle she made it out of there.”  
“Captain what do you suppose that last bit meant?” Fin asks from where he sat across from the pair who were leaning against a seat. Harrison looks to his British comrade, and just shrugs he didn’t know of any special mission he just thought she was being reckless… But now that he thought about it, Derrick hadn’t seemed too distraught when he’d told him what she did… and if that was the truth then he was pissed, why would he send her on a mission like that alone? Who were the people she was looking for? And who the hell did Derrick think he was? He sent a green operative alone into the hands of the enemy to get tortured, and possibly murdered. “Captain?” Fin says again, interrupting his quiet inner rage monologue.  
“I don’t know Fin, but I’m going to find out once we hit home soil.” Harrison vows as he listens his injured partner’s shallow breathing even out into sleep, or at least he hoped it would be sleep instead of the nightmarish Hell Lexi often told him of… Sometimes he marveled at her persistence, and others he curses it… He curses it because he knew that if it were him he wouldn’t have made it through all of this, her character was defiant, resilient, and stronger than many gave her credit for perhaps that was the reason for her assignment.

Twelve Hours Later  
Iri

This time she awoke screaming in pain as her body is shifted, and people flutter around her. Glancing around she hopes one of those face would be Geoff, but all she sees is unfamiliar ones and a sea of naval uniforms. The pain doesn’t subside, but Iri makes note of her current location until she feels a sharp pinch in her arm and without thinking her body lashes out telekinetically. Her powers force everyone up against the room’s steel walls and equipment crashes into them as well. Gritting her teeth she creates casts on her broken bones, and forces herself to stand despite the protests of the nurses and doctors surrounding her, lurching forward she ignores the pain blazing pathways through her mind and exits the room. Using the wall for support she manages to stagger down the hallway, and towards where her mind willed her to go. She can hear voices behind her, and footsteps running towards her but she needed to do this… She had to call them, she had to. Reaching the phone she uses her ring finger to dial the only number Iri remembered. Voices were shouting, and banging against the door, but the line was ringing and that was all that mattered.

Geoff

Geoff had been in the middle of making dinner when the house phone began ringing, and after the second ring he figured no one was going to get it. So placing the vegetables down and wiping his hands he presses the talk button.  
“Hello?”  
“I love you.” He hears whispered softly on the other end, and checking the number it reads private caller. “I love you like the… the.”  
“Iri?... Iridessa!” He shouts into the line as woman trails off weakly, Geoff can hear a loud bang and people shouting his mate’s name. Geoff can do nothing, but listen as the intruder’s bark orders to each other. He can’t understand them, and as almost as it happened the line suddenly goes dead. “Iri?” Geoff whispers softly as he slides down to the floor with tears in his eyes, clutching the phone in his grip tightly.   
‘Geoffrey, maybe.’  
“You promised me… She promised me.” Geoff mutters brokenly as images of a mangled Griffon flash back into his mind, and the sadness accompanied by it overtakes him. His sadness quickly turns to rage as he hurls the phone against the nearby glass sliding door, and he watches it shatter into a million pieces just like his heart was doing. At the sound Ryan and the others come running to find Geoff standing barefoot in a pile of glass and phone parts. “She promised me.”  
“Daddy?” Michael murmurs cautiously as he works his way to their distraught Alpha only to receive a snarl in response.  
“Just fuck off, all of you… I’m done.” Geoff growls finitely as he walks through the mess with no fear, or even concept of the wounds he was creating on his feet. He exits quickly through the backyard and shifts down to start running to the cause of this. She was dead, and he would have retribution… He would find the man responsible for this, and he would kill him that much Geoff knew. Todd tried to stop him, but he silenced the fox quickly forcing him down, nearly extinguishing him in the process.


	110. Clearance and the lack of it

Gavin

Gavin felt Geoff’s mood change instantly, but before he can say anything the group hears him yell and something shatter… something big. Sprinting down the stairs Gavin can feel the waves of anger that radiate off him, and the sense of… no it was a need for revenge was overwhelming. He watches Michael step forward to calm him, but the Omega is quickly rebuked leaving them in a state of shock. Geoff never ignored Michael when he called him Daddy, never… ever. They watch the man storm away with fire in his eyes and blood on his feet into the dark night. Ray motions to go after him, but Ryan shakes his head.   
“I will go, it’s not safe for one of you to go… I don’t know what’s happened, but it has to be bad. Clean this up please, while I go get him.” Ryan says swiftly before leaping over the mess and shifting down to find Geoff. The lads now alone set about the task of cleaning up the glass and electronic pieces, a sinking feeling in their stomachs. They were about halfway done when a knock is heard, and Michael answers the door to find Burnie and Joel holding the sleeping kits.   
“Burnie, can they spend another night with you?” Michael asks his soon to be father in law, who nods sheepishly, and gestures to the back door.  
“What happened?”  
“Geoff… We’re not sure why though… Ryan took off after him, he said it wasn’t safe if we went.” Michael explains to the man who wears a look of worry. “Just keep them please.”  
“Of course, come on Burns let’s get these guys into bed.” Joel urges, tugging his mate away from Michael who smiles weakly at them before shutting the door. Once gone he turns back to find the mess cleaned up, and Gavin shaking slightly. Reaching for his mate he pulls him to sit in his lap on the couch, and Ray curls into his side as well.   
“Micool, why would Geoff do that?”  
“I don’t know Gav, but Ryan will find out and I’m sure they’ll be back soon.” Michael assures the pair who nod hesitantly and nuzzle him lovingly. “I love you like Master Chief loves Cortana.”  
“I don’t want to play.”  
“Neither do I.” Ray remarks softly, it didn’t feel right given the situation. He didn’t blame Michael for trying, but right now silence and cuddling was all they needed… None of them even bothering to contemplate the reason Geoff did this. Instead allowing Gavin to cast a blanket of restfulness over them, helping to ease all of their worries. 

Ryan

Despite Geoff’s age the fox had covered a lot of ground before he caught a glimpse of the fox’s brown fur; however, Godric pauses them briefly to allow them to watch the distraught creature before them break down into sobs. They watch Geoff fall to the ground as his body is wracked by gut wrenching howls that make Godric itch to howl mournfully beside him. Trotting over quickly Ryan lies beside Geoff who has curled in on himself, his anger seemingly forgotten and now replaced by sadness.  
“Geoff? Geoffrey what happened?”  
“She promised me, she promised… my sweet Kit.”   
“Geoff what happened to Iri?”  
“I.. I don’t know, but her… She was in so much pain, and they were shouting… Ryan, I.”  
“Don’t say it.”  
“She’s.”  
“Geoffrey don’t say it!” Ryan growls as he pins the fox to the ground while snarling into his ears.   
“Ryan, she’s.”  
“NO!..... No!” Ryan trails off into a whimper as he releases Geoff from his hold. “Derrick… Call Derrick!”  
“So he can lie to us, no I purpose we find the truth ourselves.”  
“What are you suggesting?”  
“Going to Predator Labs, and beating him till he tells us the truth.”   
“.... Let’s go.”

Iri  
Predator Labs  
Three hours Later

Iri couldn’t remember where she was, but she saw the friendly face of Harrison staring back at her with a comforting smile; so for now she supposed that would have to do.  
“Tex!”  
“Hey York, where are we now?”  
“Well after you assaulted the ship’s medical crew they stabilized you enough for transport and now we’re now home sweet home. Iri who did you call?”  
“Geoff… I.. I probably shouldn’t have though.”  
“Why?”  
“I passed out in the middle of saying I love you.”  
“Ooo, that looks bad.”  
“He’s probably worried to.”  
“Geoffrey put the gun down, Ryan please calm down!” They hear shouted outside of her room, and turning their gaze to the entrance way they find Geoff holding Derrick at gun point and Ryan not far behind both snarling viciously. “Geoffrey where did you even get the gun?”  
“Tex, you really shouldn’t have called him.” Harrison remarks and Iri merely rolls her eyes at her partner who was eating pudding.  
“Was that my pudding?”  
“You were sleeping.”  
“Fuck off Harrison!” Iri snaps oblivious to the trio staring at them, Geoff and Ryan wear twin expressions of relief and happiness while Derrick wore one of frustration.   
“Iri!” They shout happily and Iri flinches at the sound, her headache had yet to resolve itself and she didn’t have enough strength to heal it. Rushing to her side happily, Harrison has to strafe backwards to avoid being bowled over by the pair. “Iri what happened, and what was that phone call for? I thought you were dead asshole! You owe me a sliding glass door.” Geoff murmurs with a smile as he kisses her lips lightly, and notices the grimace she displays at his affection. “Kit who did this?”  
“That’s classified Papa, but I can assure you I’m fine…. well other than the broken bones, sprains, and stitches… Sorry about the call, I just wanted you to know that I love you… I love you a lot actually.” Iri explains softly to her Alpha who is shaking his head at her antics.   
“I thought you were dead…. And you promised.”  
“I know Geoff, I know.” Iri says quietly tears starting to stream down from her eyes and it isn’t until Geoff wipes them away does she meet his eyes again.   
“I love you like a fox loves to hide.”  
“I love you more than I love myself.”  
“And I love you both despite the trouble you cause as well as the messes you make.” Ryan mutters in a good-natured tone from Iri’s other side causing both foxes to chuckle lightly. “So how long are you stuck here?”  
“I can answer that. Harold said she can leave as soon as she awakes, but she needs to take it easy for a minimum of a month… Or he’s going to make you stay here.” Harrison tells the woman who sighs in frustration, but nods. “I’ll tell him your leaving, wait here so he can give you some morphine to take home and some other stuff too.” He leaves them swiftly, and Ryan gestures to the tray of food left untouched.  
“When we get home you need to eat.” Ryan orders and expects Iri to say something to rebuke him, but she just nods eagerly. “When’s the last time you ate?”  
“About a week ago.”  
“But you were…. Iridessa Skye Burns!” Geoff snaps when he realizes what she did, and now it all made sense why the woman was spending gratuitous amounts of time away from them… It hadn’t been her, it had been Lexi. “I ought to beat that ass of yours till you can’t walk.”  
“I can’t walk already, so I think that’d be counterproductive at this point.” Iri quips while pulling the blanket off and revealing her casted leg and many other injuries that cause her alpha’s to gasp in shock. “Harold says I’m lucky to be alive.”  
“Damn right you are, christ where were you?”  
“Also classified, I can tell you that torture is never fun though.” Iri says lightheartedly to her alphas who shake their heads at her. “Carry me?” Iri asks as she reaches for Geoff who nods swiftly and Ryan grabs the crutches by the bed. They head into the hallway to find Harrison coming back with her purse, and her backpack.   
“Medicine’s in there, I’ll swing by the house next week with Derrick to talk about our next assignment.” Harrison says in a rushed tone as he casts a glance back, and Iri follows his eyes only to see nothing also making note of the mischievous smile on his lips.  
“Wait, you said Harold said she has a month off and she has to take it easy.” Ryan interjects and Harrison cocks his head at this.   
“Yes that’s true, but we can at least talk about it can’t we? Or perhaps that would be too strenuous Princess?” Harrison teases causing Iri to snap at him, and growl a response.   
“Fuck off Twinkle toes, go suck Fin’s dick.”  
“Mmm I do love foreskin, but the same could be said for you couldn’t it?”  
“Who's sucking my cock?” Fin asks as he shows up behind Harrison with a can of mountain dew and a twizzler in hand. The brit had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes that were dark and stormy despite his happy nature. He was just an inch or two shorter than Harrison and nibbled his candy curiously because honestly it had been a while since he’d experienced some decent cunnilingus. However, after saying that he’s met with a pair of twin growls from the two men accompanying Tex, and a particularly vicious one comes from the man carrying her. “Sooooo no fellatio?”  
“I’ll bite you.” Iri snaps at the blonde who sighs in defeat, slinking off to find his squad mates causing Harrison to laugh heartily. “I’ll bite you too bitch.”  
“Goodnight Tex, sleep well you deserve it.” Harrison bids as he disappears off to find his squad as well, and settle in for the night. “Oh Derrick said your car is in the front!”  
“Thank you!” Iri yells back only to hear Geoff sigh and they take off towards the exit, they meet Otto on the way out and the wolf gives them a worried look.  
“Iridessa where are you going?”   
“She’s going home with us Otto, Harold gave her clearance.” Geoff tells the wolf who shakes his head in no.  
“No he didn’t, take her back.”  
“No?”  
“Geoffrey as her physician I am telling you that she isn’t able to go home.”  
“As her mate and as a medic I am telling you that I’m taking her home.”  
“Put her back.” Otto snaps his paw stomps down for emphasis and his fur bristles as well.   
“Geoff we should go.” Iri tells her Alpha who nods quickly, and the pair exit swiftly the wolf on their heels. Right outside of the building they find Iri’s durango running and a note from Harrison on the front seat. After placing her in the back Ryan jumps in the front seat and they peel out, gravel thrown at the wolf who was chasing after them.   
“You weren’t cleared, and when Derr finds you gone he’ll be pissed. Love York.” Iri reads aloud causing a chuckle to be drawn to her lips and a smile to match stuck there. “God I love him sometimes.”  
“More than us?” Ryan inquires as he turns onto the highway, and takes an appropriate speed.   
“Mmm…. Not even close.” Iri purrs with a kiss to Geoff’s lips, and leans into his warm embrace a sleepy yawn falls from her lips. “Call the boys.”  
“We will, go to sleep baby doll.”  
“Don’t… call me… that.” Iri mumbles sleepily as she slips under into unconsciousness despite the pain already beginning to surface. 

The Lads

Michael wasn’t sure how long he had been sleeping on the couch with Ray beside him and Gavin on him, but nonetheless the sound of the phone ringing jolts him awake. Reaching for the phone he sees the I.D. reads Geoff, and he silently praises whatever God there was for that.  
“Daddy?”  
“Hi baby boy, I’m sorry about earlier… There was some miscommunication about.”  
“About Iri? Gav and I saw the last call came from a private number… Geoff what did you think happened?”  
“I thought she was dead, and… It still doesn’t excuse my behavior. We’ll see you soon, I love you guys.” Geoff explains apologetically before he hangs up leaving Michael to ponder his words.  
“Mmm Micool who was that?” Gavin purrs sleepily from Michael’s neck causing the man to crane his neck down to peck the other’s lips.   
“It was Geoff, he apologized for earlier and says he loves us.”  
“That’s good…” Gavin trails off before falling back asleep, and Michael just rolls his eyes at him. Shaking Ray awake gently he lifts Gavin, and they start for the bedroom. Ray was still curled into Michael’s side when they entered the bedroom, and it was beginning to get frustrating at how clingy these two were. He tried to set Gavin down, but the man refused to and Michael isn’t sure why he snarls angrily at him but he does. The change in Gavin is almost instant and the shaking man curls into Ray who was already laying on the bed. Michael just curses his temper, he tries to touch Gavin’s hip but the man flinches away from him in fear.   
“Gav?”  
“I’m… I’m sorry.” Gavin mutters as he curls into Ray tighter, willing his body to stop shaking but it won’t listen even when Michael apologizes to him several times. Gavin can hear the exhaustion in Michael’s sigh, and he chances a look to him to see Michael offering him a look that they both knew too well.   
“I didn’t mean it.”  
“I know.” Gavin assures the man who nods in understanding and uncurls from Ray to settle under Michael’s chin, breathing in his cinnamon scent comfortingly. “I love you more than I love breathing.”  
“I love you like Artemis loves Orion.”  
“You know he dies in that tale right?”  
“I am aware Gavi, but is placed among the stars in the end… Don’t worry I don’t have any secret gay brothers you can sleep with.” Michael teases the man who smirks at him and tilts his lips up for a tender kiss.  
“Mmm I hope so because you know how easily I’m tempted.”  
“Go to sleep before I hit you.” Michael commands, pulling Gavin closer and kissing the top of his head before closing his eyes.


	111. The Strong One

A few Hours Later

Ray awakes to the sound of screaming and he instantly recognizes it as Iri, leaping out of bed he finds her crying on the couch as Geoff desperately searches in a small bag beside her. Ryan was cooing at the shaking woman whose sobs were slowly growing quieter and quieter.   
“Skye what happened?”  
“No...Nothing.” Iri chokes out from Ryan’s arms as the endless onslaught of pain continues, and Ryan rocks her slightly only to hear another scream.  
“Iri, Bambi I’m sorry. I’m sorry, shhh.”  
“It…. it’s okay.” Iri stutters trying her best to remain as still as possible till Geoff found whatever he was looking for. “Papa?”  
“I’m trying Kit, I can’t find the damn syringe… Just give me a second.” Geoff assures their severely injured mate who just turns her head into Ryan’s chest, and muffles another scream of pain. “Fucking Harrison.”  
“Geoff, I’m sure he put one in there just calm down and breathe. Ray turn on a light please, Iri breathe.”  
“Fuck… off.” Iri muffles, and that’s when she feels Ryan shift her intentionally. “Please don’t!” Iri yelps gripping his shirt tightly, and forcing herself to stay still.   
“Calm down, you aren’t helping Geoffrey when you scream like that do you understand?” Ryan says slowly as though he was talking to their children, Iri closes her eyes and bites her lip in pain but nods gingerly. “Good, I know you are in pain, but you need to breathe. Can you do that for me?”  
“...:” Iri nods again, and looks to Ryan for direction.  
“In….. Out……. In…… Out.. Shhh, does it hurt to breathe?” Ryan asks after several repetitions and the woman grunts in affirmation. “Geoff?”  
“I found it!” Geoff says triumphantly as he takes off the cover, and draws the correct amount from the vial of morphine. “Kit, I need to.”  
“No, Geoff.”  
“Bambi he has to.” Ryan murmurs as he shifts the woman so her butt was exposed to the eldest gent, and Iri can’t help the sound of pain that tears it’s way through her throat as Ryan flips her. She muffles it as best as she can, but it doesn’t do much; however, after Geoff injects her she feels no better and looks to the man in confusion. “It’s not instantaneous Bambi, just wait a little bit. Geoff is there an anesthetic in there?”  
“... Yeah, I’m sorry Kit.” Geoff murmurs as he draws another dosage from another bottle and this time Iri shies away from him. “Shh, you’ll feel better soon.”   
“Don’t…” Iri trails off as he injects her and this one takes rapid effect causing the woman to become pliant in Ryan’s arms.   
“I should have done that one first.” Geoff comments as his frazzled mind soon starts to settle; he used to amputate in the field with less difficulty than this, and now he couldn’t even find the damn needle.   
“Geoff, Geoff look at me.” Ryan bids the man softly, he could smell the distress starting to cloud his scent. “She was in pain and scared, and you love her that’s why it took so long. You were frantic because you didn’t want to be the cause of her pain and it caused you to panic.”   
“I know, but it’s over now… Let’s get her into the spare bed for now.”  
“Wait why?” Ray questions softly still in mild shock from the scene.  
“Because if someone accidentally nudges her she’ll be in a lot of pain… Ryan should we tie her down?”  
“Yeah, the less movement the better… Perhaps Otto was right.” Ryan remarks and Geoff nods his head in agreement.  
“But she’s here now.” Geoff says with a sigh as he lifts her easily, and hopes she was better in the morning, he couldn’t handle her screams… it shook him to the core, and he had to fight every urge not to rip her from Ryan’s arms and rock her till she stopped crying. However, logic had kicked in and told him that he needed to let Ryan hold her while he found the syringe. “Set her down gently Ryan.” Geoff warns and the gent nods in understanding… “Tomorrow I’m going to the hospital.”  
“For what?”  
“Bags of morphine, and an I.V. line. Injections won’t do her any good at this rate, and Iri never screams like that when she’s hurt. Hell most of the time we can’t even tell when she is, but this is beyond her tolerance…. or anyone’s.” Geoff tells Ryan who nods in understanding, it would be simple to get the supplies he wanted, and he doubted it would even be a problem.  
“Geoff just be careful.”  
“Always am Ry-bear.” Geoff murmurs tiredly as they finish tying the woman down to keep her from shifting too much in her sleep. Pulling the covers up he kisses her forehead before allowing Ryan to lead him to bed where the others waited with worried eyes.   
“Geoff is she?”  
“She’ll be okay, she’s just in a lot of pain right now.” Geoff assures Gavin who was shaking on Michael’s chest as the jersey man strokes his head soothingly. “Gav if she wakes up I need you to numb her as best as you can do you understand?”  
“....”   
“Gavin look at me, look at me, look-at-me…. Focus, the past is the past this is the present and I need you to do this. If she wakes up before I can get morphine in the morning you are to use your powers to numb her.” Geoff states sternly causing the Omega to meet his eyes briefly, but nod curtly. Ever since his return from England Gavin had been a mess, and without Iri here to coach him out of it he seemed to fall deeper and deeper into it. Unable to pull himself out of his self made depression, not that it wasn’t warranted but right now Geoff didn’t have time for it. He needed Gavin to help the woman who always managed to help them despite her own problems. “Be the hero she knows you to be Gavin, don’t let your own emotions hold you back.”  
“Damn Geoff, drop the mic.” Ray adds causing the moment to lighten a bit, and the alphas to roll their eyes at him, and Michael scoffs while Gavin just lies there silently in thought. He can’t help the sudden rage he feels at Geoff’s words, who was he to tell Gavin to dismiss the fact that his father raped him in his early teens? How dare he!   
“Fuck you, you bloody hypocritical Knot-head! Fuck you, and your precious Iri!” Gavin snaps at Geoff who says nothing choosing to let the Omega yell at him, he could take it, and Gavin needed this. “I was bloody raped by the man who was supposed to love and care for me, but god forbid I be upset about that! No the only person who can ever be upset in this house is that damn woman, and frankly it seems like she only has two real emotions pissed off, or sobbing her eyes out! So fuck you Geoffrey, and I’ll be any damn way I please!” Gavin declares angrily his chest heaving, and eyes narrowed in anger as he stood toe to toe with Geoff who accepted his anger with a straight face. “Bloody say something!”  
“What would you like to hear? Would you like an apology Gavin, or would you like to continue to rant like a child?” Geoff asks sharply, he raises a hand when Gavin goes to deck him. “I am sorry your father hurt you like that, no child should ever be subjugated to that kind of treatment. And I’m sorry that your family shunned you, and I’m sorry that you feel that way about Iridessa. But right now she is in more pain than you can ever imagine, and I am asking you to get it together enough to help her through it till I can fix it. If you want to go back to moaning and groaning afterwards then so be it, but I will not allow you to ignore her for your own selfish emotional backlog. Or do you forget she was the one who showed up and stopped it from happening a fourth time?” Geoff shouts at the man who stills in front of him. “I love you both, but right now Gav, I need you to focus… I need you to be the strong one for her.” Geoff softens when Gavin slumps forward into him sobbing.  
“He… I tried to stop him… I tried to but.”  
“I know Gav, I know.” Geoff assures the man who cries bitterly into his Alpha’s chest. “I love you like the sun loves the moon.”  
“What?”  
“I love you like a ken doll loves barbie.”  
“Geoff what are you doing?”  
“I’ll love you till the day I die.”  
“And after?” Gavin asks with tear filled eyes, he knew the game Geoff was playing and he knew that Geoff was terrible at it.  
“I’ll love you as Zeus strikes me dead and drags my body to the stars where I’ll look down fondly on you till you inevitably die as well… At that point I imagine you’ll figure out a way to join me among them.” Geoff whispers lovingly into his Omega’s ear and hears him start to sniffle again against his chest. “Gav did I do that wrong?”  
“No… No you did it perfectly.” Iri murmurs where she crutches in, and Michael immediately leaps forward to catch the wavering woman. She falls weakly into Michael’s grasp and smiles sleepily at him. “Knew you… had it in you…. just had to... have the right motivation.” Iri mutters into her knight who lifts her easily and she giggles at this.   
“Love, did you hear all that?” Gavin inquires sheepishly, he hoped she didn’t because he didn’t mean a lick of it. He was just pissed and she was an easy target.   
“Of course I did, and I’m really kinda mad at you… but uh… Morphine makes it kinda hard to… what was I talking about?” Iri asks Michael who just sighs while starting towards the door only to hear her whine. “Stay with you.”  
“Kit, that’s not a good idea if we roll over on you the pain.”  
“Fuck you, I’m a big girl… I can handle myself.”  
“Kit, no.”  
“But Papa.”  
“Geoff, it’s cool I’ll stay with her.”  
“Bonne Chaton, je t’aime.” Iri purrs into Michael’s neck as she rests her head there while falling asleep and he looks to Ryan for translation.  
“She called you a good kitten and said she loves you.” Ryan mutters from the bed where Ray was resting on his chest, and plan G was just starting to enter the bed. Taking their leave Michael is careful not to bump Iri on anything, and manages to get the woman in the bed without waking her with himself soon following. The entire pack falls into a restful sleep that none of them had really experienced since Iri left, and Gavin slept exceptionally well that night his anger now resolved. Geoff slept better knowing that everyone else slept well, as did Ryan, Ray slept better knowing that Iri was truly back, and Michael slept better knowing that they were still together and solid as a rock. Iri… well Iri slept better because she had morphine, and she was home.


	112. Rage Quit: The Gavin Free Life Edition

The Next Morning  
Like Six am

Michael had never heard a more terrifying sound when the woman next to him screamed, it was worse than anything he’s ever heard and to know that it was his mate made it even worse. He bolted upright and found her lying on the ground beside the bed her crutches lying a few feet from her, and her hand reaching towards them.   
“Iri? Iri what are you doing?” Michael nearly shouts at the woman as he races to pick her up, and place her on the bed only to hear another scream only this one was muffled into his chest. “Vixen, what were you trying to do?”  
“I… The bathroom…. but….” Iri trails off in shame and pain, she thought she could reach her crutches but they were too far and using her powers was almost as painful as breathing was. When she fell, her bladder released and now she sat in her own piss like an infant. It made her feel weak and she couldn't stand it.   
“Vixen it’s alright… let’s get you cleaned up okay?”  
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I tried.”  
“I know Iri, I’m sure Geoff will be back soon with the medicine.” Michael assures the distraught woman who doesn’t meet his eyes instead chooses to bury her face in his shirt. They enter the bathroom and Michael places the woman in the bathtub while he cleans up the spot by the bed. He re enters the bathroom to find her shaking and curled up on herself, and staring at the wall crying. “Vixen it’s alright, we’ve all been there before.”  
“....” She doesn’t say anything to him as he comes over to her holding wet wipes, and a dry pair of underwear. “I can’t do anything.”  
“Alright, then let me help you.”  
“I don’t want help, and I don’t need help.”  
“Vixen don’t fight me on this just let.”  
“I said no!” She snaps tearfully her body twisting toward him only for a pained yelp to fall from her lips, and a fresh round of tears to begin. Iri had never hated herself more than she did in this moment in time, and it isn’t until Ryan and Gavin come in that the self loathing worsens.   
“Love, it’s alright. I’m here.”  
“Oh great, the man who thinks of me as a problem.” Iri spits venomously at Gavin who doesn’t even flinch at her words. “I must truly epitome of your words now.”  
“Bambi don’t pick fights right now, he just wants to help.” Ryan tries to soothe the inflamed vixen, but it only seems to worsen it.  
“Fuck off, I don’t need his help, or your help, or anyone’s help… I’m fine.” Iri states bitterly, her brain switching her pain for anger, and it allows her enough respite to focus on something else. “Juste aller!”  
“Iridessa cesser d'être ridicule et Michael laissez vous aider!” Ryan shouts back only to feel them all shoved out, the door handle broken on the outside, and the sound of her sobbing heard on the other side of the door. “Ouvrir cette porte!”  
“Ry, shouting at her in french isn’t going to help.” Michael suggests quietly as he watches the frustrated Alpha bang one last time on it before sighing, and turning to Gavin who says nothing instead staring sadly at the door. “Boi?”  
“She didn’t deserve any of my anger, and now she hates me… Geoff was wrong, I can’t be the strong one.” Gavin remarks as he heads downstairs to wallow, leaving the pair at the door. ‘Lance can you help her?’  
‘No, her wall is too thick… Why would you say those things to her? She has only ever strived to help you, and she gave us Scarlett, and brought us back to life even though it nearly cost her, her own… And now because you’ve decided to be an ass she lies broken in a bathtub crying, alone, and scared.’ Lance tells his master passionately, he was beginning to become frustrated with his behavior. He was tired of having to be saved, he wanted to be someone else's savior and Gavin needed to realize that this was something they both desired. Lance watches them settle on the top of the stairs, distress clear on Gavin’s face. ‘No, you don’t get to feel bad Gavin. You don’t get to be sad right now, get up and help her.’ Lance declares, punctuating his words with stabs of anger.  
‘Lance you said it yourself, the wall is too thick.’  
‘I don’t care, go try!’ Lance demands furiously his words harsh in nature, and his tone unyielding. He didn’t like yelling at Gavin, but this is what the man needed. ‘Stop being a worthless Omega, and help her! Or are you nothing more than the common rape victim?’  
‘Shut up Lance!’  
‘Make me, give me a reason to respect you and I’ll stop.’ Lance challenges him, he was sick of his master’s recent attitude and no amount of coddling would help him. At his words Gavin stands up with a furious growl in his throat, and storms back to the bathroom where Ryan sat trying to undo the rest of the handle to jimmy the door open. Pushing Ryan back harshly Gavin uses every bit of rage he feels and body slams the door sending it flying open.   
“You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do! I will help you if I damn well please, so lower that bloody barrier or I’m forcing my way through it!” Gavin shouts with determination at his mate who doesn’t even cast him a glance. “Fine, the hard way it is.” Gavin threw himself at the woman’s wall with everything he had and if Iri would have been fully healed he doubted such a reckless attack would have worked, but right now she was hurt and her resistance was weak. He shattered her barrier like a Geoff did his glass door, and uses his powers to numb away most of the pain while still leaving her half aware. She still says nothing as Gavin finally edges over to her only to find snot and tears streaming from her eyes and nose. “Love, I’m sorry I said those things about you… I know you have many emotions, and you aren’t a problem. I love you, and part of loving you is learning that you can’t always be as expressive as you like… at least verbally, artistically though it’s a whole new story. When we first started dating, I would always leaf through your art of the day before talking to you… It was a way for me to judge how you felt when I knew you wouldn’t truly tell me. I still do it now, but most of the time I just use my powers… You're my gallant Orpheus, and I will follow you anywhere.” Gavin explains to the woman who is biting her already ragged lip bloody, and it’s at this point that he begins to work her underwear off her, the shirt as well. Michael hands him the wipes and watches him clean her up gently despite the tiny noises of protest she makes. Once done he dresses her in new clothing, and lifts her up gingerly careful to keep his powers coursing through her body. “Love of mine some day you shall die, but I will be close behind. I will follow you into the dark.” Gavin sings to the woman as he settles down beside her on the bed, and continues humming the tune until her eyes eventually flutter shut. He too falls back asleep with Lance maintaining the link in his stead.

Noon

Gavin awakes to the gentle shaking of Geoff who smiles at his sleeping omegas, and motions for him to get off of the bed.   
“Thanks Gav, it took a bit longer than I expected but I got it regardless.” Geoff tells him as he sets up a makeshift I.V. stand out of an old tripod, and few zip ties. Once he was satisfied with the stability of it he extends Iri’s unbroken arm and sticks the needle in a vein, she makes a quiet noise of discomfort but remains still. Geoff tapes the needle down, and begins the drip. Placing a soft kiss on Iri’s forehead he motions for Gavin to grab the pack of adult diapers by the dresser. “She won’t be able to tell us she needs go and I don’t plan on buying new mattresses anytime soon.” Geoff explains swiftly causing Gavin to nod in understanding as the man works one onto her.  
“I broke the bathroom door earlier.” Gavin mumbles as Geoff pulls the covers over their mate.  
“Ryan told me, he also told me that he’s never seen you so angry before… I’m proud of you Gavin, I’m so proud of you… Even if you did break my door.” Geoff remarks as he pulls the man in close, and kisses him softly. “If you hadn’t forced your way into her mind she might have died from the pain… The body can fight for a long time, but eventually it will give out.”  
“What about food?”  
“Liquids for now, she hasn’t eaten in eight days give or take and that means her body won’t be as receptive to solid food, plus urine is a lot less of a mess.”  
“How long?”  
“Apex bodies heal at a faster rate plus her affinity for healing is decent... I give her a week on the drip before we wean her off and work with pills… But she won’t be healed for at least a month, a month and a half for sure.” Geoff tells his mate somberly who nods at the information, he hoped it was faster than that because he wasn’t sure if the kits could handle seeing their mother this way for that long. “I should have left her at the complex.”  
“Why?”  
“Otto’s power is basically morphine and there they have better care than I can McGyver together here… But Harrison seemed keen on getting her out, I don’t know why though.”  
“It’s probably for the best, he wouldn’t have done it if you couldn’t have handled it.” Gavin says as Geoff just sighs into his hair, and settles on the other half of the bed leaving Gavin standing by the edge of it. “Geoff, I’m going to go downstairs… Are you sure you're okay up here?”  
“Yeah Gav, she’ll be out for an hour at least.” Geoff assures him with a tired smile as he gets as close to her as he can without actually touching her because he didn’t want to wake her. She’d had a rough couple of days, and these next few days would be rough on all of them… especially the kits… He contemplated asking his parents to take them, but doubted they would be able to fly in on such short notice. There was always Burnie and Joel, but… they would ask why and seeing their daughter like this would complicate things because they still had no idea of Iri’s second job. And Todd had vowed to Lexi that they would never know, at least he would never tell them. So that left them with one last option bar the kits from this room and tell them she’d left on a business trip…. Iri probably wouldn’t approve of his solution, but it was for the.  
“Best.” Iri whispers aloud and tilts her head towards him, letting Geoff know she’d been listening. He watches a tear slip down her cheek, and she raises her hand weakly to caress his. “Je t’aime.”  
“Et je t’aime Renardeau.” Geoff murmurs back, and the woman merely smiles at him. “Wandering child of the earth. Do you know just how much your worth? You’ve walked this path since your birth, you were destined for more.” He begins to sing softly hoping to lull his love back to sleep. “There are those who'll tell you you're wrong. They will try to to silence your song, but right here is where you belong. So don't search anymore.” Geoff fades out when he notices her eyes finally flutter shut, and after several minutes her breathing becomes deeper, and smoother signalling her slumber. He joins her moments later, his mind tired from influencing others, and his body from last night’s trek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70VlAyEUXYM  
> The song Geoff is singing  
> French Phrases  
> Juste aller = Just leave  
> Iridessa cesser d'être ridicule et Michael laissez vous aider = Iridessa stop being ridiculous and let Michael help you  
> Ouvrir cette porte = Open this door  
> Je t'aime = I love you  
> Et Je t'aime Renardeau = And I love you to Kit


	113. I need your help, but I'll never admit it.

Evening

Iri awoke to the feeling of wetness surrounding her lower regions and she doubted highly that she was in a bathtub, blinking rapidly she realizes she'd pissed herself and didn’t even remember doing it. Biting her lip to keep from crying from the sheer humiliation of it she focuses on the problem at hand, looking to the side she sees Geoff no longer there, and the door to this room shut tight. Using her powers she checked to see if it was locked and it was, now came the difficult task of changing herself… which sounded super gross in her mind... almost as gross as having someone change her... a flush is felt on her cheeks as she levitates a nearby pair of scissors to her hands. Cutting away the soiled material and arching her back she nearly shouts in pain, but manages to subdue it to a whimper. With her body shaking violently Iri struggles to finish the job, and eventually she is forced to give up. After several moments of humiliated silence she twists her head towards the door to see it being opened by Ryan holding a large mug of steaming broth, one of Michael’s workout water bottles that held about twenty-four ounces of liquid, and a book.   
“Bambi, what are you doing?”  
“Don’t ask stupid questions.” Iri snaps as she uses her powers to close and lock the door behind him quickly. However, she immediately regrets it by the wave of nausea and dizziness she feels afterwards. Ryan sets his stuff down quickly, and moves to the edge of the bed to finish the job she couldn’t. Lifting her up as gingerly as he could the woman clenches her mostly uncasted hand close tightly and opens her mouth in silent scream as he works quickly. By the time he’s done she’s trembling in the bed, and Ryan does his best to cradle her only to feel an unseen barrier stop him from getting closer than two inches.  
“Bambi?”  
“Please…. just stay back.” Iri whimpers turning her head to look away because that’s all she could do at this point, her ribs were still far too painful for her to lay on her side and her hips hurt from Nikolai’s kicks to them… and just about everything hurt from his brutal treatment. She didn’t want to admit it, but this would take far longer to heal than she thought it would. Iri knew she’d be stuck in this bed for at least a week if she worked at healing the damage, hopefully Geoff would help her with most of the internal damage.  
“Bambi look at me, it’s alright… It’s alright, if you want to cry.”  
“I… I’m not going to cry.”  
“Okay, would you like something to drink?”  
“...Yeah.” Iri says shakily, turning her head back expecting to find his anger only to find Ryan’s soothing smile, instead and that might be the reason she started to cry. “Why… Why aren’t you mad?”  
“Bambi why would I be mad?” Ryan asks in confusion as he gets off the bed to grab the mug of broth, and helps her to sit up despite her unwillingness to. “I know it hurts, and I wish I could help but Geoff is resting and unfortunately I can’t help you hide from the pain… At least not physically.”  
“I figured this would piss you off.” Iri tells him in between ragged breaths and he just shakes his head.   
“I’m mad that this happened to you, and if I ever meet the monster who did this I’ll kill him, but no I’m not mad at you… You were doing your job. Now take a drink, it’s warm but not too hot.” Ryan explains to the woman who does as he asks causing his eyes to brighten at her complacency, and he strokes her ears soothingly. Her tail, the one appendage that seemed to escape harm flicked his nose playfully. He chuckles at that and continues to help her drink the liquid, it wasn’t anything special… Kinda chickeny, sweet but nothing more……. Sweet… Chicken broth wasn’t supposed to be sweet...She realizes what he was doing to her and she tries to turn away from him. “Shh, it’s just going to help you sleep. Bambi don’t fight me just drink the rest.”  
“You…. You always do this.” Iri accuses him somberly, sometimes having Ryan around was helpful and other times it was kinda annoying. “Damn…. you.” Iri mumbles after taking the last drink of the liquid.   
“Shh, you’ll thank me when you sleep through the night Fawn.”  
“...” With one last weak snap of her teeth he watches her once playful tail sink down to lie limply on the mattress and he catches her as she slumps forward. Working her back under the covers he grabs the book and begins reading on the beside her, turning the lamp off he uses his night vision. Earlier he’d told the boys that Geoffrey didn’t want the kits going in her room right now, and they’d sprayed a lot of scent neutralizer around to mask her scent because otherwise they wouldn’t believe her to be gone. Gavin and the boys were told to keep their thoughts quiet because Dexy had been experimenting with his powers again, and Geoff told them he wouldn’t be able to get into their minds, but stray thoughts could be heard if they weren’t careful. 

About Midnight

Iri whimpered softly beside Ryan and casting his glance down he saw that she was still sleeping, but her scent smelled fearful. He rumbles soothingly beside her, and places a hand on her ears to let her know she was safe. Stroking her soft ears gently he listens with a yawn as her whimpers die out and are replaced with purrs. Leaning over to kiss her lips he hears a soft knocking on the door, and it opens to see Geoff holding another bag of morphine. Geoff watches with a smile as Ryan kisses Iri tenderly, and then extracts himself from her side to help him if need be.  
“How’s she doing?” Geoff asks as he unhooks the empty bag and replaces it with a new one, a quick process… One that he could do himself.   
“She thought I’d be mad, and she’s humiliated… She’s in a lot of pain still, and just… just.”  
“Delicate?”  
“Very much so, she’s always so independent Geoff… This is killing her, well that and the pain.” Ryan tells Geoff in a hushed tone both of them casting worried looks at their sleeping lover. “But as with everything she’ll make it through this… She always does.”  
“Ryan go to bed, I’ll stay with her for the rest of the night and we can switch off in the morning… I already had Michael call Miles and Jack.”  
“Wait who did you call off?”  
“Just you and I… It’s not that I don’t trust the boys… It’s just.”  
“They don’t know how to deliver injections and change morphine bags?”  
“Yeah pretty much. Night Ryan.”  
“Call me if you need me.” Ryan tells the man as he exits softly leaving Geoff alone with Iri who was still sleeping peacefully, he notices the lack of expression on her lips, and curiosity getting the better of him he slips in. 

Iri’s Mind

Upon entering her mind he finds absolutely nothing residing there besides a small child curled up in the middle of a white room crying, approaching hesitantly he finds the child murmuring phrases over and over to herself.   
“Be strong like the oaks, and weep like the willows. Fight the North wind, and go with the South. When winter falls follow my footsteps, and find safety in my den. One day you shall find yourself alone young Alexia, and when you do don’t fear for I will always be in your heart guiding you.” The child whispers to herself, and Geoff realizes that this must be the rendition of Lexi in Iri’s mind. “My Mistress is gone, she hasn’t been here for a few hours.” The child tells Geoff as she looks up with Iri’s blue eyes. “You will not find the answers you seek while I am here.” She growls defensively her body taking a sense of rigidity and standing up to face the intruder. “Leave.”  
“Lexi?”  
“What Geoffrey?” Lexi snaps, she couldn’t take her mistress’ pained whimpers anymore so she allowed her to depart using her body, and with her now bearing the pain she found it amazing Iri still lived… She would have chosen death. “What are you doing here? Leave now.” The child growls as she pushes at the man intruding her thoughts, and Geoff only stands witness as the little girl crumples under the pain. He races to reach for her, but she lashes at him. “I don’t want you here.”  
“Let me help Alexia.” Todd bids as he splits himself from Geoff and appears as a twenty-something version of the man in the blank space. “When the water flows freely again follow it to the meadow in the North, careful of the hunters who lurk in wait. There you shall find a fox worthy of your love, and he shall be worthy of yours… This is your mate. Together you shall be for all of your life, and many families you will have… And with each vixen you birth tell her of her worth.” Todd finishes the mantra surprising the young girl who curls into the man warily. Geoff watches the scene befall him for a moment or two before a new presence is felt, turning back he finds Iri striding over with a glare on her lips.   
“Mistress it hurts.” Lexi whimpers from Todd’s embrace distracting the angry woman from Geoff. Her expression softens when she sees the child crying in Todd's arms.   
“I know that is why I’m here, I shall take it back Lex…” Iri assures her companion who stretches out a hand to her mistress. A dull glow emulates from their hands, and Iri falls to her knees gasping at the painful sensation. Geoff kneels beside her, but the look he receives wards him from touching her. Lexi now pain free curls happily into Todd’s arms as he holds her tightly, and kisses her brow. They say nothing instead listening to the mantra Iri is beginning. “There are many truths of this world that cannot be changed. One, darkness is always conquered by light. Two, when you're frightened think of me for like the sun I am always there for you. Three, the moon will light your path at night while the sun in the day, and they will guide your path to that of the truth which is always revealed to those who look for it.” Iri mutters to herself trying desperately to quell pain she felt, but it only works minimally with Geoff staring at her. “What… do you… want?”  
“Kit let me help you.”  
“I do not need your help!” Iri enunciates as she kicks the gent roughly from her mind sending Todd with him as well, after they were gone she feels a darkness cloud over her… a darkness that Lexi recognizes as a shut down…. She had four minutes before it cut their communication with the waking world completely.

Outside her mind

Geoff watches as Iri’s body lies deathly still and her chest barely rises, it is maybe seconds before Lexi appears on the bed with grim news.  
“She’s in a coma Geoff. She’s been wavering on the brink since earlier, but now she’s forced her body to shut down completely… It will be better for us in the long run though, less movement means less morphine. I will maintain her breathing should it come to that, but we’ll be back in a few days give or take.” Lexi explains quickly before fading quickly leaving Geoff truly alone in the room. This is when Geoff makes a medical decision. He disconnects the morphine, picks up his lover, carries her to the car, and drives her to Predator Labs. The drive is long, but he speeds most of it, talking his way out of seven tickets by merely showing the officer Iri. His face displays nothing as he parks his car, and picks her back up. Forcing the front door open with his powers he doesn’t care for the guards yelling at him; he uses his mind to silence them quickly, and it isn’t until Harrison catches him in the middle of a hallway with a gun to his head does he stop.  
“Geoff what are you doing here? What happened?”  
“She’s in a coma, and I… she won’t let me help her, and I can’t help her. Get Harold and Otto please… She’s in so much pain Harrison, so much pain.” Geoff tells the man who backs off and nods quickly, sprinting down the halls to find the pair. He slides down the wall with her in his grip, and can’t help the sobs that start as he holds her to him. Geoff knew she wasn’t dead, but the faint heartbeat made it feel otherwise, and her mind was so desolate she may have been. His Kit was a vibrant woman, but this… this wasn’t his Kit, this was a battered rendition of her that needed more help than he could give... Or she would accept. He can hear Harold and Otto racing down the hallway with Harrison not far behind with a gurney. Geoff feels her lifted from his arms, and taken away by the wolf and his master leaving Harrison to sit beside the shaking Alpha.  
“Geoff she’ll be okay.”  
“I know, but… why would you let me take her?”  
“Because Derrick wouldn’t let her rest like she needs to here, and I thought… I thought she’d be more receptive to you guys there.” Harrison explains to the distraught Alpha who says nothing more continuing to sob in his arms. He places a comforting arm around Geoff, and helps the man to his feet. “Come on let’s get you to a bunk… I’m sure your tired.”  
“Please can I… I want to be near her.”  
“Yeah Geoff, her room is about two down from ours.”  
“Ours?”  
“She’s… Well we’ve been reassigned, but at the time she was missing or so I thought… Anyways we’re now part of a specialists group. The Squadron Fate Forgot, Derrick thinks we’ll be more effective this way… The guys and I are still up.” Harrison explains to Geoff who just accepts this and lets himself be lead to a large room which housed five twin beds, a T.V, a personal bathroom connected, a couch, several laptops, a small kitchen, and a gaming system. Inside the room three men in their late twenties sat on the couch with the sandy haired brit perched on a bed in the corner laughing with headphones on.  
“My cousin’s a bloody dolt.” Fin chuckles loudly as he notices the emergence of Harrison and one of the men from the video he was watching. “Geoff?”  
“Yeah?” Geoff asks as he suddenly finds himself tackled to the ground by a gleeful blonde wolf who was licking his face. “What the fuck get off me!”  
“No!”  
“Fin get off of him.” Harrison orders his excited companion who reluctantly does, but remains a wolf with his tail wagging furiously. “I’m sorry Geoff, he’s really excitable sometimes.”  
“No it’s alright he reminds me of Gav.”  
“I’m Gavin Free’s bloody cousin!” The wolf barks happily, he couldn’t believe he found Geoff, the Geoff. This was the whole reason he’d taken this stupid job was because he’d been told by Harrison of Iridessa, and that was the last person he knew of that knew Gavin, until he’d stumbled upon the videos for his job. In one of his slo mo guys video he mentioned having a daughter with an artist by the name of Iridessa. Well that name wasn’t very common and all he had to do was type in her name in Google and he found her company, from there he found the rest of Gav’s videos and the Alpha he was currently staying with. “I’ve been looking everywhere for him, how’s the little bugger?”  
“He’s… He never mentioned having a cousin.”  
“That’s because he’s a bit of a sausage.” Fin says as he shifts back and offers Geoff a hand up. “Sorry about earlier, it’s just I’ve been trying to find him for a long time… Oh I wanted to give him something!” Fin declares as he races off to his bed and sprints back holding several envelopes attached to stuffed animals. “I got these for his daughter, each one is for the birthday I missed… is he with you?”  
“No… No I’m sorry, but if you want I can call him.”  
“Ooooh please!” The british beta begs the Alpha who pulls out his cell and dials Gav’s number, he wasn’t sure if he’d be awake but he could at least try. Gav answers on the first ring with a yawn and before Geoff can say anything the phone is snatched and taken to his bed; they can hear him chattering excitedly.   
“My god he’s energetic for three in the morning.”  
“He’s always like that, come on Ramsey we’ve got enough room for you.” A burly voice states from the couch and Geoff meets the gray eyes of a soldier he’s met twice… and both of those times he saved his life  
“War-Hammer?”  
“In the flesh.”  
“How are you still so young?” Geoff inquires, he’d met that man when he was twenty two and now he appeared no older than Iri.   
“Powers of regeneration do wonders for the face.” Russ boasts as he pushes Thames off couch so Geoff could sit. Thames growls at him, but the man merely rolls his eyes in response. “Age before beauty Thames.”  
“Whatever War-Hammer.” Thames snaps as he shifts down into his fossa form, and stalks over to Fin who was still animatedly talking on his bed. The fossa merely mews at his friend before Fin picks him up, and places in his lap, petting him happily. Harrison settles down beside Russ as they hit play on the movie he’d been watching before the security system went off. Geoff can’t help wonder who the fifth bed was for.   
“Your mate, Derrick wants to keep us all together so when nothing like this happens again, and she can’t mind control all of us.” Russ answers knowingly as they watch Leonidas kick a man into huge pit. “Hopefully.”  
“She didn’t mind control me Russ, she did the driver and I didn’t want to frighten her family.” Harrison grumbles to the Alpha who shrugs, and leans on his squad mate. “Go to bed, I’m not holding you.”  
“Don’t be so grumpy York.” Russ teases as he continues laying his head on Harrison, and Geoff isn’t surprised by the next move at all. Harrison shoves Russ off, and Russ growls bitterly. Retaliating by shifting down to the form of a clouded leopard, and tackling him off the couch. The coyote meets his challenge, and the two start to circle. Geoff turns to see Fin and Thames already in the middle trying unsuccessfully to separate the pair. He isn’t sure how long he watches them snap at each other before he finally snaps.   
“Alright knock it off!” Geoff bellows his powers tossing the Alphas to either side of the room. “My mate is in a fucking coma because of this fucking job, and I just drove three god damn hours so she can get healed meanwhile my other mates are waiting clueless back at home with our kits. I don’t want to listen to your petty squabbling!” Geoff declares angrily his chest heaving and the group of predators instantly look to the fox. “Who is in command?”  
“I am.” Harrison answers quietly, and Geoff just glares at him.  
“Then control your squad, I will not allow my mate to be apart of some half cocked bunch of bumbling idiots. I’ve watched her die too many times already, and I don’t intend to watch it happen again. Get ahold of your men or I’ll do it for you!” Geoff states with finality that none of them argue with Russ instantly back off and Harrison apologizes to him. After his outburst Geoff sits back down with his head in his hands. These were the men who were supposed to keep his mate safe… she was better off with Gavin and a rocket launcher. Russ seeing his distress slinks back over to the man and rubs his head on his knees. “What?”  
“She’ll be safe. We may bicker like children but she’s part of our team, and we don’t let our own die.” Russ assures the tired Alpha who nods as he leaps on the couch to sit beside him, resting his furry head on Geoff’s leg. “I remember when you were just a bright eyed private who thought holding a gun was awesome.”  
“Yeah, well look at me now.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean Fox?”  
“Nothing Russ, I’m just tired… Life never gets any easier does it?”  
“Well I’m about sixty-two, and I can honestly say no.”  
“Your powers still fucking blow my mind.”  
“Yeah, me too… Learned this nifty little trick though, watch.” Russ states as he places a paw on Geoff’s face, and transfers a smidge of youth into him. Just enough to help the fatigued man feel a bit less fatigued.   
“Where were you six years ago when our kits were born?”  
“Uh… In the middle of the desert fighting the Taliban… How many you got?”  
“Well Iri the efficient woman she is decided that quadruplets was the best way to go, and my son Dex is the eldest of four.”  
“He’s feisty like his mother, but just as cuddly.” Harrison responds from his bed as he sits on the other end of the couch.   
“Why are you cuddling with my mate?”  
“She was screaming, and I didn’t know what else to do.” Harrison replies and Geoff merely nods in acceptance. “Her screams are terrifying by the way.”  
“Yeah… since she’s got back we’ve heard a lot more of them… She didn’t even scream like that in childbirth.” Geoff explains to the pair who listen quietly. “She birthed four kits, and still managed enough strength to threaten us if we let anything hurt them.”  
“If I have learned anything about your mate in these last few months it is that Iri says when Iri is done, no one else. She will fight, and fight, and fight even after it’s apparent she’s going to lose. Her persistence is one of the reason I admire her so much.” Harrison tells Geoff with a smile and the Alpha merely nods in acceptance.  
“That persistence is the reason we’re a pack.”  
“What do you mean?” Russ asks and Geoff just sighs while beginning the long tale of their love. He starts at the very beginning, even the part about where he rescued her as a baby but subsequently got her parents killed. After hearing the long tale the group of men now have a new understanding for the woman they’d be working with, and Geoff made sure to warn them of her nasty temper… It was astonishing how well the woman threw knives from across the room.


	114. Proposals

Iri  
Four Days Later 

She awoke to the scent of antiseptic, and the feeling of a thin blanket over her. She wasn’t sure where she was, why she was here…. or now that she thought about it who was she?... That last question was quite troubling the more she tried to think about it. She couldn’t remember her name, or really anything… Like she knew the thing she was lying on was a bed, and she wore a dress, but it was really only declarative knowledge like that. Pulling an I.V. out of her arm she grimaces at the pain, but grabs the crutches by her bed. She wasn’t sure how she knew to do this, but she did and that is when she exits the room. Casting a glance to either side of her she isn’t sure which way to head, so she chooses to start heading towards the open area at the end of the long area… Maybe someone there would know who she was? Limping down the hallway proved to be much slower than she anticipated, and by the time she made it her breath was coming in heavy pants… but she pushed on because her heart told her that’s what she would do… At the end of the hallway she comes to a large open aired… a… the word she was thinking of started with a and ended with an um….Atrium! She thinks suddenly having remembered the word. Crutching over to a tall tree she thought was an oak she uses it to slide down to sit on her butt hoping that someone who knew her would pass by soon.

An Hour Later  
Fin

Fin was currently in the middle of talking to Gavin again, when the sight of a perplexed Iridessa comes into view. He watched her sitting there under a tree as if waiting for someone.   
“Gav, I gotta go… Much love.” Fin bids quickly as he ends the call and strides over to the fox who when he gets close enough smiles at him brightly, as though she had been waiting for him all her life. “Tex what are you doing out here?”  
“Tex? Who’s Tex?”  
“You're Tex, well Iridessa but we call you Tex. Poppet, what are you doing out here?” Fin explains to the confused woman, who seems to take in any information he gave her happily. She now sat there repeating her name silently to herself, and this worried him immensely. “Poppet, do you know who I am?”  
“Haven’t the foggiest, but you seem like nice man… It’s a shame I can’t remember you… Do I have a last name?” Iri asks the funny talking man who was sitting down beside her wearing a confused look. “Unless Tex is my last name?... But Iridessa Tex sounds weird.”  
“No it’s Burns, I don’t know your middle name though… I think it starts with an S.”  
“Hmm… Skye?” Iri tries having felt the name come to her suddenly, and it felt right. “Iridessa Skye Burns… That’s my… that’s my name… What’s yours?” She asks the man quietly, she could tell he was confused by her questions but so was she… She hoped he wasn’t upset. “But if you don’t know… Maybe we can wait for someone to come along who does, like I did.” Iri offers helpfully, the man only seems to darken at this and frankly she wasn’t so sure this man was her friend.  
“No, don’t be frightened I was only thinking… Um my name is Finsley Fredrick Free, but you can call me Fin. Do you know my cousin Gavin? He’s about this tall, wears a goofy grin all the time, and gets along with just about everyone.”   
“I… I… I’m not sure… He sounds nice.”  
“Gavin is very lovely, and he loves you very much.”  
“Are… Is he my mate?” Iri inquires while feeling a warm patch on her hip, reaching down she lifts up her dress to see the mark. “Is…That’s… That’s his.” She tells Fin who smiles warmly at the woman, and suddenly she notices the arrival of another man… Only this one looked worried. “Sir what’s wrong?”   
“Bambi there you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you… Oh Fawn, I was so worried.” Ryan says as he leans down to pick the woman up, but she flinches away from him and into Fin. “Fawn what’s wrong, are you in pain?”  
“Fin, where’s Gavin?”  
“Gavin is at home with the… Iri do you know who I am?” Ryan asks the fearful woman who shakes her head, and curls closer to beta. “Fin what’s going on?”  
“I don’t know, I found her like this… Ryan she didn’t even know her own name. However, she did seem to remember Gavin by his mating scar do you have one on her?” Fin explains to him and watches as the woman seems to reflexively touch the back of her neck when she meet Ryan’s calm blue eyes.  
“Stag.”  
“Mhmm, very good Bambi. Tell me does anything hurt?”  
“A little… My head aches, and I want to meet Gavin.” Iri says to Ryan who smirks at her sudden excitement.   
“Later, right now you should meet Geoff.”  
“I have another mate?”  
“Yes, you have five.” Ryan answers as he lifts her up easily as she holds onto her crutches. “Do you remember what an Alpha is?”  
“That’s you.”  
“Mhmm, do you remember what you are?”  
“Omega.” She stutters out, her bright smile still planted on her lips. “And Gavin is an Omega too!”  
“Excellent, now do you know what Geoff is?”  
“I’m drop dead gorgeous, Kit where were you?” Geoff asks as Ryan enters the room with Iri in his arms, and he’s never seen the woman so happy in her life. She practically leaps from Ryan’s grasp and into his, all the while purring sweetly. “Aw Kit, I’ve missed you too.”  
“Papa je t’aime.” Iri purrs lovingly, nuzzling his chest and his neck when he lifts her up completely.   
“I love you too Kit… Ryan what’s going on?”  
“Amnesia… Fin told me she didn’t even know her own name let alone me, but you she seems very aware of you.”  
“Kit, who am I?”  
“Papa.” Iri states very plainly as though that explained everything they needed to know about him.   
“Well yes but I have a name, do you remember it?”  
“Geoffrey…. R...Re...Ramsey!” She finally settles on and Geoff beams at his lover who kisses him softly. “And Ryan… He… No...Hir… It starts with an H.”  
“Would you like help?” Ryan offers only to hear her bark at him causing Geoff to scowl at her. “No barking, use your words.”  
“Fuck off Haywood…. Huh! Haywood! Ryan James Haywood!” Iri exclaims as she turns to face the man who pulls her in for a kiss, only this one was claiming and Iri purred into it. She parted her lips willingly, and let him ravage her mouth. Ryan pulls back slightly only to find her following him wantingly. She didn’t know what was happening, but she really… really wanted more of that.   
“Tell me something else and I’ll give you another kiss.” Ryan bargains as Geoff sits down on the bed with her curled up on his lap, she looks to Geoff who pulls his lips out of reach as well. “Tell me anything.”  
“You have a wolf named Godric who is full of bloodlust living in your head.” Iri mumbles hoping that made sense, she didn’t know why she knew that but she did. “But I’m not really sure why.”  
‘Eh I’m bloodlusty because of my nature Vixen… Do you remember Todd?’ Godric asks as he appears beside Ryan on the bed.  
‘Lexi is still in there, but she’s buried very far down… I’m trying to work her free Iri.’  
“Alexia?... Is she hurt? She’s okay right?” Iri asks worriedly, ignoring the wolf and her prizes instead turning to the wispy fox. “I… I need her to be okay.”  
“Shh, don’t worry I’m sure she’s fine.” Geoff soothes woman who was know shaking in his arms, he guessed by her tone she was remembering a whole hell of alot now. No one says anything as the woman soon dissolves into tears and Geoff doesn’t really need to guess why, choosing to rock her gently in his arms. “Lay down baby doll.”  
“Don’t call me that!” She punctuates with a harsh bark as she curls in on herself, her body radiated pain as all of her life forced it’s way into her mind. “I killed her Geoff… I killed my daughter.”  
“I know Kit, and I know it hurts now but everything will be alright.” Geoff murmurs softly into her downturned ears, he knew what this felt like and every time it happened it felt like you were dying. He had been hoping to coach her memories out slowly, but it seems like with most thing Iri did, she decided when she wanted to happen. After several minutes of sobbing Iri slowly comes back to herself, her bright smile gone, the blank look now replaced with her usual cold glare, and Lexi too appeared on the bed beside Todd, nuzzling the fox happily as Godric began to groom her neck fur. Iri still shook on her side, and Geoff puts a strong arm around her in comfort. “Kit?”  
“I’m okay Geoff… Why are we here?” Iri asks somberly, she remembered blacking out and that was it… well until now of course. Ryan seeing her distress lies on her other side, stroking her hip lovingly.   
“Lexi told me you put yourself in a coma, and I didn’t have the necessary medicine to sustain you...How are you feeling?”  
“My leg hurts, but overall the pain is a much more tolerable entity… It’s not great, but I’m assuming Harold healed most of my internal damages.”   
“I helped, but yes he mostly did it… I met your squad.”  
“I don’t have a squad.” Iri states coldly, she would remember if she had a squad… well hopefully.  
“You do now, get used to it Tex.” Harrison says as he peeks his head into the room after finally hearing his squad mate was now awake from an excited Fin. “And guess who’s leading it?”  
“Oh joy, shall I put a bullet through my face now?”  
“Iri be nice.” Geoff scolds the dark woman who sighs and turns to face her bright companion, who held a bouquet of equally bright flowers as well as a box.   
“What is that?”   
“A present.” Harrison answers with smirk, he knew she hated surprises but this was a good one. This was one he’d insisted on after seeing the way her body had been damaged, and Derrick heartily agreed… Plus it was in the budget… Which reminded him, he had a paycheck floating around here somewhere for her.  
“If you were closer I’d bite you.”  
“I know, Geoff warned the guys about your animalistic tendencies thoroughly… Open it.” Harrison says as he tosses the box to her, she sits up and begins to undo the wrapping paper. Upon opening she finds a blackish-blue skin tight suit that reminded Iri of the kind diver’s wore. “It’s made from a special fiber that Thames and I developed. It’ll stop most things such as knives, fire, and reduce bullet impact… So bullets will still go through it at a short range, but less likely the further away you are. Plus it’s light enough to be worn under most gear.”  
“Thanks York, too bad I didn’t have it before we started.”  
“Yours was on backorder.” Harrison jests as he leaves the woman alone with her mates. With Harrison gone Iri just sits there with the box in her lap, and notices an engraved Tex on the back of it’s neck… She can’t help, but wonder how permanent this squad would be… She wasn’t known for working well with others. However, before that thought can simmer long Geoff clears his throat catching her attention.  
“Iridessa Skye Burns, I have loved you for seven long years and I believe it’s time we make something of it. Will you do me the greatest honor I can think of and become my wife?” Geoff asks as he presents the broken woman with a small black box. He expected her immediate yes, but instead receives nothing… And it was heartbreaking. Ryan watches curiously as the woman lifts herself off the bed, and crutches away leaving the Alphas alone in that room. Shifting down she flees faster than she’s ever fled before, and runs as far as her broken body will let her. Iri sprints down hallways ignoring the angry yelps, and shouts of the people living/working there and continues on until she finds the rooms Erik had locked her in after she came back the second time. Shifting back she locks the door, and curls up tightly resting her head on her knees.   
“Iri what are you doing? Why didn’t you say yes?” Lexi growls angrily, her mistress loved that man and should have happily agreed to marry him.  
“Because I love him.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Because I love him, I won’t be the one to cause him grief… I won’t be the one he mourns when I don’t come home again… No one can ever love a spy.” Iri tells her companion sullenly. “Because of my selfish choices, I can’t be the one he loves… Because I felt that my happiness was directly tied to this line of work, and I couldn’t function without dangerous situations. I don’t get to be the Omegan Wife, who bakes cookies for their kits, goes to PTA meetings, watches her children grow up… No I get to be the one hoping my next mission won’t kill me, or the one who works all through the night deciphering messages, training, striving to be the best so I can see them next week, or getting shot at in the field… I made my bed, and now I have to sleep in it.”  
“That’s fucking bullshit Iridessa, you're just a coward!” Geoff shouts angrily as he practically rips the door of the hinges. “No, you don’t want to get married because when you'll eventually get tired of us, and you’ll move on to the next pack... Just like before.” Geoff spits at her, Ryan had tried to talk sense into him but he wasn’t listening. This woman was going to be his wife whether she liked it or not… She was his, and he wasn’t giving up that easily. “That’s what you did with FunHaus.”  
“Oh for the… Get off your damn horse Geoff and see the truth! It’s sitting right in front of you, I nearly died five days ago and you broke a glass door. What happens when I really do die? Hmm what do you break next?” Iri fires back as she uses her powers to create a fake crutch for her to stand with. “I can only hurt you!”  
“Well then call me a masochist because dammit I can’t live without you… I love you Iri, and no matter what you say I’ll never stop. Till death and the forever after Kit!” Geoff growls heatedly, closing the distance between them and he isn’t sure if it’s the rage, their proximity, or the smell of arousal radiating off of Iri. But he can’t help himself when he surges forth to claim her lips, they were soft and parted but she was the complete opposite. When she bit Geoff in challenge he met hers with a roar pinning her to the cold stone, and ripping her light cloth dress off exposing her heated skin to the chilly air. She gasped at the sudden change, and Geoff soon found himself in a similar situation with his pants shucked off and his shirt shredded. His lips fall violently on her neck, and his kisses are bruising as they create a pathway to her breast where he bites each nipple roughly causing her to arch into him wantingly. Kissing his way back up he wraps her hair around one of his hands and flips her over so her bruised chest was now smashed against the frigid stone, a moan fell from her lips as Geoff kicked out her leg gently enough so she was spread out like he wanted her to be. “Look at you, practically dripping and all I had to do was growl.” Geoff taunts as he pulls her head back by her hair and puts two fingers into her, the woman was indeed dripping, so he didn’t bother working her too much. Pulling them out he let’s her head rest against the stone, and shoves them in her open mouth. Sucking them with a skill he’s only ever felt matched by Gavin, he rumbles happily when they come out clean and slick with just saliva. “Je vais vas te faire encule jusqu'à ce que je suis satisfait ... pas avant, et non après ... A mon tour d'être égoïste.” (Ryan had been teaching him French for a while.)(I’m going to fuck you till I’m satisfied. Not before and not after. My turn to be selfish.)  
“Je te défie Alpha.” (I dare you Alpha.) Iri challenges her tone still defiant, and her lips quirked in a smirk that sent Geoff into a frenzy. He lined his hips up, sank in, and listened with a smile as the woman began panting; her now rebellion replaced with complacency. Snapping his hips roughly he moved at a torturous pace for both of them; she tried to meet his thrusts, but was quickly stilled by the sharp tug to her hair as he fucked her. Stilling beneath him she begins muttering curses that are meant to enrage him, but does nothing. “Is that the best you’ve got?”  
“....”  
“I bet I won’t even feel your puppy knot… It would be like having Gavin fuck me, nothing but a smooth Omegan cocklet to start the job a real Alpha needs to finish… And you wonder why I ogled Kovic.” Iri fires back and that is when Geoff bites her collarbone like he’s going to take a chunk out. How dare his Omega insult him like that! “Oui Geoff, oui!” Iri cries out in orgasm as the gent finally snaps his hips roughly like she wanted, and that plus the bite was more than enough to send her over the edge. She whines happily through her orgasm, but is surprised when Geoff doesn’t stop his rough treatment. “Père?” (Papa)  
“I said I will stop when I’m done, not when you are!” He snarls into her back as he continues to pound her up against the wall. Geoff can hear her whining, and moaning as another two orgasms ravage her already satisfied body, and it is after the third that he finally meets his end. Sinking his hips in fully his knot catches easily and stretches the petite woman wide with words of praise falling from her lips like rain drops. He works her free from his powers slowly and grimaces at the wound he created on her collarbone, it was already inflamed and bruising heavily. Geoff lifts her up easily, and places her hot body on the cool ground beneath them. Sleepy purrs and I love yous coating her lips.   
“Papa yes…. I’ll marry you.”  
“Oh what makes you think the offer still stands?”  
“Because you love me… I can’t…. and I can’t refuse you after that.” Iri pants sleepily, she would feel this in the morning but honestly she didn’t care… Iri would never care, as long as Geoff loved her that was all that mattered. “Je t’aime.”  
“Toujours.” (always.) Geoff purred into her neck, and nibbles softly at the woman’s earlobe causing a sleepy murmur to be heard. He couldn’t tell what she said, but it sounded happy and that’s all that mattered in the end… Well he was officially engaged to all of them, and they were to him… Now the fun part came planning the wedding, but that thought could wait. Right now all he needed was sleeping in his arms, well that and in his house… Plus Ryan was wandering around somewhere, probably hoping he didn’t kill the girl.


	115. Seesaws and Headstones

Ryan about an hour later

He prided himself on being a good tracker… well really Godric did as they wandered as a wolf down the hallway tracking his two lost mates. It isn’t until he stumbles upon the bitter scent of Geoff’s anger does he truly catch the scent and it leads him to a dungeon like room. Shifting back and opening the door slowly he expects to hear bickering, but all he finds is the pair naked with cum leaking out from between Iri’s thighs. Scenting the air slightly he can smell sex, rage, and… and well really just a lot of rage but as he nears them he can hear purring emulating from both of them. That kind of loving, I just fucked our problems away kind of purring that the pair was so well known for. Looking Iri over he notices a nasty bite on her collarbone that would scar quite thoroughly, he wondered what she said to piss him off that bad… Then again this was Iri we were talking about. Everything she said pissed somebody off to some degree or other. Looking around for clothes he sees the pile of shredded fabric and sighs in frustration, he knew he could camouflage her but did he really want to Geoff?.. maybe teach the old man a thing or two about having angry sex in strange places. However, before that thought can be complete he hears a group of whistles at the doorway.  
“Woof, woof Tex!” Harrison calls out from the doorway.  
“Damn Burns!” Thames praises.  
“Owo, owoo, owowowoo!” Russ howls with smirk.   
“Atta girl!” Fin shouts causing the pair to finally wake, and the catcalling men hear their squad mate whimper softly to her very awake and bristling mate. Ryan wastes no time in raising his hackles and warding the group away from the doorway, turning back to the omega reaching for him. Lifting her gently she lies her head sleepily on his chest, and purrs when he strokes her damp hair.   
“Ry, I want to go to bed.”  
“I will take you there as soon as Geoffrey rights himself.”  
“Don’t let me hold you up… I’m going to McGyver some clothes together. Iri I suggest you do too, if you don’t want your squad whistling.”  
“Nah I got her covered, see you in the room.” Ryan states very quickly and Geoff watches in envy as the pair turn transparent leaving him alone with.. well with what he thought was his pants. However, now looked more like a mangled scraps that reminded him of Scarlett’s quilt that Gavin had helped her make. It wasn’t pretty persay, but it was a blanket and the little girl loved it to pieces so in reality that’s all that mattered. Picking up Iri’s ripped dress he wraps it around his hips like a towel and begins his trek back to her room. On his way he received many strange looks, and even a laugh from Thames who pulls him aside.  
“What’s up?”  
“You really love her don’t you?” Thames asks his joking tone now dark, and quite serious.  
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” Geoff inquires suspiciously, this wouldn’t be the first time another tried to woo his mate away from him, and fuck this dude if he tried.   
“If you love her then remember what she is… Remember that this job calls for more than yours ever did, and remember that there are nights where she won’t love you anymore… The field is a gruesome place, and the shit we see only makes it worse. Just keep that in mind Mr. Ramsey.” Thames says in a warning tone as the beta offers him a warm smile, and disappears off down the hall leaving Geoff alone to ponder his words.  
“Jokes on him, she already doesn’t love you most of the time anyways.” Michael’s loud voice states, interrupting Geoff’s quiet thoughts. Looking up he sees his boys coming down the hall with the kits tugging a reluctant Ray.   
“Pops come on!” Scarlett begs as she and Felicia pushed the man from behind while Dex and Leo tugged his hands.   
“Pops let’s go, I want to see Momma!” Felicia whines, once Dex managed to slip into Gavin’s mind and figure out what was going on they’d been adamant about coming. Geoff watches with a smile as Ray finally allows himself to be led when Gavin kisses the unwilling feline’s lips. It wasn’t that Ray didn’t want to see Iri, he just hated this place, and the man who used to run it. However, when Gavin began kissing him and used his powers ever so slightly it intrigued the man just enough.   
“Alright, alright I’m coming… Pushy little pack.” Ray grumbles and at that Felicia furrows her brow, she hoped they hadn’t made him angry… She would hate to think. “Fel, I’m only teasing come here my little ballerina.” Ray purrs when he notices how dark the girl’s eyes became, she no longer spoke much but her eye color was far more expressive than she ever could be. So it became the new way of telling her mood, the lighter the better, darker… well the darker the worse it was. They’d never seen them go past a stormy gray in the last week and a half, Ray knew it was because her mother had been scarce lately. Ray had been extremely surprised because no matter what they would light up at dance, but nope not even a twinkle this time… Their daughter still danced beautifully, but her instructor had scolded her for the darkness of her movements. Felicia had argued that because Odile was evil that she needed to appear so in her face to accurately portray the vile enchantress who sought to steal Odette’s lover she needed to be sad… It was at that moment the woman had told her that Odile was evil not sad, Felicia had given her a look of confusion but softly accepted her instructor’s words finally allowing her to be dismissed to Ray and Ryan who waited patiently outside of the studio. They’d asked her what’s wrong, but like her mother she just glared silently, storming off to their car. Ryan the concerned father he was, was the reason they found out what happened from the teacher. She told them while all her steps were perfect, her heart just didn’t seem into it… She also told them that if Felicia didn’t change she was going to be forced to replace her. On the way home Ry had told the girl of that and she just scoffed, and continued to stare out the window. Ray had heard her mutter something that sounded like, ‘what does she know of evil, and how it looks?’ before continuing her silence…. However, now she seemed very happy even as she pushed him along. They came to the room but noticed the door shut, and Geoff heard a familiar moan. At that he’d shooed them away swiftly, and instead took them to the room filled with Iri’s squad mates. He doubted the kits would appreciate the aesthetic of their mother on her knees getting fucked roughly by Ryan…. His boys on the other hand seemed to linger, probably itching to get a piece of their Vixen… She’d been gone a long time it seemed like and the boys always seemed to get like this when she returned.   
“Oye, aren’t you just the cutest little lad?” Fin’s light tone states with a purr as he leans down to pick up Dexter who growls swiftly at the man. “Ooo fiesty like yeah Mum.” He murmurs still daring to scoop up the snapping child with a fearlessness that amused the boy.  
“I’m Dexter, you can call me Dex.” Dex greets after staring the man down, and finding nothing suspicious about him. He talked a bit funny like Gavin, but other than that he wasn’t usually. His stormy eyes reminded him of his mother, and Felicia’s, but the brilliance of his smile was definitely closer to Gavin. “Hey, do you know my Daddy?”  
“Hmm who's your Daddy?”  
“Well technically my Papa is that guy, but the man over there standing next to him… No not him that’s Pops, him…. The tall lanky dude .” Dex asks and points to Gavin who was still grumbling to Geoff about not being able to watch. Fin can say nothing as he sets the boy down, and his face lights up brighter than he can ever remember it being. He doesn’t even hesitate to tackle the man who yelps as he’s suddenly covered by a shaggy blonde wolf, shifting down he back-kicks the other off of him, and starts to growls only to meet the wolf’s eyes.   
“Fin?”  
“GAVIN!” The wolf exclaims delightfully as he shifts back and pulls the wolf in for a tight hug. Gavin has to shift back in order to keep his neck from being crushed. “Gavino, I’ve missed you soo much. I’ve been bloody looking for you everywhere since you left! Where did you go?”  
“I… I went to America… What about you? Why are you here?”  
“I took this job to find you, my… my Mum died a year ago and you know how my dad has always been dodgy I… I wanted to tell you.” Fin whispers sullenly into his younger cousin’s neck. “I’m glad your alright.”  
“.. It’s a shame about Aunt Marge, she was a lovely person…. But I’m better than alright Fin, I’m engaged.” Gavin titters as he shows his cousin his hand, the group had joked about Gavin having ring hand lately… but it was a bit true, not that the ring was impressive considering Geoff had to buy five of them. However, they were each unique in their own way, all made from common gemstones versus diamonds… which all of them agreed would be far too clique even for Geoff. Gavin and Ryan shared the same ring design however the colored gemstone varied greatly. The eldest wolf’s ring was an gold full moon with crimson ruby crescent on the right side, the band was gold. Gavin’s was the same design, but with a bright indigo tanzanite crescent. The pack Alpha had said that the full moon held much meaning to wolves as well as the crescent so he’d had Iri do her best to design a simplistic representation of them both. Next was Michael’s ring which he wore proudly and if thought unwatched would gaze down at the Aquamarine lightning bolt with love. His was a play on his powers the lightning bolt symbolizes the way he struck Geoff’s heart like the electricity he created. Ray’s ring was also a play on his powers, but this one was a two-pronged amethyst flame with a gold morning glory in the center separating the two; the stone he picked was darker the further from the center you went and it portrayed fire wonderfully. The prongs acknowledging that before his love he was known only to Ryan and the flower represented their daughter Felicia… Their beautiful, but fragile morning glory. Lastly was Iri’s, a five petal blooming lily with a dark sapphire crescent moon in the center. The flower itself represented motherhood, and the five children she bore whilst the moon was a common symbol amongst night predators… Though to Geoff it symbolized the start of his love, from the very first night… The night he’d rescued her from a monster.   
“What? What mate that’s bloody brilliant? Who’s the lucky bloke?”  
“Well it’s more like four blokes and a fit lady.”  
“What have I always told you about lovin?”  
“It’s better in a pack!” The pair exclaim in unison, and burst into bouts of laughter. God Gavin didn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy to hear from his family, but it was bittersweet knowing now that his Aunt had passed… But he was still glad for his cousin’s reappearance, though he wondered why he truly came to this continent. Fin was his best mate in the early years, but they’d become estranged when Gavin’s father began sexually abusing him.   
“Gavin, I… I have some things to give you.” Fin murmurs, his eyes darkening as was his tone leaving Gavin wondering what was the matter. The man disappears, and is back in a blink of an eye carrying a shoe box as well as several stuffed animals with cards attached to them. “These are for Scarlett, each birthday I missed… and those…. well those are for you… I learned a lot in the field, and when I came home to tell you… Well you were gone by then, but you should still read them.” Fin tells him, and Gavin just nods before watching the man’s mood brighten as Scarlett hides warily behind Geoff at the sound of her name.   
“Scar come here and meet your Uncle Fin, he’s nothing like the others.” Gavin assures his daughter who now pokes her head out from Geoff’s sort of covered legs to meet the new British man’s eyes. Smiling warmly at the little girl they watch as she hesitantly walks over, but only with Felicia who was always by her side. Leo seeing that his sisters were going decides that he too needed to go, in case this man wasn’t as kind as they thought him to be, and Dex took Scarlett’s other hand after seeing it shake. Fin watched the small pack wander over with a smile, and casually extended the armful of toys to the girl who cocked her head at them.  
“Happy birthday Doll, perhaps I’ll be around for the next one.” Fin murmurs softly, and the girl just nods quickly before snatching large wolf plush and darting back to Geoff’s side. “Skittish little thing isn’t she?”  
“No, she’s really talkative, but Gavin’s father tried to hurt her a few weeks ago… and now she’s gone quiet on us… Sorry Mister Fin, she’ll warm up to you.” Dex whispers quietly to the man who looks to Gavin for conformation, he nods silently and Fin just shakes his head in disappointment.  
“He’s a bloody alcoholic ass Scarlett, don’t let him get to you.” Fin says loudly because of the distance, but the girl only starts whining fearfully into Geoff’s thigh. The gent lifts her up soothingly, and looks to Gavin who shakes his head in disappointment, remembering how hard she’d taken the harsh words to heart. Rocking her gently, Gavin gestures for Fin to follow him outside leaving the rest of the pack in the room. It can’t be more than two minutes until the rest of the squad shows up, and the kits instantly light up at the appearance of Harrison rushing to hug the sweaty Alpha. Harrison who hadn’t been expecting the onslaught of children finds himself barreled over by the giggling gang.   
“Oh no! Pack attack!” Harrison fake distress, which only makes them work harder to attack the man. They shift down, and begin nipping playfully at him in hopes of provoking the coyote. Who responds by shifting down, and chasing after the yipping hodge podge of baby animals. The other two soldiers watch with smirks as the kits attack Harrison, but the man dodges each of their attempts only pushing them to be faster. Dex manages to get his attention while the others start to circle threateningly, yips turned to growls as their prey began to become cornered. Snapping viciously Harrison and the other adults were surprised by the sudden change in the game, and with much more tactical precision than children should ever have the coyote finds himself finally knocked off balance and Dex’s tiny teeth pressed flush against his throat. After he pulls back Scarlett let’s loose a triumphant howl, and the rest make similar sounds of victory. However, it all ends with a very angry growl from their mother who crutches into the room wearing a glare they all knew meant they were in trouble…. However, right now it was directed at their eldest brother.  
‘Dexter Griffon Ramsey, what have I told you about using your powers!’ Iri shouts angrily in her son’s head and they watch the fox kit lower himself to the floor as if to hide. She takes one look at the others to find them fleeing to their fathers. ‘I have told you time and time again that it is dangerous for an untrained mind to wander, and it is frankly quite disrespectful that you continue to disobey me!’  
“Momma, I’m sorry… But I.”  
“Not now you didn’t, but next time you won’t get so lucky. Come here.” Iri snarls as her son scampers over to her and she picks him up by the scruff. With the fox kit in the air, his legs dangling, tail tucked between his legs, and whimpers falling from his lips she takes them back to her room. Slamming the door shut behind her effectively warding the others off. Dropping him on the bed he shifts back with large tears in his eyes, and his lip already quivering. “Look at me.” The boy does as he’s told and waits for more instructions, but they never come instead she pulls him into her arms. “Why do you think I tell you not to go into other’s mind?”  
“Because it could hurt them.”  
“Why else?”  
“Because they could hurt me.”  
“Last reason?”  
“Because if I go in unprotected I might lose part of myself to them.”  
“Good, now if you know the reasons why do it?”  
“Because… Because we work better as a team that way, did you see the way we took down Harrison?”  
“I did, and that was very impressive but do you realize how you make Harrison look when you do that?”  
“No... “  
“He looks incompetent, untrained, and unskilled that promotes distrust amongst his team. And since I am part of that team, in my heart as well.”  
“But Momma you know.”  
“I do, but those men do not and your little stunt may cause us failure.”  
“No Momma I didn’t mean that, we just… we just wanted to show off for you. We wanted to show you that we’re getting stronger and stronger each day, and someday we’ll protect you.” Dex explains anxiously to his mother, he could feel his heartbeat racing and the room growing smaller.   
“Shhh, shhh it’s alright Dexy… Shh I will tell him you were showing off, but you must be careful to whom you show off. Your powers will scare many, and few will have no problem reporting you to the authorities.” Iri says softening her hard gaze and tone when the boy begins to have a panic attack.  
“I don’t want to go to jail!”  
“Shhh, and if you follow my rules you won’t. I say these things not because I don’t love you.”  
“But because you want to keep me safe, and everyone else safe.” Dex finishes and his mother nods in confirmation as the boy relaxes onto her lap. “Papa will be mad if you don’t spank me.”  
“Damn your Papa… Dex that was very impressive, you display true leadership qualities especially at the end. However, what do you think my one criticism is?” Iri asks her son who is nuzzling her chest lovingly.   
“I should have let Scarlett be the one to knock him over, and then moved in directly after her not waited for Leo to trip him, and then struck.” Dex murmurs hopefully and watches his mother beam in pride.  
“Such a smart boy you are.” She praises with a kiss to his brow, and leans back on the bed careful of her injured arms. Using her powers she opens the door and the rest of the group warily pokes their heads in. Seeing Dexter cuddled up on the bed the children instantly whine and Iri beckons for them to come over. The children don’t hesitate to jump on the bed and begin claiming spots by their mother. Leo takes her other side while Felicia and Scarlett lay on her chest. Iri makes a small sound of pain, but other than that is quiet as her children begin to breathe deeply in sleep. Geoff however, doesn’t settle for this when he realizes all she’s done today is get angry and have sex, she didn’t eat or bathe, and he understood the woman wanted to cuddle but right now she needed to do other things.   
‘Iridessa, you need a bath and some sort of meal.’ Geoff states in her mind, dragging the sleepy woman from her silence. ‘Once they fall asleep you need to do those things.’  
‘But Papa.’ She whines at him, she didn’t want to do those things.  
‘Yes, you have dried cum in between your thighs, in your hair, and trickling down your ass mixed with copious amounts of slick. If you don’t get that off you're going to get an infection.’ Geoff tells her sternly, and watches as the woman acquiesces with a sigh. Opening her eyes she gazes down to the group sleeping peacefully and up to her mates smiling warmly. Very carefully, and gently she maneuvers her sleeping daughters off of her, and onto the bed below. At first she was worried they’d wake up, but when the scent of Iri’s pillow catches their noses they quiet instantly allowing their grumpy mother to glare at Geoff. “Kit don’t look at me like that… You know I’m right.”  
“I’m bathing myself.”  
“Nope Love, I want to.” Gavin chimes as he reappears in the room holding a towel, and a wash cloth. “Come along Love.”  
“Oh, and what’s to say I’m still not pissed at you?” Iri snaps as she hops over to Michael who had been waiting for her with open arms. “What’s to say that I’m concerned.”  
“Love come here now!” Gavin growls his tone demanding and his posture rigid, leaving Michael’s arms warily she limps over to him, and he pulls their lips together for a rough, needy kiss. It wasn’t soft and sweet like usual, but rather forceful and commanding. Iri allowed the man to take the lead as his tongue danced with hers, and she leaned into him for more. Eventually he pulls back, and coos at the breathless woman who bares her neck compliantly. “Aren’t you sweet Love?” He harshly bites her marred skin, but not hard enough to break skin, instead just leaving a bruised hickey in his place. Gavin listens as she purrs into his chest, and grinds her hips forward on his growing erection needily.   
“I need you.”  
“Yeah?”  
“I need you to fuck me Gav, I need it bad.” Iri pants into his lips as the Brit lifts her up easily, and pins her securely to the wall. Most of her pack wears smirks, but Geoff wears a scowl. “Papa keep glaring like that and it’ll get stuck.” Iri taunts in between their kissing, and she moans in pleasure when Michael comes up behind them to tease her tail. “Bonne Chaton.” Iri praises, the man’s rough tugging beginning to take her over the edge. She was so sensitive lately, and wondered if a heat was approaching, or perhaps she just wanted to be fucked… She wanted to be tied to a bed, and left open… so her pack could use her as they pleased… Oh did she want that… Iri might even daresay she needs it. “I… I need to be tied down, spanked, and teased open… I’ve been a very naughty girl.”  
“Oh and what have you done Lass?” Michael inquires as he, Gav, and Geoff head to the bathroom connected to her room. The bath tub wasn’t as large as Geoff’s, but it would do. Gavin at this point was starting to undo his pants.  
“Ask Geoff… he knows what I’m talking about.”  
“It’s true, she was saying some very suggestive things about Adam Kovic… How thick his knot was, and how good it would have felt stretching her wanting pussy wide… She told me that she doesn’t think your cocks are thick enough to even fill her.” Geoff states, knowing just how to rile his boys up… Now Iri had never said anything like that in regards to Kovic, but hey a little white lie never hurt no one… well no one that wouldn’t enjoy the rough treatment. The twin growls of rage that spark from his boys only further prove his skill. “She told me that she’s never once been satisfied by you two… Says your omegan cocklets are just too smooth, and small to really please a woman.” Geoff adds, laying it on thick and Gavin practically rips the cloth gown from her body, spreading her legs almost painfully wide and forcing her to sit on his hard cock. They listen to the woman gasp loudly as he enters her still cum slicked ass, and begins rutting his hips into her. Michael who had managed to slip out of his pants stands in front of her, his erection standing proudly in front of her. Leaning forward to suck it she finds her head pulled up roughly by Michael.   
“Did I give you permission Slut?”  
“No, Michael… I mean Master.” She pants out when Gavin slaps her ass roughly.   
“Besides if one doesn’t seem to do it, perhaps two will.” Michael taunts as he gestures for Gavin to stand up, the man does as he and Michael support Iri’s meager weight and the jersey man slips in her soaking pussy.   
“Oh!” Iri gasps at the intrusion, her body feeling suddenly very full and she tries to relieve some of the pressure by arching up only to feel Gavin and Michael thrust up into her at the same time. “Masters!”  
“What?”  
“More… Please more.” Iri begs into Michael’s neck as she braces her hands on his shoulders and begins working in tandem with the omegas. When Gavin thrusts she pushes down onto Michael, and when Michael thrusts she pushes back onto Gavin… it was a bit like a seesaw. “Fuck yes!”  
“Watch that mouth Iridessa.” Gavin scolds in a dark tone that she rarely ever heard, but always loved. She loved an angry Gavin, she loved when he took what he wanted instead of his soft and sweet movements. Sure she did love a tender night of sex, but generally never had an orgasm as intense as the one she was about to have. “God feel how tight you are, it’s like you’ve never been fucked before Love.”  
“Mmhmm she’s very tight boys, it’s all the kegels she does… You thought I wouldn’t figure it out did you?” Geoff purrs as he comes over to his sweaty mates still fucking her roughly, and smiles at the sound of flesh slapping together sensually as well as pleasured grunts from each person filled the air. “She’s Masters’ clever girl isn’t she?”  
“I’m your girl… Your girl!” Iri nearly shouts, she was so close and they were close to… she could tell by their erratic hip movements. “Pet just wants to please her masters!”  
“Then cum, all three of you cum.” Geoff commands, and it was at that moments the boys bite her harshly. Teeth clamping on her shoulders, and an orgasm rips through her body like she couldn’t believe. Her body goes lax and her vision goes black as her head lulls forward on Michael’s chest. The boys who were panting as well, nudging her head only to receive no response. “You two are lethal it would seem.”  
“She’s out like a light.” Gavin purrs into the back of her neck as he slips out of her, and Michael lifts her fully into his arms. The pair get into the bathtub, and Geoff hands them several plastic bags to cover up her casts. Once secure he turns on the water as Michael soothes the whimpering woman who was just starting to stir in his arms.   
“Hurts.” Iri whines into Michael’s broad chest when the man goes to spread her legs open. She grits her teeth, and forces her pained scream to come out as a long groan.   
“Kit what hurts?”  
“Nether regions… feels like someone fucked me with a train.”  
“Mmm Love we were rough… But don’t you like it rough?”  
“Yeah… I.. Oh fuck, get Otto please.” Iri yelps when the full force of pain hits her. It was the equivalent of being run over by a truck, and Iri could feel every broken bone, sprained muscle, bruise, and laceration she had. She silently wondered if Otto forgot about her, or perhaps the wolf was helping others. Seeing his mate in distress Geoff dashes from the room only to find Otto sprinting in, apologies already falling from his lips.   
“Geoffrey, I’m so sorry. I.. I was just out of range for a second, and then she blocked herself off.” Otto woofs quietly aware of the men and children napping on Iri’s bed, Geoff just nods, and motions to the bathroom where he finds her and her mates in their state of undress. “Iri?”  
“Otto, hurts… hurts bad.”  
“I know, but just relax and let me in… You have to allow me entrance so I can numb it, you're too strong otherwise.”  
“How’d you do it before then?”  
“Well earlier when she was unconscious I established a morphine drip but of the mind, and every time I felt it flare my powers would naturally suppress the pain. However, when I got too far away from her the line got snapped and now I need to renew it… that’s it just let me in.” Otto explains while re-establishing the link, once reconnected he floods the woman’s mind with dopamine. Iri’s pained clenching of Michael’s hand soon loosens to nothing, and her eyes slowly flutter. “There, she’s probably going to be sleepy for a bit… Also no more sex.”  
“What, why?” Gavin interjects distraughtly, they were just getting started.  
“It ruins my connection, and I don’t feel like constantly re-establishing it because you two need get your cocks wet… Wait until I can wean her off safely to pain killers, and then be my guest.” Otto states in a doctor tone of voice that causes the omega to deflate, and start running a wet cloth over her filthy body. “Oh by the way, congratulations from Harold and I, we’ll expect an invitation in the mail.” The wolf says before trotting out of the room, leaving Geoff and the omegas to wonder what he meant.   
“The ring cunt.” Iri slurs in a drunken state, her awareness and language taking them by surprise. “Language.” Gavin warns again, a light spank to her ass causes her to bark angrily at the man. At the sound Geoff kneels beside the tub, and pulls her chin up to meet his eyes despite her weak attempts to tug away.   
“We don’t bark, we speak.” Geoff says very strictly, and waits for her to respond only to hear nothing. “Speak.”  
“... I’d rather choke on your dick Nikolai!” Iri spits at the gent before turning her face downward, and into Michael. She remembered barking for Nikolai… but that was only after he’d beaten her nonstop for three days… She’d barked like a mutt, and he praised her for it. Iri could still feel the hands on her head pushing her to take him… Pushing into her mouth, and using her like a common whore… He’d given her something to drink after that, and told her what a good girl she was. It reminded her of Erik, and Iri hated it. Looking up she notices Geoff’s softening expression, and his touch becomes a soothing petting that trails up to her grimy ears. “Sorry… I meant Geoff.”  
“I know you did… but we still don’t bark.”  
“Sorry, just tired.”  
“Shh, let the boys wash you, get you something to eat, and then you can head to bed Kit…Good girl.” Geoff purrs as he feels her start to shake in Michael’s arms. “Good.”  
“Please just stop.” Iri begs clamping her hands over her ears, and curling up tighter. She doesn’t want to worry him, but she could still smell the scent of snake if she thought about it hard enough… and when Geoff praised her, all she could think of was him… well them… Iri wished she’d killed Nikolai instead of wounding because now he was looking for her but… but next time she wouldn’t be alone, she’d have the back up she had so carelessly opted out of… Fucking independence.   
‘Mistress stop scolding yourself, it’s over now and Geoff can hear you muttering… He’s becoming worried.’ Lexi warns dragging her companion back to the world, and the feeling of rebellion she felt…With her pain now gone Iri could feel it, she could feel her own nature willing her to disobey the content trio washing, holding, and stroking her. ‘Mistress don’t do it.’  
“Vive la révolution!” Iri shouts as she shifts swiftly, and dashes out of the bathroom her fur drenched but her steps light and quick exiting the room before they can even blink. Pushing herself forward she streaks through the hallway till a pair of strong hands grip her wearing a disapproving look. Not even bother to looking she bites her handler, and he drops her. After recovering quickly, she continues on her way. Running till she makes it through the front door, and rounding the corner Iri runs to pair of headstones she knew waited for her. Deep in the forest surrounding the facility she finds the graves of the Marseilles, and stares at the crumbling stone with wild roses growing through and around them. Otto had showed her these the first time she’d been stuck here, and at first Iri didn’t understand why but the wolf had merely said one day you’ll understand… For some reason it had never occurred to Iri that maybe he meant this had been her birthright… Perhaps she was always slated to die, or… Or perhaps there was more. Leaning forward she could barely make out the words, “Marseilles women: women who’ve learned to look past the lies and see the truth for what it is… buried deep.” Iri didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to know what that meant, and Lexi appears as a large dog already starting to dig on the other side of her mistress. The dirt starts to fly, and Iri uses her powers to assist them as they dig like their lives depended on it.


	116. Peanut Butter, Expensive Chokers, Leadership Decisions Decided Amongst Companions, and To Please his Betas

Two hours later

Geoff cursed himself for not binding her feet or putting a leash on the woman as he and the rest of the pack wander through the woods looking for Iri. Gavin had said something about her excitement fluctuating and it isn’t until they hear an angry scream do they finally catch wind of her. The baby pack is the first to dart towards the sound with their fathers not far behind, and what they see confuses them wholeheartedly. They find Lexi sitting on the edge of a deep hole, and curses flowing profusely from it. Trotting closer they form a ring around it to see the woman weakly pounding on a metal casket. She had no clothes on due to the fact that she ran out in the middle of a bath, her hair was mostly dry, tousled wildly, and her body was coated in sweat and grime. Ray and Ryan had to hold back tiny purrs at the way her lean body gleamed in the pale moonlight, she looked like a feral Vixen and the sound of her growls further their graphic thoughts.   
“Open up you fucking piece of metallic shit! Open!” Iri shouts tiredly, using her powers had caused her to become weak and this box was pissing her off even more. “Ouvrir! Ouvrir!” Iri begs the box quietly, and at this something stirs to life. The box's top opens with a small hiss to reveal several items ranging from weaponry, a key, a letter, and beautiful, diamond choker… It looked like something Gavin would buy her with the sapphires binding two intricate diamond encrusted crescent moons facing the opposite directions together. It was about an inch thick, and looked more of a collar than an actual necklace.   
“Kit?” Geoff calls out warily only to hear a surprised squeak and her quickly backing into a corner of the deep hole.  
“Uh… sup.” Iri murmurs softly, and her eyes beginning to flutter weakly after sensing her task had been complete for the most part. Cursing her predicament she looks to Lexi, who has already faded back in hopes of buying her mistress more time. “Geoff, don't be mad.”  
“What, why would I be mad?”  
“I’m...I’m gonna pass out.” Iri declares, and suddenly crumples onto the now open casket. Sighing loudly Geoff levitates her out as well as the objects. The letter was perhaps the most curious of the four… well behind the choker, which looked an awful like a collar in his opinion... Like mother like daughter he supposed. The kits nuzzle their dirt covered mother, and Gavin just sighs angrily, shedding his large hoodie then helping Iri into it.  
“She needs another bath.”  
“Technically we never finished the first.” Michael points out to Gavin who shifts back and picks her up quickly. The baby pack whines at the loss, but accepts it as they weave around Gavin’s feet happily. Geoff picks up the items and Ryan helps with the guns after making sure they weren’t cocked. Michael and Ray just stare at the choker in Geoff’s hand, and it would be a lie to say they didn’t itch to see if what Iri would look in it… it must have cost at least thirty thousand dollars. “She’s wearing that for the wedding.” Gavin states, he’d never seen such beautiful jewelry and that would look lovely with the dress they’d ogled at the shop a few months ago. “It’s positively radiant like her.”  
“... That’s kind of ironic Poppa, considering Momma is passed out in your arms.” Scarlett adds causing the others to chuckle, and Gavin to roll his eyes. “But I agree, Momma will look lovely in it… But how did she know it was there?”  
“Momma, read the headstone, deciphered the meaning, and then dug it up.” Leo states with a surety that makes the others unable to argue with the lion cub who trots beside his father quietly. “I saw it.” Leo explains hoping that would cause them to understand him better, however it only befuddles them more… Except for the Baby Pack. The Baby Pack knew all about their brother’s powers.  
“Saw it?”  
“Well Champ showed me.” Leo says turning to see his father still wearing a look of confusion.  
“Champ?”  
“Champion, my lion… He’s really nice, and he shows me pictures of Momma whenever I want… Well I have to touch something she touched first, but then he shows me… Champ is awesome.”   
“Heyo!” A voice that they all know is Champ greets happily as it appears beside Leo, and nips his ear playfully. “It’s so wonderful to finally meet all of you, we’ve been working like crazy on trying to cast me out.. Momma makes it look so easy.”  
“Momma?”  
“Momma Lexi, and of course Iri, but Lexi is my Momma just like Marcus is my father…. Marcus and Lexi are my biological parents, while Iri and Michael are Leo’s parents.” The lion cub explains to Michael who just marvels as the identical lion cub bounces happily beside his calm counterpart. “Leo, should we tell them what Mémé said?” Champ asks his companion who nods a yes. “She left those things for Momma Iri in hopes of her finding them.”  
“Finding who?” Geoff inquires and Champ just turns to meet the Alpha with a smile.  
“Them… They’re still alive, but my vision doesn’t go any further than that… I’m sorry.” Champ tells the Alpha who merely smiles at the fading lion cub, who slips tiredly back into Leo’s mind.   
“Alright, do any of you have predators or powers that I don’t know about?” Geoff questions sternly the kits seem to back away from him, and Dex meets his question with a growls. “Dex, I am Alpha not you and besides I’m your father! You will not growl at me, do you understand? Now answer my question.”  
“No.. it’s just Leo.” Felicia says truthfully, and this seems to placate Geoff who backs off at this.   
“I swear you four keep more secrets than your mother.”  
“... I was going to tell you, but I… You know how busy we get during the week, I just sorta forgot.” The lion cub says sheepishly with a shrug. “Daddy are you mad?”  
“Not really, Champ seems cool.”  
“Yeah, he loves Marcus… And wishes he could visit more… Daddy that’s his Daddy, and I can’t imagine anything worse than not being allowed to see you and Momma.” Leo tells his father who nods in agreement. “When he’s not so tired you should get Marcus.”  
“Michael?” Marcus asks as he appears on his shoulder. “Michael I have a son!”  
“Dude congratulations, welcome to parenthood… It’s pretty awesome.” Michael tells the lynx who is now licking at Leo’s unruly fur as they step through the building. Leo whines at Marcus who ignores him and continues bathing their unruly kit.   
“Marcus stop, stop that tickles!” Leo giggles when Marcus nips a certain part on his side, and begins to chase after his fleeing son who runs right into Derrick. Derrick was wearing a look of confusion when he sees the state of Iri, but even more so when he notices the contents of her Alphas' hands.   
“Celeste and Klein aren’t dead.” Ray tells the man who only seems more confused. “The left a letter.” Ray says gesturing to the letter, and making sure to keep him from discovering Leo’s powers. All they needed was the government to discover their advanced children… It’d be like the fucking Spartans from Halo if they weren’t careful.   
“Uh.. wow, that’s… that’s shocking news… Is she okay?” Derrick asks noticing the fainted woman who was snoring contently into Gavin’s neck unaware of the secrets being unearthed around her as well as the lies being told. “Also why is she so dirty?”   
“Grave digging does that to a gal.” Otto answers from behind him as he looks them over. “I knew she’d figure it out eventually, I believe you have a phrase for her.”   
“She’s my clever Kit.”   
“Indeed, now let’s hope that stops her from getting killed… well that and the body suit Harrison made for her… He’s a clever coyote when he wants to be.”  
“Wait made it?”  
“Yeah, after he found Iri. He and our scientists immediately started work on it, he said something about her having the most to lose… However, now the whole squad has them… The Squadron Fate Forgot, or more commonly known as Fireteam Alpha.” Otto explains to the group who have now developed a new-found respect for the man they’d tasked with her safety. “Did she ever eat today?”  
“No.”  
“There’s a vitamin shake in her room, she needs to drink that, and then put her to bed. No more romps outside, poor woman’s going to be sore enough in the morning.” Otto orders in his doctor voice and Derrick looks like he might say something, but instead holds his tongue choosing to follow the wolf. It’s at that moment Scarlett tugs on Gavin’s pants leg sleepily, and yawned causing the group to realize it’s time for some of them to go home. Geoff had told him earlier today that he and Ryan needed to go into the office, and only two of the omegas needed to go home with them. The lads had rock, paper, scissored for it and he won. Giving Scarlett a kiss goodnight, Geoff leans down to scoop up the sleepy girl who leaned down to kiss Iri on the cheek; the rest of the kits follow suit before they leave, leaving Gavin alone with the woman in the foyer. Sighing quietly he hears Iri murmurs softly into his side, something about him being a good boy. Chuffing softly, a chuckle is heard as Thames come out from around a corner, and shakes his head at him.  
“What?” Gavin asks the man who merely shakes his head, and unwraps his long golden-brown tail from around his waist, flicking it playfully causing Gavin to cock his head in confusion. “Thames that tail is ridiculous long.” Gavin murmurs absentmindedly as he watches the appendage flit around, and gently land on Iri’s appropriately lengthed one. His lips were quick to pull back in aggression, as the weasel... or cat like thing touches his mate.   
“Touchy Gavin…. Do you need help bathing her?” Thames asks, his offer wasn’t just friendly but rather… Well he hadn’t ever had a woman from the U.S before, and she seemed interesting… When she wasn’t screaming in agony.  
“No, I can bathe my mate… Mine.” Gavin growls as he pulls her close and storms off leaving the fossa-hybrid alone in the foyer… Perhaps Fin would suck him if he asked politely, or slathered his cock with peanut butter… The wolf did love to lick anything covered in the substance. See while Betas didn’t get heat perse, they did get friendly, and… and a little humpy. It was known amongst their squad’s Alphas that at a certain time of the month Thames and Fin became quite eager to please. However, Fin was quick to suppress the urge and ward away any Alpha near him. Thames on the other hand loved it, he had been offered many positions above this one, but he refused them all because working under an Alpha gave him… Gave him a thrill he supposed, and after seeing Iri covered in her Alpha's cum with her neck marked up possessively well by the twitch in his pants he knew it had dredged up his instincts. With his playmates gone he heads to the room to find Fin passed out on the couch snoring contently, the Alphas gone… Perhaps training or trying to out do the other, he and Fin knew their former squad leader wouldn’t bow to Harrison just because Derrick named him team leader… Especially after the way Iri’s children brought him down. Russ would never say it verbally, but he didn’t believe Harrison was experienced enough to lead a team as skilled as this… Well who were they kidding, Russ is known as WarHammer, the man who completes his task with almost always no casualties… and Harrison is the pretty boy from New York, a capable soldier sure, but no match for the tales sung about Russ’ bravery and heroism. He remembers listening to the Alpha rant night after night, and he remembers offering his friend a soft purr when he came over to his bed. Russ hadn’t even asked him to roll over, but they’d been a squad for so long he knew what the Alpha needed before he knew himself… Well that and his powers of intuition, it never hurt to know the desires of others. See that was his gift, he knew what everyone wanted… Even the darkest, deepest desires; the ones people always rejected, despite the truth they feel when he points it out… Or coaxes out, see he could place a desire into another’s heart, but that was much harder.. However, it could be done but influencing a heart to see what was already there was so much easier and more enjoyable in his opinion. He learned many years ago that people will always deny the truth, especially when it hurts. Part of him desired to look into Iri’s heart, but part of him knew that was a can of worms he shouldn’t touch… But because just one look in her shattered, but still wholesome blue eyes beckoned to his heart… He still wanted to know what she wanted, and he wondered how dark it truly was. Everyone is evil, it’s just the degree that matters. However, Fin on the other hand… well sweet little Finsley only wanted a family, and their squad was the closest thing he’d had to one of late… But now he had Gavin too Thames supposed. Sitting beside him on the couch he notices the light thumping of his fluffy blonde tail. “Finsley? Finsley, are you awake?” Thames purrs warmly into the wolf’s short fluffy ears quiver in response, and his eyes open a crack. He'd been having a lovely dream until Thames started talking to him, and try as he might his mind wouldn't let him ignore that voice... Plus all his training nagged him to see what was the matter.   
“Mmm what Thames?” Fin murmurs sleepily, he was tired and all he wanted right now was to sleep… Queen knows when their missions start he wasn’t going to be able to catch this many hours of it. “Thames, I’ll shag you later.”  
“But Pup, I’m hard now… I’ll get you a treat if you start now.”  
“What kind of treat?” Fin asks his tail and ears twitching in interest, maybe want if he squinted.   
“Be good and you’ll find out.” Thames teases causing the wolf to huff and turn away, he didn’t seem to want to play his game. “Rimming Sour Pup, I was going to rim you till you came so hard you blacked out.”  
“Do we have any of my peanut butter?” Fin inquires curiously; Thames gave the best rim jobs, and his friend was probably beginning to hit that time of the month.   
“Yeah… I’ll get it.” Thames states excitedly as he disappears off the couch to find the jar they stored in the cabinets… It was specifically for this purpose, and was labeled lovingly by him as Fin’s Special peanut butter. A homemade brew that Thames had developed just for the wolf, it was the right consistency, smooth on the palate, helped lubricate the throat to prevent discomfort, and mixed with a decent amount of aphrodisiac that he was ninety percent sure the wolf didn’t know about… he wasn’t always the smartest Puppy, but he tried his best. Grabbing the jar and a spoon he finds the man’s tail wagging happily, perhaps he would just feed him it for a bit, help the man truly shake out of his sleepy state. “Sit.”  
“I’m not a dog.”  
“Technically you are, but be a good boy Finsley.” Thames warns the man who slinks to the ground in between his thighs and lets him stroke his head affectionately. “Beg Pup.”  
“Thames.”  
“Fin, please?”  
“Huh, you're lucky.” Fin grumbles softly while nuzzling Thames' inner thigh.  
“Hmm, why’s that?” Thames teases as Fin starts to make whimpering noises that go straight to his dick. Opening the jar he stirs the substance a bit before offering the spoon to his companion who begins lapping lazily at it, enjoying the taste as it coats his mouth, and slides down into his stomach. He’d forgotten dinner, but this was the next best thing. “Good boy, such a good boy.” Thames praises as he strokes the man’s head lovingly, and listens with a smile to the purr coming from the man beneath him. It isn’t till the spoon is licked clean that he hears his noises change to a truly needy sound. He’d know that sound anywhere, that was Fin’s hungry sound… He remembers first discovering it in the field about ten years ago when the man forgot to pack his M.R.E.’s, and went hungry till Thames took pity on him and shared his... That was how he'd come to know the energetic British man, and from there they'd been fast friends. “Did you have dinner?”  
“No… I fell asleep after my workout, and then you showed up.”  
“Forgetful Pup, you're lucky our newest squad mate seems to have piqued my arousal otherwise you’d go hungry.”  
“Thames she isn’t a toy for you to play with, do you understand me?” Harrison’s dark growl sounds he enters the room, a thick coat of sweat over his muscles, and his face red from exertion. He wouldn’t have Thames influencing her on his watch, her mates trusted him and that trust wouldn’t be soiled anytime soon. She was like his sister, and he wouldn’t let these men ruin that bond. “She has two very strong Alphas who are just looking for a reason to tear us apart.”  
“He’s only teasing Harry, relax. Aren’t you Thames?” Russ assures their leader who glares viciously at him, but Thames merely nods a yes. “See, no real intent… Just harmless words, teasing amongst squad mates.”   
“Make sure it remains that way.” Harrison declares, his tone strict causing the beta to nod in acquisition and Fin whines hungrily from below him. “Feed him something besides your cock, and that concoction.” Harrison orders before grabbing night clothes and disappearing out the entrance way.   
“Thames, what’s in that stuff?” Fin questions suddenly, having stopped licking and looks up to his friend who shakes his head.  
“Harrison’s just got a stick up his ass… Now shush, and lick.” Thames assures the nervous man who seems to accept his deception willingly, and leans past the spoon to nuzzle his growing bulge. “Mmm, just one more spoonful and I’ll let you have at it… I don’t want you to be hoarse in the morning.”  
“...” Russ says nothing to his friend’s blatant lie knowing full well what was in that jar having accidentally made a sandwich from it once… Awkwardest training session ever. He’d confronted the man later, who told him of the label causing him to scoff and sputter angry growls that turned to purrs when Thames nibbled at his neck. Leaving the pair to their game he heads into the shower to wash the sweat and stink of the day from his limbs. It didn’t take longer than twenty minutes, and by the time he did Fin was already passed out on his bed. Thames pulling his mouth back, and pulling his friend’s boxers up with an affectionate touch; he places loving kisses on Fin's sweaty back and nibbles at the base of his tail. “Thames, come here.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I want you to, and that’s an order.”  
“No.”  
“Are you disobeying a direct order issued by a higher ranking officer?”  
“Yes?” Thames offers with less conviction, he still needed to feed Fin when he awoke, and he couldn’t do that with a knot up his ass despite how nice that sounded. However, the stern look he received from Russ told another story as he came over to the bed with a glare on his lips.   
“You have three seconds to get in my bed or this gets real rough Private.” Russ warns, using his pet name for the man, signalling the game they were about to play. Thames could easily back out, but the challenge on his lips said otherwise as he defiantly wound himself around Fin. “One.”  
“...” Thames purrs into Fin’s neck as the man sleeps peacefully under his soft stroking.  
“Two… Private now.”  
“Fuck you.” Thames spits at his commander, he knew this was a game but the growl Russ made was very real, and he silently wondered if this left over aggression was from his training with Harrison. However, before he can ponder that a hand wraps around his middle and rips the man away from Fin, who still remained oblivious. Chucking Thames onto his bed, Russ pins the man with his hands above his head, and grabs a belt to truss up his hands. After they were nice and tight the Alpha looks carefully into Thames’ eyes looking for any sense of apprehension or fear only to find a delighted green staring back at him… albeit impatiently, but nothing to signal he didn’t want this. Flipping the beta onto his stomach, and spreading his legs wide he forces the man to arch his back with his face mashed up against the mattress.   
“Good Private, look at that hole already dripping for me… Mmm imagine how good it’ll feel around me.” Russ purrs to the man who is arching back, trying to get the friction he so desperately wants. However, all he feels is a sharp slap on his ass and a bite to his ass cheek causing him to hiss into the bed. “Got to stretch you out first boy, don’t want that cute ass of yours to be torn apart by my knot.”  
“Sir?”  
“Oh that’s right Private, I’m going knot this sweet ass of yours… Give you what you crave… Ha, don’t be shy I’ve seen you sauntering around my bunk. Eyes lingering just a bit too long Beta, you need it almost like an Omega does.” Russ taunts darkly, and begins teasing the man’s rim with his two fingers, not even bothering to start with one… He knew Thames would become frustrated if he went too slow, and this was as much for him as it was for Russ. Thames liked having someone he trusted fuck him like this, he’d save the vanilla stuff for his pretty little European playthings they nicknamed him after. The Beta needed it rough, and if he didn’t get it he became bitchy, restless, and frankly bitter. And he wasn’t having a repeat of ‘82 if at all possible. Part of being squad leader was recognizing the needs of your men, sure he could pawn him off to someone but this made for better teamwork.... and incredibly satisfying on both ends.  
“Russ… Russ please.” Thames begs breathlessly into the mattress, he needed something more.. He was ready, and seeing this Russ withdraws his fingers leaving him achingly open. “Russ.”  
“Shh, just lining up… God damn, your wet… and tight…. How long has it been since we’ve done this?”  
“Two months… Russ move.”  
“Still Private, I don’t want to hurt you.”  
“You won’t trust me… I’m a big boy.” Thames teases lightly as the Alpha begins rocking his hips at a slow pace. “Please.”  
“Wait Thames, I will not tell you again.” Russ warns sharply, slowing his hips down even more causing his companion to growl in frustration. There was a point where Russ liked to push at Thames, he liked to tease the man before rocking his world… Let him fray around the edges before sewing him together again with a snap of his hips. And this is what he does, he teases his squad mate till the only sound that falls from his lips are pleading whines paired with his begging green eyes, casting a needful glance up at him. “Shh, I know what you need Private… I know.”   
“...” Thames can’t find words when his commander’s thrusts are no longer soft and slow, but rather hard and rough. A hand found it’s way to his hair and he used it to angle him upwards slightly, punctuating each thrust by nailing Thames’ prostate each time. “Russ!” Thames cries out as he cums, and clenches tightly around his friend who was already cumming inside him. Russ slams his hips home as his knot catches, locking tightly into the beta beneath him already purring sleepily trying to fight his fluttering eyelids.  
“Well done Private, sleep now… I’ll get Fin to eat when my knot goes down.” Russ assures the cat whose tail wrapped around his hand as the man purrs his thanks before falling asleep. Seeing that he’d finally slipped under he works the belt off of his wrists, grimacing at the bloody marks it left. He’d put some bandages on it when they weren’t connected. Lying beside him for about twenty minutes his knot finally slips free allowing him to get off only to hear the lonely whimper from his Beta. He hated the broken sound that fell from his friend’s lips, but it happened every time they did this. Russ knew the man wouldn’t let him claim him, and he also knew they’d be doing this again soon… Thames always grew tired of his whores, but never him… Which he’d never understand, but he supposed that was the beauty of love. Exiting the bed with a kiss to his neck, he grabs bandages, antibiotic cream, and a warm cloth for the cum leaking from his abused hole…. Perhaps it was the Alpha in him, but he truly did love taking care of his two betas. He loved these men despite their restlessness, though now with Fin’s cousin found he believed the man might be more willing to take his bite. That had always been his excuse, he had to find Gavin before anything else.. He doubted the man had a plan afterwards… The beauty of youth he thought with a chuckle as Russ finished cleaning up Thames, and turned to Fin who was stirring slightly from his slumber. “Finsley.”  
“Russ?”  
“Finsley get up and eat something.”  
“Mm no, I’m so comfortable.”  
“I won’t tell you again Pup.” Russ orders strictly, and watches the beta slink over to his bed with a whine in his throat. “What?”  
“Make me something?” Fin begs with a pouted lip that causes the glare on his lips to quirk up into a smirk. “Please, Russ you make the best grilled cheese.”  
“You're lucky I like you Pup.” Russ sighs as he grabs a pair of shorts, and heads into their small kitchen to make said food. It takes about ten minutes to make several sandwiches, they weren’t just filled with cheese but rather tomato, turkey, and pickles just like the beta loved. Heading towards the couch he sees Fin instantly perk up from his Netflix searching to grab a sandwich and start eating, handing the remote to Russ so he could find something. Russ selects Inglorious Bastards, and nibbles at the food in Fin’s hand as he snuggles into his commander's side. They can hear Thames softly snoring in the background as the opening scenes start. 

Several hours later

The movie ends, and Russ looks down to find snoring into his side. Lifting him up gently, he takes him to his bed and tucks him in before shutting off the T.V. only to notice Harrison entering with a somber look on his lips. He may not always agree with their leader, but he was still part of their squad and he cared for him.   
“What’s wrong Harrison?”  
“... Nothing, just doing some thinking… You know maybe you're right.”  
“About what?”  
“Maybe you should lead.”  
“Why?”  
“You have more success under your belt, and those two respond more to you than me… Though I believe it’s because you fuck them.”  
“Well that, and we’ve been together since they entered the service… Ten years is a long time, but there’s another reason. What is it?” Russ asks as he notices the way Harrison gazes at the betas sleeping.   
“I won’t be responsible for any more death, I watched my entire squad butchered thanks to my incompetence… Derrick thought getting back into it would help me, but I know it won’t. You take the lead, your better suited for the task anyways.” Harrison responds to the Alpha who seems to accept this explanation without arguing. “Besides Iri and I were partners before this started, and I look forward to working with her again on the same level… She hates playing second fiddle to me.”  
“Is she truly as good as Derrick promotes her to be?”  
“No, but she is deadly in her own right… And she will get the job done, by herself if need be.”  
“Is that?”  
“Derrick sent her into the arms of the enemy with no real plan, just retrieve intelligence… She did, but it’s useless… All that pain for no damn reason, but that’s besides the point. The squad is yours, use us wisely.” Harrison bids, ending the conversation and lying in his bunk on the far corner of the room leaving Russ to retire to his Thames’ filled bed. Slipping under the covers he finds Thames automatically curling towards his presence. Pulling the beta close he falls asleep with thoughts of wonder in his mind, what could have made him change his mind so suddenly?

Iri and Harrison  
Twenty Minutes before

‘Let him take the lead.’ Iri tells the man who had been standing outside her room for ten minutes. Gavin was snoring peacefully beside her in the bed after helping her to bathe, and made her drink the shake. ‘York, they’re clouding your judgement again.’  
‘Who is?’  
‘The squad you lost… I can feel your apprehension from here, and the pain that comes along with it… I know the nightmares you and I share… Loved ones butchered by maniacs while being forced to watch, and then made to live as the example. Let him have it, you don’t need it.’ Iri assures the man telepathically who opens the door softly, and enters the room to find Gavin curled around her tightly. ‘He needs it more than you do.’  
‘It would seem that way wouldn’t it?’ Harrison answers back softly to the woman who offers him a soft smile. ‘He’s a good leader.’  
‘He is, I have seen his memories. Russ is fit to lead this squad just as you are, but his mind isn’t plagued by past mistakes.’   
‘Tex.’  
‘I worry that you’ll crack, and you know how the world would miss your devil may care attitude.’ Iri jests lightly, but he could tell there was truth behind her words. ‘Besides what harm could it have?’  
‘We could all die.’  
‘Eh we’ve faced worse consequences than death… maybe not together, but separately we have. I know that someday you’ll be ready, but not today. Also half our team has been sleeping together, you can’t expect your commands to be as respected as his.’ Iri points out with a sigh, she hated to be the one to point that out but it was a strong mark against his leadership.   
‘I’ll tell him.’  
‘And if he doesn’t respect your choice I’ll kick his ass, with my not broken leg.’ Iri promises her partner who disappears leaving her alone with a sleeping Gavin. She was glad to know that Harrison no longer felt the pressures of leading, and he was free to focus on being himself. Iri hoped she'd been right about Russ' leading capability, but the thing that truly nagged her mind was the grave she found earlier... What did that mean for her? What the fuck was the deal with that necklace? Lastly what did that letter say? All questions that plagued her tired mind, but a sleepy sound from her mate keeps her from pondering them further. Nuzzling his neck, she purrs when he makes a soothing rumble sound in his chest with a smile on his sleepy lips.  
“Go to bed Love.”  
“I am… Just at my own pace.”  
“Like always.”


	117. Warnings

The Next Week

Iri’s leg had healed much quicker thanks to Harold, but the bone was still delicate with hairline fractures and her movements were sluggish due to it. She could still fight, but she was weaker and lately Derrick just wasn’t seeming to get that. His training was tough, and Iri tried her best but sometimes her body just couldn't do it. So pushing against his rules, ignoring direct orders, and basically just being disobedient is how she finds herself confined to her room. Which wasn’t really all that bad considering Harrison was the guard, and he didn’t believe all that much in house arrest.   
“Harrison guess what we’re doing tonight?”  
“Uh… I don’t know. What?”   
“You are taking me to my daughter’s recital.”  
“And why would I do that?”  
“Because even you can appreciate the aesthetic of adorable little ballerinas dancing the Swan Lake.” Iri argues, knowing Harrison would take her regardless of what they were doing. It had been the same way with Scarlett’s meet, and the boys’ soccer tournament. Geoff would always offer to come pick her up, but she assured the man she’d find her own ride, which generally ended up as Harrison.   
“Hmm is that what Felicia was practicing when she was visiting yesterday?” Harrison asks as he picks up Iri’s crutches and hands them to her. They’d been sitting in the atrium watching a few of the hawk hybrids fly around, and practice their aerial maneuvers.   
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see it… She’s going to be fantastic.”  
“Alright let’s go, I’ll cloak us just enough to appear present…. Don’t forget to disable your tracker.” Harrison warns as he casts an image of them still sitting under the tree talking idly, if a person were to get close enough to touch they would discover their lips just moving no real sound being emitted, and if they touched them the illusion would fade away. See his powers weren’t as convincing as most illusionists, but he could project them far away and that helped immensely. It may not fool someone up close, but from a distance it would do the job. Sneaking out the back they find Thames and Russ just coming back from a run with Fin not far behind. Moving quickly as to not catch their eye they hide behind a parked car and wait for them to pass. Iri goes to check if the coast is clear, but a wet nose touches her back and she instantly sweeps it’s legs out from underneath it and pins it to the ground.   
“Ouch, bloody hell what was that for.” Fin complains as the other two loop around and find them kneeling in the dirt. Iri quickly lets her squad mate up, and turns to Harrison for an answer.  
“None of your business.” Harrison states, and it was true he didn’t need to explain their motives to these men at least right now. They weren't on a mission so Russ' leadership wasn't needed right now.   
“Harrison where are you going?” Russ demands in his clearly Alpha voice that has Iri standing with an unimpressed smirk on her lips. “Iridessa.”  
“Um, you can take that tone all you want with me but we’re still not going to tell you. Harrison you drive, here’s my keys.” Iri states as she tosses the man his keys only to find herself pinned against the slowly cooling metal. The Alpha above her looked angry, but she didn’t care… she had a recital to attend. Pushing him off roughly she tosses her crutches aside and uses her powers to keep her broken leg shielded from any real impact while dropping into her fighting stance. Russ makes the first move, a blow meant for her face but only meets air as she dodges to the left. He fires seven more rapid fire punches, and ends with a kick only to growl in frustration as the Vixen dances away expertly from each blow. “My turn.” Iri growls as she rushes the man, and uses her powers to knock him back while landing on his chest, her knees used to pin down his arms, and her powers keep him from moving anything else. Wrapping a hand around his throat, she leans in close to his ear to whisper. “Don’t fuck with me Russ, I’ll win every time.” Iri threatens coldly as she looks to Harrison who helps her up, and notices the grimace on her lips. “I’ll heal it on the way.”   
“Should have been quicker.”  
“I would have, but this stupid leg.” Iri mutters back as she and the coyote disappear into a nearby durango, and then take off into the night. Leaving the trio alone to watch them go, however, Russ was not going to accept defeat so easily. Lifting himself up and rubbing at his neck he looks to Thames for answers.  
“She’s going to see her daughter’s dance recital… Nothing more.” Thames answers with a shrug.  
“Oh…. So nothing nefarious?”  
“No Commander, nothing nefarious.” Thames confirms as he pulls the man up, and turns to leave with Fin already on his heels. “Come on, let’s shower and then get dinner.”  
“Yeah… Yeah I’m coming.” Russ calls out after his betas, he could already feel the distrust from Tex and York, and he wondered silently how effective their team could truly be.


	118. Emotions, and a recklessness to match his mother's

Iri and Harrison

It took them longer than she expected to get there, and even longer to get a parking spot so by the time they arrived the show had already begun. The maitre’d had tried to stop them from entering, but the growl that sounded from both her and Harrison was enough to let her pass. Connecting her mind with Geoff’s quickly she works her way down the isles despite the glares, and unhappy growls she receives from the parents in them. But in her mind they could shove it because her daughter was the protagonist, and little swan number seven wasn’t debuting anything too spectacular to miss. However, taking her seat and Harrison takes his as well Geoff does give her a disapproving look.  
‘You’re late.’  
‘Sorry we.. we had a bit of trouble leaving.’ Iri murmurs mentally to Geoff who was handing her a program, and gestures to Gavin who was video taping a few rows in front of them. ‘Was she nervous?’  
‘Iri, I couldn’t tell... I never can with her, now hush and watch.’ Geoff shushes the ansty woman, snaking a hand over her thigh and resting it there to soothe her. Iri however, didn’t find herself soothed and in turn shifts her thighs away from him… Don’t fucking take that tone with me… Iri grumbles so softly in her mind that even if Geoff could listen he wouldn’t hear. Keeping her gaze locked defiantly on the performance in front of her, she ignores the way the man grabs her leg tightly and jerks it closer to him. ‘Don’t pout… I’ve had a long day, and I love you.’  
‘Yeah... Love you too.’ Iri relents allowing the man to touch her upper thigh, and soon it travels even higher causing her to lower her own hands to stop his. Taking it into her grip she kneads the tight muscles she finds, and enjoys the purrs he makes until a woman behind them shushes him. “Shush him one more time, and I cut off your tongue.” Iri hisses threateningly to the woman who bulks at her, and instantly backs off. Turning their attention back to the stage they find Felicia dancing her way onto it from the wings. Her costume was beautiful and elegant, much like the delicate steps she took. Iri watched the white feather tutu swirl, and jump across the stage in an intricate pattern that Iri doubted she could ever remember even if she tried. Her daughter weaved in between others, and danced straight into the arms of a young boy about four years older than her.. now that Iri thought about it all the dancers were about four years older than her. However, before that thought can finish the music changes dramatically and Felicia suddenly parts from the prince with a fretful look upon her lips as do the rest of the swans. From there the plot seems to thicken, and Iri watches her daughter with reverence as the play progresses. It isn’t until Iri watches another girl just a bit taller, and darker than Felicia dance with the prince as Felicia dances around them in a horrified look upon her face that Iri had to excuse herself. Iri knew what that scene represented, it was Odile the seductress who steals Odette’s prince… her one chance at happiness. She crutches from the theater with tears streaming down her eyes, and no intent of ever stopping till a comforting hand is felt on her shoulder about halfway through the parking lot.  
“Iri wait!”  
“What Geoff?”  
“Why are you so sad Kit? It’s just story… It’s not real.” Geoff soothes as he watches the woman just continue shaking, her back turned to him. “Kit talk to me.”  
“I.. It is real, and it may very well happen to her one day… Fucking sluts are everywhere, and that poor girl Odette has her true love tempted away from her… And now she’ll be a swan forever! Forever Geoff, she’ll never be free of that curse till the day she dies!” Iri sobs pitifully into her fiance’s shoulder as he hushes her. “I don’t want that to happen to her.”  
“Your daughter isn’t going to turn into a swan Kit, she’ll be a jungle cat most likely but not a swan… When’s your next heat Kit?” Geoff asks quietly, rocking back and forth with her in his arms as if to some invisible music. “Hmm?” He murmurs after he hears her mumble something into his shoulder.  
“Today, I think… I can’t remember, but I can’t stop crying and Harrison showed me an A.S.P.C.A commercial earlier… and I.”  
“You were a blubbering mess?”  
“...” Iri answers with a nod, her scent was headier more forceful as it worked it’s way into his nostrils coating every inch with her delightful wintery smoke… Purring softly he spreads her legs a bit, and reaches for her lady parts only to feel a bite on his shoulder. “Not here…. Too open.” Iri whines to him, and he gestures towards the truck six spaces over but she shakes her head again.  
“Kit, you know heat isn’t fun when you deny it.”  
“I don’t want to.” Iri pouts, her foot stomping lightly and Geoff narrows his eyes at her. “No Père.”  
“Baby girl don’t fight instinct, it always wins.” Geoff teases lightly as he snaps his hips against hers causing a moan to ravage her throat. “See, now be a good girl and get in my truck.”  
“You sound like a pedophile.”  
“Hmm don’t test me, I’ll collar you in front of Harrison and see how that affects team morale.” Geoff threatens lightly causing the woman to bury her head deeper into his shoulder with her ears flat, and tail wrapped around her waist protectively. “I won’t ask you again Pet.”  
“And I won’t tell you no again Geoffrey, I said I don’t want to right now.” Iri growls sharply, but it turns into a frustrated moan when Geoff runs soothing hands down her sides. “I want a bed.”  
“How about a truck bed?” Geoff tries, he couldn’t leave even if he wanted to because the pack had only taken one vehicle.  
“Haha, I… Ow… Ow.” Iri gasps as she feels a wave of cramping start being near Otto and his drip had subdued this pain, but now being gone it was starting to kick in fully.  
“What hurts Kit?”  
“My… My stomach, god just take me… Just make it go away.” Iri pleads quietly to Geoff, she didn’t care if he fucked her on that stage as long as the pain dissipated. Geoff sensing her need he unlocks the back of his covered truck bed, and lifts his lover into it. Pulling the tailgate up, and the cover door close while twisting it to lock he begins kissing her neck. However, the woman just tugs at his clothes hurriedly. “Soft and sweet later.”  
“I should have known your heat was coming when you let me fuck you rough a week ago, you always get like this when your close.” Geoff murmurs into his neck, laving his tongue over the still healing bite. “I am sorry about that.”  
“Fuck apologies, it’s the prettiest thing you’ve ever given me.” Iri pants her breaths ragged as Geoff undoes her cut off jeans, and admires the way her hips chase his touches. He moves onto her tight off the shoulders blue crop top; leaving the woman in just her matching red underwear set. Geoff loved the way the delicate lace ribbons cradled her hips, and promoted her bust to an almost obscene level… It’s at this moment he realizes she always planned to have sex… This was no accident, or at least not for Iri it wasn’t. She almost never remembered to match them, and most often at the end of the day when she undressed Michael and Ryan would tease her about being color blind.  
“Slutty little minx.” Gavin’s mumbled voice accuses from outside the truck as he opens the back of the truck to find the two just about to begin. “Geoffrey, it’s over and you two have about three minutes before kits show up…. Love are you.”  
“Yes, and it hurts Gavi… Gavi make the pain go away.” Iri begs the man as Geoff hurries to put his clothes back on, she on the other hand just lies there. “Gavi.”  
“Love, come on you need to go back or Derrick will send a search party for you two... again.” Gavin murmurs sadly; he’d have liked nothing more than to shag that woman till her body was numb, but Harrison had already received three angry voicemails. “One minute.” Gavin warns as the kits come racing to the car, no doubt they would smell their mother, and that is when Geoff puts her clothes back on her quickly seeing as the woman wasn’t doing much to help him.  
“You're being an infant right now.”  
“Hurts, and I need you.” Iri whines as Geoff pulls away from her in hopes that her heat addled mind would follow on pure instinct. He was correct because she follows him out, and the kits purr instantly upon seeing their mother’s form. Felicia wastes no time in racing to her mother who picks up the leaping girl and nuzzles her closely despite the pain in her stomach. The rest of the kits hug her body lovingly. “Fel, you were marvelous.” Iri praises her daughter who beams brightly and her eyes turn the happiest shade of blue she’s ever seen on her.  
“Mommy I’m so glad you came, and I didn’t think I could do it but I did! You were right, you were right!”  
“I always am Felicia, besides I’ve watched you practicing… Your dedication to each step, and the perfection you crave is why you’ll be the best someday. My prima ballerina.” Iri coos to the girl who is nearly bursting at the seams with happiness, and that is when she peppers her face with kisses. “One sent forth for the north, and two for the east to sate its beast, a third for the west and the feeling of love in my chest, the last for the south may you never know drouth.”  
“Momma how do you know those sayings?” Dex inquires, he always wondered how his mother came up with such nifty things but she only unknowingly shrugs.  
“I don’t know, it could be something Lexi’s mother taught her or my mother taught me… But I’m not really sure.” Iri tells Dex who seems to accept this uneasily, his mother usually provided him clear explanations and to receive one like this perplexed him. However, it’s at that moment another cramp racks her body and she clenches her hands in pain the nearby sound of metal crunching can be heard as well as a car alarm. “Someone take her.” Iri grits out, and Ryan easily pulls her from Iri’s grip as she doubles over in pain.  
“Momma are you in heat?” Dex asks knowingly, he’d read some of his Papa’s books about Omegas in heat before… Not that he was supposed to because there were private parts in them, but he found the science of Omega’s bodies fascinating. The way their pheromones could attract a mate with a single smell, and their bodies produced a natural slick to prevent internal damage… At seven years old he bet he could tell a person more about heat than the average high school senior could.  
“Dex how do you know…. Fucking christ!... about that?” Iri grinds out as Dex coos at her, and runs fingers through her tail in comfort.  
“Shh Momma, Papa will make it better… Won’t you Papa?”  
“You had to have kits.” Iri mutters in embarrassment to Geoff who just stands speechless as his son who was staring expectantly at him.  
“Papa you have to knot her, that’s the only way to make her feel better.” Dex explains to his sheepish father who seems stuck in place. “Fine if you won’t, Rapa you need to help her.”  
“Daddy, knot Mommy… Mommy, we’ll wait in the car… Mates need privacy to complete the bond.” Felicia declares her father as she wiggles out of his arms and the rest of the kits climb into truck waiting for their fathers to return. The adults were fairly stunned by the exchange that had just happened, and as Iri stood hunched over she curses their names viciously.  
“You… You and your goddamn science books… Fuck!... I’m going to the lab… Hide them better.” Iri growls bitterly as Harrison comes to her side helping the pitiful woman to her car. The others watch them disappear with a quiet whimper in their throats.  
“He… He’s a smart cookie.”  
“And she’s right behind him… Those two are dangerously inquisitive.” Ryan states causing Geoff to nod in agreement. “Do you think she’ll be alright there?”  
“Even like that those men wouldn’t dare touch her, Harrison would maim them without a thought in the world.” Geoff says confidently, he trusted that man with her even like this. Plus he trusted her, even with her instincts pushing her for a knot, she’d decline everyone until she decided to say yes… They’d probably get a phone call later tonight…. A desperate needy phone call that would have both Alphas in a car on the way to the labs. They were thankful Iri made a lot of money because spending this much time driving around wasn’t cheap, nor was the medical care she needed, but that was provided at a discounted rate thanks to her profession. However, with nothing left to say they load into the car, two kits bearing expressions of confusion while the other two just sighed in frustration.  
“He didn’t knot Mommy.”  
“Nor did your Dad.”  
“Alright you two stop talking about that, that is not age appropriate. New rule, adults talk about adult stuff, and kits don’t.” Geoff states effectively shutting up the bickering pair, Felicia just huffs as does Dex till Scar whines at him and Leo does at Felicia distracting them. With kits occupied Geoff turns back to the topic at hand, driving them home, which takes about half an hour and from there he makes dinner. Michael tells them to take baths, and then pick out a movie to fall asleep to. It may have been a Friday, but the way the kits were dragging after dinner told them that they were ready for bed. After all showers were completed and someone picked out a Balto DVD the kits settle into bed snuggled into pairs. Scar and Leo which was unusual… Gavin wondered what was going on until he heard Dex whisper something silly to Felicia who giggled quietly causing Leo to pull Scarlett closer in what Gavin knew was jealousy. Scarlett purred somberly at her brother when she felt his muscles stiffen in anger. Gavin knew that Felicia did what she did to push her twin into a jealous rage, he wondered what the boy said to provoke her wrath in the first place.  
“He ruined her dress Poppa… Twice, and then called her dumb.” Scarlett explains to her father as he leans down to kiss her forehead, and is surprised when Leo looks up at him hopefully. “Can you give him a kiss too?”  
“Of course, there’s always a kiss for you Leo.” Gavin assures the boy as he kisses his brow, and looks over to the other bed where Dex was tickling Felicia playfully. The little girl’s chime-like giggles fill the room and that is when he saw Leo finally lash out. The boy shifts, rips himself away from Scarlett, and pounces onto the other bed. Landing on Dex with a growl that silences Felicia instantly and the kitten begins to purr at her twin.  
“No, you know I never mean it! And you! I hate when you do this! You know I don’t mean to lash out, but you coddle her like I do!” Leo growls viciously, he didn’t care what Papa Geoff said about him being baby pack leader. Dex was no stronger than him, and no faster… hell he could almost always pin the boy without the use of powers. “You don’t deserve her affection, and besides you like Scarlett better… You said she’s a better snuggler.”  
“And yet I’m not the reason she’s here… I don’t call her awful names that make her cry, I don’t ruin her dresses, and besides I don’t expect either of them to cuddle with me… They just do!”  
“Boys.” Gavin starts to warn only to hear twin growls of anger.  
“I hate you!”  
“You're just an insolent, beast!”  
“Hide behind your fancy words Dex because you’ll never be anything more than talk!” Leo counters angrily, and it was at that moment Dex’s patience snaps. He pulls from Felicia, and shoves the lion off the bed. Shifting down the pair began to circle, snapping, and snarling. Leo lands the first blow, a claw rake down his brother's side. Dex retaliates with a bite to Leo’s shoulder that causes the boy to whimper in pain. Felicia saw her sister’s father just sit there in stunned silence, and when Dex hits their brother again she snaps. She yells angrily, and a wall of white flames leaps up between the pair. It’s at that moment Gavin jolts out of his trance.  
“RYAN, GEOFF, MICHAEL!” Gavin screams, and the trio are in the room in merely moments armed in various ways. Geoff had a knife, Michael’s hands were crackling with electricity, and Ryan had soapy skillet… he was probably doing dishes. The scene they fall upon confuses them instantly.  
“Boys?”  
“He bit me!”  
“You fucking clawed me, dick face!” Leo growls as he chances a leap through the wall only to feel his entire body covered in a thin layer of burning frost that had him crashing to the floor, and shivering violently as he slides to a stop at Dex's paws. “D..dex.”  
“Leo?... Leo!” Dex shouts worriedly as he nudges the lion cub with his nose, his body was shaking, and his eyes were closing causing him to panic. He didn’t mean for this to happen, he just wanted to help Felicia.  
“Leonard?... Leo… Geoff what’s happening?” Michael asks worriedly, they couldn’t get around the wall unless risking themselves to it’s power.  
“...cold..” Leo stammers after a minute or two of silence and his brother’s desperate grooming, trying to keep him awake. “Fel, put it… put it down.”  
“Leo, I’m sorry I didn’t mean it. I’m trying!” Fel says frantically as she leaps off the bed and through the flames unafraid, she reaches her brother, and starts to take deep breaths like she’d seen Dex do when he was having trouble breathing or moving objects.  
“Fel focus on bringing it down, just bring it down.” Ryan coaches his daughter from the side who was in tears at the state of her twin. “Bring it down Morning glory.”  
“Leo, I’m sorry… I just wanted you… I didn’t want you to get hurt.”  
“I know… I never mean to lash out at you.”  
“I know, you're just an ass.”  
“Like my father.” Leo chuckles weakly as he shifts back, and Fel sees the thin sheet of frost coating his skin. Michael doesn’t bother acknowledging that last remark, more worried about his son freezing to death while he watched unable to do anything.  
“I can fix this… I can fix this.”  
“Fel you can do it, I know you can.” Dex assures his sister who places her hands over her brother, and begins thinking thoughts that warmed. He was too cold, and now she needed him to be warm. The adults watch as the fire which once burned white, now burned orange but it burned without smoke or actually burning anything itself. It can’t be more than a minute before Leo stops shaking slowly, and his lips are no longer blue. Once free from the cold Leo watches his sister’s eyes flutter and the fire itself disappear allowing the adults to surge forth to the children. Leo already held his passed out sister, who was purring in her sleep and his arms. While Dex just sat with a grin on his lips… That was three out of four presented all that was left was Scarlett… He wondered what she’d be, or if she’d be anything at all. However, the knowing glare Geoff gives him let’s him know he’s in serious trouble. Not even bothering waiting to be called he pads over, and Geoff takes him to another room. He gets a spanking that leaves his bottom bruised, throat sore from sobbing, and his eyes a puffy red.  
“I can’t believe you caused that Dexter, who do you think you are? You could have killed them!”  
“But I didn’t, and now Fel knows her power.”  
“Dexter Griffon Ramsey, what would your mother say?” Geoff questions in disappointment causing his son to roll his eyes in a flippant manner at him, a small disrepctful chuckle falling from his lips... It reminded him of his mother, and it pissed him off... It took all of his willpower not to slap that look off his son, and bend him back over his knee.  
“Who cares? She’s never here anymore, and when she is all she can do is leave again! Hell she even replaced us with a new pack, or are you oblivious to that too old man!” Dexter spits hurtfully at him, he wanted his mother not this man… He didn’t care that he was his father, he didn’t like his father never had and never will. His father never understood his curiosity or ever let him explore it, no he wanted him to silent like a good boy. But his mother… well his mother encouraged him to question everything, and he loved her for it… He wished she was here.. And so did the others, he was tired of being the strong one who held his siblings as they cried for their mother in the night… Dex wanted to be the one who cried as someone held him.  
“Dex… Dex she hasn’t replaced us.”  
“Then why is she never here? And don’t you dare say work because I’ll runaway. I’ll never come back! I’ll go straight to Poppy and Pappy, and say you touched me!”  
“Why would they believe I touched you?”  
“I… I don’t know, but they will!”  
“Dex your mother works for the government.”  
“Like a lawyer?”  
“No, think closer to Black Widow.”  
“She’s a spy?” Dex mumbles incredulously… It certainly did explain all her disappearances, but why would she be a spy? “Why?”  
“Because your mother is what we fox’s call a Vagabond… An animal whose soul can never be tamed, nor settled. She can’t be still for long periods it physically hurts, and her body begins to die if we force her to. Your mother became a spy because she was offered money to support us, but the real reason is because her mind is restless and her instincts are much closer to a predator’s than ours… Have you ever noticed the way she’ll become territorial of you four sometimes.. When you were babies there were some days no one was allowed to touch you but her, and that is her Vagabond soul surfacing. It is something that presented itself truly after you four were born, but is it in no way your faults… It’s a genetic defect that can occur in a fox’s DNA.” Geoff explains somberly to his son, he hadn’t wanted to admit the truth but Harold had informed him of it around the time Iri was captured for the second time… That is what he was trying to explain to him before the Ristaus came back. Harold told him that the older she got, and the more monotonous life became they’d face problems… Like major health problems such as suicidal thoughts and actions, amnesia, aggression, and seizures. The amnesia is what scared him the most because he didn’t think their pack could handle a fifty first dates kind of mate. Her defect was the real reason her mind opposed a pack, not the pitiful ones he gave her about being alone… Now at the time he was sure that they had been real reasons, but not anymore. Now it was because of her Vagabond defect… Celeste and Klein had it but their life had always kept them on their toes so it remained sated. He wondered silently if his mate even knew of the trait, but doubted it as she never seemed to own up to it… Call Iri a lot of things, but ignorant she was not. Especially now that he thought about her rejection to his proposal, that was something Harold had warned him about at the time. He’d been worried that her body wouldn’t allow her to say yes, but eventually Geoff found a way around her reluctant biology… Just like he always did with her.  
“So Momma is a Vagabond? Am I one too?” Dex inquires hesitantly after absorbing the information quietly on his father’s lap. “It won’t hurt her will it?”  
“As long as she keeps up with it, but as for you I have no clue… I think you're just troublesome.” Geoff assures his son with a soothing smile causing him to roll his eyes, but in less of a hateful manner. “Be patient with her Dex, she loves you but sometimes her mind can’t stop… Sometimes she will need space….. A lot of space, but she’ll always be there when you need her.”  
“I know… We just miss her, and tonight… Tonight you should have made her come home.”  
“Dex, you and I both know I don’t make your mother do anything. She does what her heart tells her to, nothing else.”  
“No, you don’t see it but if you would have asked… Pleaded with her she would have came, she may be a Vagabond but I know she would have came. She loves you Papa, more than she should and for you she’d move mountains if you asked… But you never do. You let her go, you let her hide from herself, and you allow her to ignore the truth right in front of her. She isn’t selfish, but you are… You want her to come to her own conclusion about loving you, but she can’t. Physically, she can’t and you let her deny herself because you don’t want to hurt her… I know she loves you for it, but you aren’t helping her.” Dex explains to his father, he knew their mother well and he also knew the truth about her and Geoff. He’d seen the video, and heard the stories of him allowing her to run from him… Set a bad precedent that she could. In all the books he read, Omegas never refused their Alpha no matter how bad they didn’t want to do something. Omegas were tethered to Alphas whether they wanted to be or not, and eventually they would learn to love their captors… It was a bit like Stockholm syndrome sometimes… His mother stayed with his father because biology demanded it, and every time she ran she came back because her body couldn’t live without him. He knew their mother loved his father, but that hadn’t always been the case. Dex wonders if the person in her knew this, and that is why she fought so hard to seclude herself from him sometimes… She was proving to herself that she could be free, but then again that only worked for three months till the Omega in her demanded to be sated... He would say it once again that Omega biology was fascinating, they were the people whose genetic makeup were most closely mixed with animals… And it led to the most interesting conundrums.  
“Dexter, I will not force your mother to know the truth… Part of growing up is realizing that some truths are better hidden than told. Sometimes letting people draw their own conclusions is the best options, not you speeding to tell them.” Geoff tells his son who seems to ponder this with a thoughtful look that reminded him of Iri when she painted. “Let people learn at their own pace Dex, pushing Felicia tonight was irresponsible, and dangerous. What if she had killed Leo on accident? How do you think she’d be able to live with herself?”  
“She wouldn’t… She’d kill herself.” Dex comments softly, he didn’t want to admit it but his father was right. He’d done something incredibly stupid, and it could have cost someone their life. “I didn’t mean to.”  
“I know… Stop Dex, just stop and think before you push someone. Stop before you hurt someone like your mother did, and now she will never forgive herself for it.”  
“Serah….I remember her, but I also remember watching the way she and her father watched Momma… Possessive, cold, and… it doesn’t matter now anyways. I’m going back in there unless you have something else to tell me.”  
“I love you Dexter… I really do, and I wished you loved me too.”  
“... Yeah… Don’t we both.” Dex mumbles quietly as he hops off the bed, and heads back into the room leaving his father to curl up on his bed alone. Upon entering the room he finds Leo still whispering sorry to a sleeping Felicia while Scarlett sits staring out the window, up at the full moon. She knew she’d feel like this tonight, but the need to howl was becoming severe; she wondered if Dex would rat her out if she left to sate the urge.  
“I know the game you played Dexter, and I don’t like it one bit… Don’t become reckless.” Leo states pausing his apologies to tell his brother that, and give him a cold look that let the boy knew he was on thin ice in his eyes. “Leave Scarlett alone.”  
“Why?” Scarlett inquires, she was capable of defending herself. “I can take care of myself, and besides if Dex didn’t think she could handle it then I don’t think he would have done it.”  
“She speaks the truth, I would never knowingly hurt any of you guys… I love you three.”  
“We’ll see Dexter, we’ll see.” Leo mutters distrustfully, his brother was devious and not always in the best of ways. Sometimes his hair brained plots ended in bitter tears, defeat, or worse. “Scar come on, it’s time for bed… You know Rapa will just yell at you for running.”  
“It hurts though.”  
“Come on I’ll get the NyQuil.” Dex says tiredly as he gestures for the girl to follow him to the bathroom, after climbing up on the counter he grabs the bottle and hands it to his hesitant sister. “Just one mouthful, or you’ll feel sick in the morning.”  
“Yes Dex.” Scar murmurs as she pours the directed amount into her mouth and swallows obediently. She hated suppressing her urge like this, but Leo was right and after tonight’s incident she doubted it would only be a scolding. Her Poppa wouldn’t hit her, but Papa Ryan would have no trouble bending her over a knee. They knew which parents would let things slide, but Ryan, Geoff, and Michael were not the ones. Gavin and Ray would let most things slide, turning to the others to discipline, and their mother would… well she varied. A wild card Scarlett thought, and wondered if she was okay at the lab. She was probably lonely, she’d begged her father to let her stay with her tonight, but the man had adamantly told her no… He said she needed to rest, not play like she was known to do when they came around. They would try to stay quiet, but their mother riled them up with just a single purr and she loved to play with them regardless of her injuries. It wasn’t until she passed out once from playing that their fathers’ decided it was time to limit visiting. After her brother put the medicine back they headed to the room to curl up in his bed, and fall asleep like their brother and sister did. However, Scarlett pulls from his grip and heads to her own bed. She was restless tonight, and didn’t want to wake the boy with her tossing and turning.  
“Night, Scar.”  
“Night, Dex.” She murmurs softly, she wouldn’t fall asleep tonight but tomorrow was Saturday and she didn’t need to… Her sport was done for the season, and she’d won every single section she’d entered. Unless her club decided to send her to the Regional competition she was done till next spring. Casting a gaze upwards Scar allows herself to gaze at the moon with a smile on her lips, knowing that her mother was looking at the same one.


	119. It's a Start

Iri

Well at some point Iri had been gazing at the moon, but not now… Now she was pissed, as usual. However, in an attempt to work out that aggression in a healthy manner she begins using the punching bag. She was punching the bag with enough rage to break it, but the bag doesn’t break instead flies off the hook and through the wall. Creating a punching bag sized hole in the plaster, turning away from it she curses her recklessness. Derrick would yell at her for breaking walls… Though not that she did it on purpose.   
“Burns what am I going to say?” Derrick asks tiredly as he enters the gym to find Iri staring down at her feet meekly, her ears pinned cutely to her head, and her tail hanging lowly between her thighs. The epitome of adorable, and it almost made him think of an anime character.  
“It was an accident.”  
“Burns, that excuse it only works six times…. Tell me what’s wrong?” Derrick inquires softly, but the woman just shakes her head and turns to use the weights. “Tex, I know you can lift all of those at once. Now answer my question.”   
“It’s… None… Of…. Your… Business!” Iri punctuates with angry punches toward her handler who dodges easily, and gestures to the sparring arena. After putting on a set of headgear, and pads meant to cushion her hits they begin in the ring. Iri comes at him fast, her heat now in full force and the need to be knotted present as well, but quelled by her inner rage… And the more she thought about it why was she really angry? Perhaps it was the fact that the letter spoke of how her parents were hidden in the Swiss Alps waiting for her to contact them, or maybe that the necklace she received was from a Celtic predator that had lived so long she was thought of as a goddess and it was her job to protect it… From what she had no clue, only that it was part of the Marseilles’ burden. Lastly she was pissed about being in heat, three hours from two Alphas who she wanted to fuck her, surrounded by soldiers and fellow comrades who thought she was incompetent because of her failure… She was a joke! The first Omegan Operative in fifteen years, and she was thwarted by an Alpha. Her superiors deemed her mission a failure because of her status, and now she was stuck with a group of more experienced men. Harrison had lied when he said Derrick ordered it, it hadn’t been him but rather someone further up Iri found out. She tried to reason with Derrick when they arrived back home, but he told her it was final. He assured her that this would help her grow as a person, or some other bullshit line like that. However, she hadn’t wanted to hear it so now she’d happily punch and kick her frustrations away… the only way it could get better is if it was Harrison she was beating, but the coyote had been smart enough to stay away.   
“Iri, what’s wrong?” Derrick asks gently when the woman pauses for a brief rest only to feel a kick to his chest sending him backwards into the wall. It wasn’t hard enough to break ribs, but he knew there would be bruising tomorrow. However, the needy pained whimper he hears fall from her lips draws him from his own minor pain. Looking at the woman he notices the flush on her body, and the way her body seems to be drawing him in. Scenting the air lightly, he almost wishes he hadn’t by the way her heated scent floods his nostrils, and he has to fight the urge to hold the woman seething anger above him. She stood proudly in the middle of the ring with her posture rigid, and her eyes burning with rage as if fighting the urge to answer him. “Iridessa, I will not ask you again.” Derrick demands his tone strict enough to push the heated Omega to talk to him, but her body remains unchanged and her constitution strong. Trying a different tactic he approaches slowly after putting his gear aside, and holding his arms in a non threatening gesture meant to soothe the woman. Her eyes don’t soften, but her tail picks up in interest as the Alpha begins to approach slowly. He makes a quiet rumble in his chest, but the woman flashes teeth at him and takes several steps back. “Sshh, don’t be frightened… Come here Iri, I won’t hurt you.” Derrick murmurs soothingly to her, but only receives a sharp, fearful bark in return. He notes that she was barking much more often that usual, he didn’t know why but he doubted very much she did it on purpose… It seemed like a defense tactic, especially when someone was mad at her but before he could ponder it further she barks again, her eyes misty and full of fright.   
“Derrick what’s wrong with her?” Russ’ concerned voice asks as he enters the room to find Iri defensively backed into corner, and her teeth bared, snarling lowly at Derrick who was attempting to get closer, barking occasionally when he gets to close. “Tex?”  
“... She’s feral in heat…. and a Vagabond… Hmm, and she only gets more interesting.” Thames mumbles in intrigue beside their leader who had now joined the other Alpha in trying to near the woman only to feel the sharpness of her teeth when they get too close. The fox only barks loudly again trying to get them to back off. “You won’t reach her like that Alphas.” Thames tells them as he shifts down to his fossa form, and shows his belly to her. The vixen now intrigued cocks her head and shifts down to inspect the offering. Nosing at his lighter brown tummy she just nods curtly before laying her head against the soft surface, and purring quietly. Thames makes a quiet whine that has the vixen no longer purring softly, but rather needily into him. Iri’s hips were already arching up, and her tail presenting itself proudly until an angry growl shatters the quiet calm that had settled over them. Turning their heads they see Harrison glaring daggers at them, his shift is seamless, and is immediately at the fox’s side warding the others off protectively. Seeing his appearance the vixen rubs his side affectionately, and purrs into him.   
“You fuckers should be ashamed! Who do you think you are? First we take her from her mates, and now this?... Fuck you assholes.” Harrison growls bitterly as he urges the vixen with a nip to follow him, and she does so reluctantly but not before casting a longing glance at the rolled over fossa. “Touch her, and I’ll fucking cut off your hands.” Harrison threatens sharply before leading the vixen to her room where she jumps on the bed, and begins to whimper quietly. Hopping up beside her he settles down, and the other curls into his side tightly. “Iri, can you hear me?”  
“... I want Geoff.”  
“I know, but he’s at home right now and it is late… Why don’t you try and sleep for a little while?”  
“Thank you… He… I… I can’t help it.” Iri stammers into his side expecting anger only to find a soothing rumble.   
“Don’t worry about it Tex, what are friends for?”  
“You're good man.”  
“And you are a strong woman, don’t listen to Wyvern… It wasn’t your status that nearly got you killed, it was Derrick’s poor judgement. I lied to protect you… I thought the failure would hurt less that way.” Harrison explains softly to her, and nuzzles her head, licking softly in between her ears.   
“... Don’t lie to me again Harrison, I can’t trust you if you can’t trust me to handle the truth.”  
“In that case you should know that I made that suit just for you, I remembered watching the way you ignore everything but your objective… And this way you won’t be eviscerated before you get to it.” Harrison states causing the woman to just roll her eyes, and butt her head against him playfully. “Oof.”  
“My heats only going to get worse, why don’t you go? I can handle it by myself.”  
“We’re a team remember, and that means helping you through your worst… I’m sure it won’t be that bad.”  
“Your funeral.” 

In the Morning

Harrison awoke to the scent of a burning pine trees, and the feeling of cold tickling his nose; it reminded him of his mission to retrieve a stolen briefcase in Greenland. However, the feeling he felt near his nether regions was delightful, opening his eyes weakly he finds Iri kissing her way down his bare chest.   
“Iri? Iri what are you doing?  
“Hurts… Hurts so bad, York make it stop.” Iri pleads as she stops kissing sensually to suck his exposed nipples causing him to moan quietly, but it turns into an angry growl.  
“N… No… Iridessa no!” Harrison growls, pushing the needy Omega off him, and rushing to find the shirt she’d somehow worked off him. After redressing he chances a look up to find the woman wearing nothing but sensual crimson lace that wrapped around her delicate hips in a teasing manner, and a matching plunge bra that barely covered her cleavage; her hair tousled in a sexy manner that he knew she woke up with, her ears pointing down, tail flicking warily, and her lips pouting softly at his loss.  
“York, please I’ll be so good for you. I’m wet, so wet it’s dripping… I’ll milk your knot dry, with my mouth if you want… Or my pussy, whatever pleases you Harrison.” Iri offers sensually, presenting her crimson covered hips to the Alpha who bite his lip and backs away from the bed as if to leave her alone. “Please don’t leave me, Harrison please whatever you want.”  
“Shh, Iri think of your mates… What would they say? Hmm what would they want you to do?” Harrison inquires softly, as he settles back on the bed. Iri is on him in seconds, purring at his presence, and grinding lightly on his lap. “No, none of that… think Iri… Tell me what kind of punishments will Geoff impose on you if he saw you?”  
“He’d… He’d spank me.”  
“Oh yeah? With what?” Harrison asks trying to keep the woman talking, if she was talking she wasn’t grinding on him and that was best for them both in the long run. “Talk to me.”  
“His… Hand, and.”   
“And what?”  
“The crop, Harrison fill me please.”  
“No, what would he do after he got your ass nice and red hmm? Would he tie you up, and keep going till you were nothing but a heap of tears and pleading sobs?” Harrison asks, and the woman just gasps loudly from his lap; he expects her to start grinding, but she remains still like he told her to.  
“He’d tie me up till he thought I would be good… And he’d make me beg… God he makes me beg for it, Harrison please!” Iri whines desperately to her companion, she needs something to fill her, and she didn’t care who it came from. “York, I.. York please it hurts.”  
“I know, Tex but you have to wait… Just hold on for a while, Geoff or Ryan will be here soon to fill you up till it’s leaking out of you. Till you can’t move anymore, and… God Iri, I don’t… Fuck, I can’t keep talking about this.” Harrison grounds out, it wasn’t that he didn’t care for her or understand her plight but if he kept going on he was going to lose his mind. His dick was already straining against his jeans, and at this rate we wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold out. Her scent alone was intoxicating, but the way she was throwing herself at him was positively sinful.   
“Tex, York you guys up yet? Thames wants to apologize.” Russ starts as he opens the door warily only to be hit by the scent of heat, and want. Entering fully he finds Harrison sitting on the bed gripping the sheets tightly with Iri nuzzling at his crotch, a grimace on his face trying his best to ignore the woman’s ministrations. “Harrison need some help there?”  
“Russ, don’t you touch her!” Harrison growls forcefully causing the woman in his lap to stop nuzzling for a minute to contemplate the angry tone before deciding it wasn’t directed at her, and continuing on in her arousing actions.   
“I’m not going to hurt her, I never was… She was feral Harrison, and you know how violent Vagabonds become when they’re like that.”  
“Iri… Iri.” Harrison begs softly as she starts to mouth around his cock, and that is when Russ steps in. He sits down on the bed, and waits to see if the woman would acknowledge his presence or continue with an unwanting Harrison. She chooses to sigh in frustration when he refuses to reciprocate his affections and turns to this new comer. Crawling over on her hands and knees she sits in front of Russ with lust blown ice blue eyes, and parted lips. Staring at him expectantly he just laughs when she remains seated in front of him.   
“Tell me what you want.” Russ orders sharply, and the woman cocks her head at this. She sat silently in front of him, and goes to turn back to Harrison. Iri didn’t know this man, and even in this state her mind recognized the lack of trust. However, Russ wasn’t through with her yet and he pulls her by the chin to face him. “I asked you a question.”  
“And I don’t want to answer you.”  
“So you can speak, tell me what do you want?”  
“I want you to leave us alone, I want you to stop touching me, I want off this stupid team, I don’t want my leg to hurt, and I want my Alphas.”   
“Good girl, was that so hard?”  
“Don’t call me that.” Iri growls softly, her hackles raising as her body went rigid. “I don’t want to follow you.” Iri finishes, and the man just scoffs at the riled Omega; her body language was shifting quickly to violent, and he wasn’t surprised when he’s tackled off the bed. He lets her take her aggression out on him, she starts punching weakly at his chest, and soon her angry growls turn to tearful whimpers, her fists just balled pounding lightly on his chest. She just wanted her freedom, and she’d almost had it if it wasn’t for Derrick’s stupid mistake. “I don’t need you!”  
“Shh, shh it’s alright I know you don’t… Shhh.” Russ soothes, he knew she would break. Every soldier did this at some point, and this one had long past reached her point. “Iri what do you need?”  
“I… I need Geoff…. and Ryan…. and I… I.”  
“No don’t start to panic, Iri you need to breathe till they get here. I called them about twenty minutes before I came to see you… Thames knew you would want them. Now, keep breathing for me as I talk. I am going to be team leader, and I know you changed that so you must have some desire to follow me. I also know that you don’t play well with others, I’ve seen the files, and I’ve heard the stories but on my team we are just that. We are a team, and you will work with us… A loner won’t survive long in our work, and you aren’t special. Together we are strong, alone we are weak.” Russ explains to the woman who was forcing herself to take deep breaths on his chest, she looked horrible and he knew this was due to heat. He doubted she understood half the things he was saying, but she would when the fog covering her mind lifted. “We are a squad, and on my squad I will take care of you. I won’t leave you high and dry, I won’t abandon you, send you to your death, and I won’t do anything you can’t handle. We may be the squadron fate forgot, but I will never forget you.”   
“....” Iri can say nothing to the Alpha who talked at her, she couldn’t believe his words no her trust was too shattered for that, but it was a start… He was no Harrison, but this man was worthy of her cooperation at the very least. “I will tell you once, and only once. If you lie to me, withhold information, or look down upon me in anyway because of my status. I will eviscerate you with a smile on my face; I will win every game you try to play and you’ll never even recognize defeat till my teeth are in your throat.” Iri warns the man as she stands up, and jumps back onto the bed her body shaking violently. Harrison grabs the comforter, pulls it over her, and tucks in the shaking woman. The arousal subsided when her body realized neither of them were here to knot her, now her body was dealing with the painful after effects of it. She couldn’t describe the hell that was beginning to surface, and she hoped traffic was light so Geoff got here fast. “York… Stay?”  
“No problem Tex.”  
“Russ?”  
“Yes Tex?” Russ answers from the floor, sitting up to face her.   
“Tell me how you met Geoff.” Iri murmurs softly to the man, hesitant to ask anything of him but Russ was happy to tell. She listens quietly from her bed as Russ sits on it casually, and starts his long tale. At one point they hear a soft snoring, and Russ stops talking to see the woman asleep. Harrison and Russ both exit the room, and head to their own… Satisfied that she would be asleep till her Alphas got here.


	120. Sweet Nothings

Later 

Iri awoke crying, alone, and the pain she thought she knew from before was a lie. It felt like her insides were liquefying, and her head was going to explode from the pressure upon it.   
‘Mistress, I... I.’  
“Go Lexi, go!” Iri cries as she casts the fox out to escape the pain of this, she could handle it on her own. She wouldn’t put Lexi through this hell, when she was safely away Iri screams bitterly into a pillow. The pain was all encompassing now that Lexi was gone, and holding it back was impossible. It ran through her mind unhindered, and fell densely over her limbs. She forced herself to her knees, and began crawling towards the bathroom… About halfway there she feels another round of pain rack her fragile body, but it didn’t stop her, slowed her but she kept going. Once at the toilet she feels her stomach lurch, and she vomits harshly till there is nothing left. “I hate me…. I hate me soo much.” Iri mumbles painfully to herself unaware of Geoff approaching slowly.   
“Kit?” Geoff inquires softly, and the woman doesn’t even lift her head to meet his gaze. “Oh baby girl, what happened?”  
“What have I told you about… stupid questions Geoff?” Iri groans with quirked lips to let the man no there was no real fire in her pained words. “Please make it stop.”  
“Of course, I should have taken you home… Fuck this place.”  
“Ooo careful there Papa, you sound dangerously close to treason.” Iri mutters weakly as Geoff lifts her up, and takes her back to bed. “Gently please.”  
“Like glass bones kind of delicate, or sore kind of gentle?”  
“Glass bones… Ryan was right… He always warned me of this, but I just had to push against it didn’t I.”  
“Bambi, you're just our pretty little masochist.” Ryan purrs as he enters the room with Michael not far behind. Geoff starts to nibble on her earlobe, and the appearance of Michael confuses her for a few moments before Ryan catches her staring. “He’s about an inch away from falling into heat, and said he would gladly fall over that cliff with you.”  
“Shut up Ryan, you make me sound like a fucking girl.” Michael huffs as he sheds his pants and straddles his lover, whose hips were already bucking to meet his. “I thought you were made of glass?”  
“Bullet proof.” Iri counters as the pain subsides, and is replaced by the normal sexual need. She surges forth to claim Michael’s lips in a heated kiss that has them both fairly slick by the end of it. Pulling back breathlessly her lips are now claimed by Ryan’s while Michael’s are by Geoff’s, and the Alpha’s kiss coat both of their Omega’s lips in needy whines.   
“Ass up, and legs spread wide you two.” Ryan huffs out in a tone that neither could argue with, as they get into position Geoff starts to undo Ryan’s jeans as he works the other out of his shirt. “I said wide.” He snaps when the pair meekishly open up their slicked back sides, pulling off Geoff’s pants he works the leather belt free, and cracks it warningly in his hand. The pair spread quickly, still sharing rough kisses only to feel hands drag them back.   
“Such wanting little whores aren’t you two? Ryan hand me the collars please.” Geoff asks as Ryan pulls out the familiar leather that has Iri’s tail wagging happily. “Hmm seems our little Vixen is all to happy to see this… Come on be a good girl and beg for it.” Geoff says and watches as her tail falters for a second, but goes back to wagging happily as she makes quiet little begging noises. Iri knew once that collar was on her mind would wander, and she doubted very much she’d even hear his praises. “Perfect, Papa’s good little Kit.” Geoff praises despite the flash of distaste he sees in her eyes, and very slowly he leans down to clip the worn blue leather around her flushed neck. Turning to Michael, he notices the boy’s unwillingness to beg for the collar… Michael was never a big fan of begging in any state of mind, but Geoff was holding firm on this one. “If you want my knot you're going to have to put it on.”  
“...” Michael raises his hackles to growl, but the rough hand he suddenly feels caressing his curls makes him sing a different song. His growl turns to a needy whimper, his head butting up into the touch as Geoff smirks at Ryan while clasping on the leather.  
“Good boy Kitten, now come here. Kit stay.” Geoff orders, and watches as the reluctant woman stops moving towards them. Pushing Michael’s head down gently into the sheets, and adjusting his hips upwards a bit more he begins to trail kisses down to his leaking hole. After peppering several teasing kisses around the man’s entrance he leans in to lap at him in broad flat strokes, savoring his sweet cinnamon honey flavored slick, and the desperate sounds he makes. They sounded like a cross between whimpers, and moans that went straight to his cock. Delving his tongue in he hears a choked out sound that made him worry for the man beneath him. Pausing in his ministrations he looks up to find Iri offering him her slick heat. Michael was already leaning forward to lap, but Geoff pulls his head back roughly, startling the man slightly. “I said to stay Iridessa, or do you not trust me to take care of you?” Geoff huffs out angrily causing the woman to immediately sink down into the mattress in shame. “Answer me or I will have Ryan whip you till he’s satisfied you’ll do as you're told.” As if for emphasis Ryan runs the leather belt over her backside causing hopeful whimpers to fall from her lips.  
“...I...Sure.” Iri answers weakly, she wasn’t completely sure if Geoff could take care of her like she wanted, but lying to him would only make sure she got the belt... If he wanted her to answer she supposed the truth would be better than lying to him… He could always soothe away her doubt, but he could never erase her lies. “Papa?”  
“Kit, you don’t seem convinced.” Geoff says in between licks, and nibbling at Michael’s balls causing the man to buck wantingly underneath him. Purring into his lover’s slicked hole he places soft kisses before pulling back and lining himself to sink in, grabbing ahold of Michael’s copper curls tightly. He slips into Michael easily, and sighs in contentment at his boy’s hole clenching happily around him. “Good Kitten, who's Daddy’s good boy?”  
“I… I am.”  
“Louder.” Geoff commands as he starts to rock slowly, and Michael just shakes his head. “Are you disobeying me? Do you need to be whipped like she will be?”  
“I’m your good boy.” Michael offers sheepishly, and a bit louder but Geoff didn’t seem satisfied by his meek words. “I am your good boy!”  
“Very good Michael, very good.” Geoff purrs as he starts to slam his hips into him harder, and Michael keeps up his crescendo till he’s sure the entire facility can hear him… But he doesn’t care as long as Geoff keeps fucking him like this. Iri on the other hand only whimpers as the first crack of Ryan’s belt is felt on her ass, and tries to wriggle away from him only to receive an angry growl from him. She continues trying to get away after each hit despite how amazing it felt. It isn’t until the Alpha roars beside her ear and she freezes in fear that Iri stills her movements completely. Ryan offers her a quiet sound of approval when she stops that makes her purr. 

Awhile Later

Iri loses count of how many times the belt hits her ass, but by the time he stops her pussy is achingly wet and slick is leaking from her profusely. Ryan lowers the belt with a smile to the complacent woman on the sheets below, and teases the cool buckle her inflamed skin. He revels in the way her hips arch back for more even as she lies slumped on the mattress… Omegas were purely and utterly fascinating. He knew she’d had at least two orgasms from the belt alone, but her biology demanded a knot before she rested.   
“Bambi are you going to behave now or must I continue to deny you?”  
“I’ll… behave.” Iri murmurs out, her ears pinned in submission and her neck bared to the man behind her. Her tail gently beckoning to the gent, and that is more than enough to push him over the edge. Slipping onto the bed, and into her was like coming home at the ease of it. He purred lowly as the woman’s body came to life beneath him, and she began panting in time with his slow thrusts that start to pick up tempo till her voice was almost as ragged as his thrusts. Michael and Geoff who lie resting beside the other two, whispering words of encouragement to Iri and Ryan with playful smiles. The younger Alpha cums with a possessive growl, and bites at her back. Iri makes something akin to a happy whimper, and a groan as she cums too. His knot locks tightly inside her, and soon he starts to lave his tongue soothingly over the bite.   
“Perfect, you did so very well Iri. Daddy’s lovely little Fawn, and Papa’s obedient Kit.”   
“...” Iri says nothing choosing to bury her head into her arms, and keep her ears flat against her skull. She wasn’t any of those things, but it was nice of Ryan to lie and say she was… He was such a kind man.   
“Show me thy virgin lips kind and beautiful maiden so I might place a single kiss upon them. Grant me just this one favor so I can show thee a sliver of my gratitude for your love.” Ryan murmurs into her neck in a tone that Iri imagined a king would take with his lover. “Won’t you give your King one last gift before parting?”  
“A maiden I am not, and these lips are sullied like the sheets you lay in… They will do naught, but displease you my King.” Iri mutters into her arms, and Ryan knew what was happening instantly. This was sub drop, and a common occurrence amongst Iri on days like this. She would pretend it didn’t matter, but Geoff and Ryan knew better. Michael himself even offered her a soft look even as she refused to meet anyone’s eyes.  
“Oh Vixen you speak naught but lies… These sheets speak of our deeds, and the love behind them. I would take these filthy cloths over pristine ones any day, as long as they are yours.” Ryan assures the Omega who lifts her head up, and tilts it to the side to meet his loving gaze. “I don’t care where you’ve been, only that you're here with me now.”  
“Shut up…” Iri murmurs with a smile as she nips at the gent’s fingers. “Fucking loving bastard.”  
“Such foul temper, perhaps there’s still fight left in thee.” Ryan teases as he rocks his hips forward causing her to gasp in pleasure, and dwindles off into sleepy purrs. “You are a very good girl you know that? No matter what anyone says, you are a very good girl.”  
“God, will you just shut up before my heart melts out of my chest… Geez anymore sweet nothings and I’ll have diabetes.” Iri mutters with a roll of her eyes, she’d never admit it, but she was glad he said those things about her…. Because some days she didn’t want that, some days she couldn’t have that.  
“Never milady, now what else can I… Thy eyes glimmer like sapphire, and thy heart shines brighter than any fire. Though you feign disgust, it’s nothing more than mistrust. To be a maiden left to her own desire is all you aspire.” Ryan says as he rolls them over, and she turns a bit to sit up properly. She begins to work her hips gently, milking the Alpha beneath her for ever drop he had. In a meek attempt to distract the man, but it doesn’t seem to work very well because he keeps on going. “Thy lips are brazen. But thy movements are not. Sensual and shy…. Tis the Vixen’s mark. She is like chasing the wind. Unwilling to rest.”  
“Ry was that a limerick?” Michael inquires and the man nods a yes as he holds the woman’s hips lightly, helping to guide the woman in her ministration.  
“A haiku too at the end.” Ryan adds with a pleased rumble in his chest, he loved a flustered Iri because it was incredibly hard to do… It was either sing her praises, find a sex toy, or a sex shop. They still didn’t understand her unwillingness to go into one… Gavin had tried to drag her into one, but only ended up pinned to the brick wall outside with bruised cheek. Geoff, and Ryan though had a plan to get her into one for some wedding night lingerie.   
“Please stop.” Iri begs her cheeks bright red from embarrassment that has Geoff and Michael snickering from the sidelines. Michael whined needily into Geoff’s side, and the man kissed him softly. They loved listening to the pair because the more embarrassed she got the raunchier his poetry did till she was nothing more than a flushed, stuttering mess. “King I beseech thee.”  
“The winds caress thy cheek like a mother does her babe.” Ryan starts again, but Iri can’t stand it. She lifts herself off of Ryan and grabs a discarded sheet wrapping it tightly around her hips. Iri goes to flee, but a gust of wind knocks her back from the door. Michael knew she was going to flee from his words, she always did after a little while… she fled like they were going to kill her. Like they were something to be feared, but this was something they knew, they knew she hated their kindness, and some days to appease her they wouldn’t show her any making the woman truly hate herself. Geoff had often conjectured to them on the long nights when she disappeared that the woman couldn’t understand the emotion fully. That she didn’t understand love unless it was conditional. He’d even confronted Burnie about it once only to receive confusion, as a child she’d been loved no matter what, but somehow adulthood had changed her opinion on it… Some where in the stage of adolescence her mind decided love should have parameters, that she needed to meet in order for it to work. Perhaps this was the truth Dex talked about, last night… Perhaps this was the thing he’d let himself become selfish about. He didn’t want her to realize that everything she’d ever thought about love was a lie, besides there were days where she seemed normal; it’s just the bad days that made them wonder about her truth… Her sickness.  
“Bambi, you know I’m only teasing.” Ryan murmurs softly as he gestures for the woman to come back and reluctantly she does. “My bashful little Fawn.”   
“Not little.” Iri grumbles her lips already drawn into a pout, and her arms crossed indignation.   
“... You know what I wonder?” Ryan asks as he unwraps the sheet from around her, and pulls her frigid body to his. “What did I do to deserve you guys?”  
“...” Iri says nothing choosing to roll her eyes, Ryan the praise guy she thinks softly to herself but Geoff must have been listening because he chuckles lowly. “Faire taire.”  
“Ne me taire petit.”  
“Don’t call me little!” Iri growls choosing to roll out of his tight grasp and into Michael’s awaiting arms. “Moyenne vieil homme.”  
“Oh and now I’m a mean old man? Keep talking like that and I’ll use the belt again, perhaps in a more sensitive place this time.” Ryan warns as he uses the d-ring in the collar to pull her to kiss him. “And was it truly that hard to give me a kiss? Would have saved you a bit of embarrassment if you would have just offered up those lips as easy as you did your hips.”  
“Ry-bear for fuck’s sake stop with the poetry.” Geoff grumbles quietly, he was beginning to tire it of himself as well. Michael nods in agreement, and the Alpha just huffs angrily before rolling over. Iri seeing his distress sighs and wraps herself around his back in an attempt to spoon the much taller man. They listen as the gent chuckles softly before turning back over, and kissing the wanting woman.   
“Sorry I’m such a bitch.” Iri apologizes, he was just being sweet and she was just being bitter… Iri didn’t know why, but lately her heart just felt wrong. Lexi told her perhaps it was time to talk to Geoff since he knew more about foxes than she did, but like always she’d just shrugged and thrown herself into the nearest task she could.  
“I wouldn’t love you any other way.” Ryan purrs truthfully causing the skittish woman to beam in his arms, and nuzzle him lovingly.   
“Now who is the masochist?” Iri asks with raised eyebrows, and starts to kiss her way down his chest till she reaches his member. “Tell me Alpha have you been a good boy?” Iri teases with a breathy chuckle when she feels herself pinned to the bed by Ryan, but at this Michael whines. He hadn’t had the gent yet, and it wasn’t fair if she hogged the man. “Aww looks like a sweet Kitten needs your little puppy knot to fill his aching hole… But honestly I think he’d be better off with your fist.”  
“Iridessa!” Geoff scolds sharply as the woman just rolls her eyes at him. “The mouth on you is starting to get out of hand… Keep that up, and will need to keep you gagged.”  
“Oh with what? That puny cock of yours? Ha, Gavin gives a better stretch than you.” Iri taunts as Geoff pins her, and Michael just eyes them warily. He knew she was playing a dangerous game, but then again the woman always played this game… however, tonight it seemed more sincere and perhaps that is what pissed the pair off so much.   
“Shut the fuck up Iridessa!” Geoff growls in a tone that let’s her know she’d gone too far, pinning her ears down again she looks up sheepishly at her Alpha. “I’m going to fuck that insult right out of your mouth.”  
“I dare you.”  
“You always do.”


	121. Curiosity nearly killed the cat... Well actually that was Iri

About Ten o’clock at night

Once Michael and Iri were nearly fucked to exhaustion the gent’s clean up, and then set out in search of food for the pair who’d be starving next time they woke up. The pair were on their way back when they hear the soft sound of an animal sobbing, and for some reason the sobbing strikes them as familiar. Following the sound they find Lexi’s hunched over form crying by a tree.   
“Lexi?” Geoff inquires softly, and the fox has no problem surging forth to the gent, her form shifting to small dragon so she could wrap around his neck like a scarf. “Lexi what’s wrong?”  
“Mistress sent me away, she cast me out, and now I.. I don’t know where to go, and she wouldn’t let me back in.”  
“When did she send you away?”  
“In.. In the morning… She was in pain, and angry… I want my Mistress.” Lexi sobs to the man who is already sighing and taking them to the room. Upon entering it Iri immediately spots Lexi crying.   
“What did you do?” Iri growls her pleasant tone turning dark at the sight of her companion. “Lex, sweet Alexia come here, come to me.” Iri bids as she unwraps her from Geoff’s neck easily, and takes her into her arms. Shushing her quietly and purring in hopes of comforting the distraught creature.  
“You made me leave… You don’t want me.”  
“No, who said that? Who told you I don’t want you?” Iri inquires trying to find the truth.   
“You.. You made me leave this morning, and I… I couldn’t come back. You don’t want me.”  
“No, no, I sent you away because of the pain.. Oh Lex, I didn’t want you to suffer through it as well… I always want you, I need you Lexi… I couldn’t do half the things I do without you.” Iri explains to her dragon who has stopped sobbing, and is now looking to her with tearful eyes her little dragon lips quivering. “I didn’t want to let you in till the pain went away, I should have told you… I’m so sorry, I’ve been a horrible Mistress.”  
“No! Never, I should have thought about that… Mistress, I love you.”  
“Always Lexi, always.” Iri assures her companion who now purrs happily in her arms.   
“Can I?”  
“Of course, it’s as much your mind as it is mine.” Iri tells her dragon who fades back in, and warms their mind in a comforting gesture. It was quite pleasant to feel the bitterness from earlier dissipate into nothingness. Iri had a feeling that the longer they were separated the worse her mood became, she still regrets sending her away every time she’s gotten captured. “I need to learn to let people… or well others help me.” Iri remarks quietly, and her mates just make several sounds of wholehearted approval. ‘I’ll try not to send you away any more… If we’re to be part of that team then you and I have to be the best we can.’  
‘Fuck yeah we do, outclass and outsmart those bumbling men.’  
‘I suppose we will.’ Iri answers back with a quiet chuckle that has her mates wondering. However, the smell of food floods her nostrils and the Omegas’ make sounds of interest.  
“Iri, Michael sit right there.” Geoff commands as he, and Ryan sit on the bed. The pair settle between their Alphas’ legs, and Iri can already feel a growl starting. “Don’t growl or you aren’t getting food.”  
“Now don’t pout, we are just going to feed you.” Ryan soothes, the Alphas knew of their aversion to this but it was less about sex and more about trust, and that was something they both could use some more of.   
“Geoffrey.” Michael warns in a dark tone, he and Iri were never fans of this kind of play. They weren’t animals despite their predator genetics. Sure if Geoff wanted to collar them and call them pet names that was different, but as soon as this kind of shit happened the two started to hesitate.. minds reaching for their safe words.  
“No, shh, we’re just going to feed you. No bowls, no begging just feeding you by hand.” Geoff explains softly, in a calm even tone the pair look to each other hesitantly before sharing calming kisses. Michael runs a hand through her tail, and she strokes his head before the pair take deep breaths, and turn to face their waiting Alphas. “You ready?” Geoff asks, and they nod sheepishly. Ryan rips two bite size pieces of bread, and starts to lower it down to them. They watch as their initial response is to back away and shake their heads, but after making a comforting rumble the two lean forward to hesitantly take the bread. “Good, very good.” Geoff purrs as he runs his hands over each of their heads. Ryan waits till they’re done chewing before repeating the process, and after the bread was gone the two wait patiently for the next item. The next thing he offered were strips of rare steaks that the two immediately shake their heads at.   
“Shh, shh what’s wrong with it?”  
“Ry, it’s… We’re not dogs.”  
“No one ever said you were, lover’s feed each other by hand all the time.”  
“But how often are they on their knees wearing dog collars?” Iri questions suspiciously, and the gent merely sighs while eating the piece of meat, feeding Geoff the other.   
“Circumstantial, and besides Gavin and Ray have no problem being fed like this.”  
“Well those are two very different men, just like she and I are very different people… But god damn that smells delicious, give me a piece.” Michael grumbles as he opens his mouth for the food Ryan happily deposits there. Iri on the other hand just continues to shy away from his hand, she’d let them stroke her, bathe her, carry her, and… well they sorta already did feed her… Maybe Ryan was right, if they knew they weren’t dogs, and they weren’t acknowledged as such then why did it matter what someone fed her by hand. Nuzzling Geoff’s thigh, and waiting she finds a strip of meat soon offered to her. Taking it easily, she licked at Geoff’s fingers causing the man to smile warmly.  
“See not so bad, not so bad at all.” Geoff murmurs encouragingly as the pair continue to eat.  
“Bonne Chaton, et toi Renardeau.” Ryan purrs lovingly, and the pair just continue nuzzling each Alpha as they slowly get fed the meat. In between bites Geoff offers them drinks which they were happy for. Once they get their fill Michael pulls Iri into his arms, and they rest gently in the middle of Geoff’s thighs content mews already on their lips.   
“Tired?” Geoff inquires, and the pair nods silently seemingly asleep for the most part. “You two did very well today, so much better than I ever thought you would. My sweet little Vagabond, and my handsome Drifter.”   
“How do you know?”  
“Thames told me in the hallway, no wonder the pair have always sought comfort in each other. They are the same wayward soul just different species, and different degrees… At least Michael’s isn’t as strong.”  
“Yeah… what about their children?”  
“Leo, and Dex are the same I think… They’ll never be settled, never be free.”  
“Geoff don’t… It’s not that bad, the people they love will just need to try a bit harder is all. Look what we managed to get them to do just now. That’s unheard of for their kind, to sit still and be patient for so long.. To trust another… Two others to care for them. We can work through this together, fuck what the books say. We can do this.” Ryan says confidently as he lifts up Michael, and Geoff grabs Iri laying them gently on the bed. The pair instantly wrap around each other again, and Iri nuzzles Michael’s chest affectionately. “Besides worst comes to worst they always have each other.”  
“Yeah… Yeah I suppose you're right.” Geoff mutters quietly, in the unlikely event that the pair truly couldn’t maintain a restful lifestyle they’d have each other to run away with. “Neither of them knows, but how do we tell them? I don’t want either to freak out when they google their condition… Fucking WebMd will tell them all the horrible symptoms… Michael will think he’s got cancer by the end of it, and Iri will be resigned to kill herself.”  
“We… Very carefully, and I suggest very calmly… Maybe a day when there is no internet.” Ryan suggests with a chuckle, and Geoff just smiles at the man. “Like just call them up and pause service for a few days… And we’ll keep them both home from work, snuggled up nice and tight as we explain to them what it means.”  
“In a perfect world that would work, but I doubt we’ll have that sort of luxury… Thames may be the one to tell her before we can.” Geoff mutters bitterly. “Fucking nosy Fossa.”  
“Hey I resent that!... Aw look at those two, Fin look at how sleepy they are.” Thames purrs unabashed by the growls of the Alphas, he could easily take care of those men if he wanted, and he wouldn’t even break a sweat.  
“Thames… Bloody hell it smells wonderful in here… You four should make a candle, that would sell brilliantly.” Fin complements as he breathes in deep, the aroma of a burning pecan orchard coated, bourbon with cinnamon honey notes seems to coat his nose as well as his tongue. “Lovely, just top.”  
“What do you two need?” Geoff inquires, call him sentimental but the soft smile the betas’ bore and their happy demeanor worked to soften his angry tone at their intrusion.   
“Oh Derrick just wants to know if she was going to be breaking anymore walls or biting people.”  
“..Uh… No, I think for now she should be okay… How did she break a wall?” Ryan answers with a look of confusion and Fin just shrugs unknowing.  
“She kicked a punching bag too hard… It’s the sixth one this week, nearly killed Derrick when he tried to spar with her. She’s got a lot of anger, but right now… well right now you’d never know I suppose.” Thames conjectures to the men, he wandered ever so closer and chanced just a single brush of fingers over her hair. “American women are so… so so unlike their classes. I’ve met Alphas who can’t dominate, Betas and Omegas who can, very well I might add.. and everything in between.”  
“Thames, what did Russ warn you about?” Fin says in a warning tone as he pulls at the Beta’s long flicking tail.  
“Only to look, never to touch.” Thames answers with a sigh, the Alpha had been adamant about this but a single graze never hurt anyone. “You desire to hold them, keep them safe from their natures… both of you do, but they desire so much more… I would say it’s a need… Vagabonds and Drifters don’t settle, but I suppose you two know that.”  
“Yeah… Yeah we do, but we’re working on it.”  
“Working on it? What do you mean?”  
“Well it’s just.”  
“Thames, it’s none of your business… Besides we have our answer let’s go. Night Geoff, night Ryan.” Fin interjects as he starts to drag his friend away, and notes his certain unwillingness to leave. It isn’t until they’re back in their room that Thames truly begins to sulk. “Thamesy?”  
“....”  
“Thamesy she has five mates, and four children… She’s a bit too domesticated for you.”  
“That sounds like defeat young Finsley, and besides we’ll be spending copious amounts of time together… In varying degrees of heat, and closeness… Clothes will be shed at some point.” Thames points out with a smirk that made Fin shake his head and Russ merely chuckles while shifting through a few files. “Russ knows I’m right.”  
“No, I know she’s going to kick your ass and I look forward to watching it.” Russ mumbles with a smile offering the Beta a skeptical look. “Think about it, if she can pin me how hard can it be for her to pin you?”  
“But she got the drop on you.”  
“No she didn’t.”  
“But she’s in heat, and feral… And I’m persuasive.” Thames adds causing the Alpha to pause in his reading, and stare up at him in disbelief. “Or not.”  
“Good boy Private, now come here and kiss my cock while I read this.” Russ commands with a smile, but an edge that lets the man know he was only half joking. Thames shakes his head quickly, and drags Fin over to his bed where he starts to tease him. “Thamesy come.”  
“Not going to.”  
“Private, don’t play games you won’t win.”  
“And who’s to say I won’t win?” Thames inquires in between grinding his crotch on Fin’s who was purring softly under his touches. “Who’s to say that fucking sweet little Finsley isn’t the game I want to play?”  
“Because you influence others for a living, and you're influencing yourself right now.”  
“I am not.”  
“Oh? Then tell me Private what does your heart desire?” Russ challenges barely even glancing up to meet his eyes, instead feigning indifference as he read the mission requirements. He can hear the sudden hesitance in Thames’ heart beat, and his breathing turns sharp. “I’m waiting.”   
“Fuck you Russ.” Thames growls as he pulls himself off Fin, and bolts from the room. He didn’t need to take that shit from him, he rounds the corner, and hears Otto talking to Harold in soft tones.  
“Her leg should be fine after tomorrow… much faster than we conjectured, but rehabilitation will take a few days.” Harold tells his companion who scoffs at him.  
“No it won’t, she is fully cleared for field operations tomorrow. Don’t try to lie to me, I’ve seen the scans.”  
“...”  
“You just don’t think she’s ready mentally for it… Is it the barking?”  
“... You know that worries you too. She shouldn’t be that close to being feral when we send her out again. It’s dangerous for her, and the squad.” Harold argues to his companion as they stare up through the glass ceiling at the sky above. “I can’t believe they’re alive.”  
“I know… And what does Freya have to do with any of this? Why would Celeste and Klein take on that task?”  
“Why would they hand it off so casually as well? Why give it to their daughter? What if Iri hadn’t survived long enough to figure out their riddle?”  
“Do… Do you think they know she’s alive?” Otto asks his master who rubs his chin in thinking, and nods slowly. “Then they aren’t really in the Swiss Alps?”  
“No, they probably are… Klein’s wanted in several countries for manslaughter, and other felonies but someone isn’t… Someone who could get information to them, whether they realize they’re doing it or not.” Harold conjectures quietly, and he notices how Otto’s ears twitch at the appearance of Thames. He looked flustered, and frustrated… probably Russ’ doing again. “Good evening Thames.”  
“Hello.” Thames bids as he storms through, and past the pair still idling chatting, but his anger was all for show. No, his mind was sharp and already plotting, right now he was heading to the library this facility had. It was nothing too grand, but it was respectful for what it was. Upon entering he finds Harrison standing at a book shelf with a pencil between his lips, and several large tomes spread out on the floor around him. Occasionally he would switch books, and scribble something on a notepad before going back to reading the books. He walks right past the man however the sight of a brick wall suddenly appearing in front of him stops him abruptly. Thames knew it wasn’t real but instinct still demanded he stop, turning to face the illusionist he sees him wearing a suspicious look. “Hey Harry.”  
“Why are you here?”  
“I can’t read a book or two before bed?”  
“No, it’s that you’ve been here for two months and you have never once picked up a book… You prefer to spend your time with Finsley buried deep in your ass.”   
“...” Thames doesn’t deign the man with an answer instead forcing his way through the illusion and onto the section of books he needed. The library contained a very special section reserved for past missions, and their operatives. Skimming the shelves quickly he notices the shelf full of Marseilles volumes, many of which were hand written personal accounts. Picking a few of the later volumes he begins scanning them in a nearby chair. However, after the sixth gruesome account he finds himself unable to continue. From what he read the pair of foxes were bathed in blood, and not nearly as family friendly as people painted them to be. They were strong Casters whose favorite torture was to cast their predator into another’s mind and tear them apart piece by piece. These Vagabonds were known to be ruthless, and willing to kill at the drop of a hat. He had been looking for a name, but the only one he found that could connect to anything was Kody Burns and that man was dead. Grabbing the last account the library held he skims through to the last page where he sees Daphne Artemis Marseilles written in Celeste’s loopy script, and a picture of the fox kit curled into her father’s side. Written under the image is Daddy’s little Kit. He can’t help the smile on his lips as he watches the pair snuggle, she seemed like a sweet girl… But now she was a gorgeous and deadly woman, he wondered if Celeste would recognize her kit after so many years...Though he supposed a mother never forgot. Snapping the book shut he gathers them up and re-shelves them, noticing Harrison still doing whatever he had been doing.  
“Find what you were searching for?” Harrison murmurs when he notices the man walking towards him.  
“No, you?”  
“Uh yeah, what were you looking for?” Harrison inquires softly, he had been interested in the fossa’s reading but had decided by the way his lips glared that he should leave him be.   
“Something that connects the Marseilles to Freya.”  
“The Celtic Predator?”  
“How did you know?”  
“I… I read a lot… well that and audio books when I workout.” Harrison says with a grin as he gestures to the books scattered about him. “As for that it was a deal made long before Celeste and Klein. It goes back to the Crusades to a blood feud between families that eventually ended when Freya intervened… Don’t ask me why she did because it’s not made clear. She basically gives them a common enemy, and tasked them with getting her necklace back. It had been stolen by raiders many years ago. Two brave knights went forth, one from each family, and after many years of searching they came to find it resting in the clutches of an old and crazy king. After slaying him quickly they brought the necklace back, and the families intermarried. The order set aside to protect the artifact that bonded them is called the Knights of the Swords…. I believe Celeste and Klein are the last known members of the order, but there could be more.... Just one of the reasons Erik coveted her parents.” Harrison explains to Thames who sits there wearing a look of confusion. “Iri has a very history rich background, but the woman refuses to acknowledge it… I know she knows it too, she just chooses to ignore it. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.”  
“No it is safety, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.”  
“Yes it can, and it always does… In fact I’d argue that it hurts more.” Iri interjects, she’d been keeping tabs on Thames knowing his curiosity would eventually drag him to this place. “And I’d appreciate it if you would leave me alone Thames… I have no qualms with you, but do not give me reason to have one.” Iri says in a dark tone that made Thames itch to look into her heart, but he couldn’t force his way past Lexi when she was awake. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you curiosity killed the cat?”  
“Yes, but honesty brought it back.”  
“You will find nothing, but my wrath if you continue this path… I’m not here to be your friend, your companion, or anything else you think we can be. I am here for a job, and that is all.”  
“Vagabond, you have no idea of your desires why not let me look?”  
“Call me that again and I’ll erase your existence from this plain.” Iri states icily turning on her heel to leave, letting the men stare after the barely clothed woman, eyes both trailing to the blue leather still upon her neck. “No more tales Harrison.”  
“It’s just history, and I don’t see a reason he can’t know.”  
“Because it isn’t his to know! It is mine, and Michael’s families blood soaked legacy, those tales are ours alone to know!” Iri growls bitterly at him, turning to meet his soft eyes with a hardened stare. “And he has no business knowing.”  
“Sheesh, whatever you say Tex… why don’t you go sit on a knot?” Thames mutters venomously, and the woman just snaps at this. She wastes no time in using her powers to drag the man from the room, and down the hall to the nearby arena. “Tex let me go.”  
“Make me.” Iri challenges as she tosses the man roughly against a wall, and picks up a nearby knife. “Either fight or don’t… I will take pleasure in wounding you either way.”  
“Why are you so angry all the time?... Why can’t you just bow like a good little Omega?”  
“Because I am not a toy, I am not a plaything for you to meddle with. Now what is your choice?” Iri growls as she fiddles with her grip on the knife’s handle, clenching and unclenching slowly. Thames doesn’t bother with words because actions always speak louder, rushing forward he punches at the woman only to feel them connect with nothing. “You will need to be faster than that if you want to hit me.” Iri says as she continues dodging, Harold has healed her leg fully about an hour ago, and now she moved with her normal grace. Dodging another round of six punches aimed for her head, and midsection she eyes him boredly. Thames can feel his anger rising with each miss, and it overflows when she counters by gripping his fist and flipping him over her shoulder. He attempts to pull her down, but the woman back flips out of the way. Her limbs moving with a fluidity that would make any gymnasts jealous. He scrambles up, and grabs her discarded knife. Running at her he manages to just barely knick the woman’s lacy panties, leaving a thin scratch on her hips. She doesn’t even bother to look just maintains eye contact with him, he lunges forward to cut her neck, but before he can the knife is flung out of his grip and was now buried deep in the wall.   
“Are you even using your powers?” Thames questions as he breathes heavily, and notices the woman barely breaking a sweat a few feet away. She says nothing choosing to wait for the man’s next attack in silence, her tail still flitting in disinterest with a calculating stare on her lips. The pair hear the sound of footsteps, and soon several men were in the arena watching. Iri’s mates, Derrick, the rest of their squad, and a concerned Harold whose eyes were practically glued to Iri, looking for any signs of pain. It is maybe seconds before the pair start up again and Harold watches her legs, he knew the bone was solid but he had been expecting some sort of discomfort… but there was none, she moved like she always did… with grace and precision, no step was wasted and no opportunity either. However after dodging several rounds of her opponent's punches her movements suddenly shift, taking on a ruthless and deadly tone. Thames had thought she’d been fast before, but now it was nearly incomprehensible… Not as fast as Fin would be, but damn near close. He tried desperately to block, to avoid her hits, but ended up only battered and bruised by the end of her onslaught. She pauses briefly to see if the man could still stand, and the group watches Thames waver but stay on his feet. Iri can hear Russ’ worried thoughts, his regret for being right about her skills, and feels the way he itches to grab his wounded comrade.  
“Are you done?”  
“Not even close Sweetheart.” Thames spits at her, and that is when Iri front kicks his chest sending him flying backwards into the wall. He lands with a sickening squelch that causes Russ to rush in despite the match that had been taking place.  
“Done! You two are done!” Russ growls worriedly as he rushes to Thames who laid unconscious blood dripping down his face, and he watches Iri casually walk over to the pair. He watches her put a hand to his forehead, and suddenly Thames’ isn’t bleeding anymore. His friend still lay unconscious, but his breath no longer coming in shallow gasps. “Iri.”  
“I told you I would win.” Iri says with a smirk as her eyes lose their steely look, and turn to a lighter blue. It nearly gives the man emotional whiplash as she ruffles Thames’ hair with a smile. “He’ll be sore as fuck later, but nothing that won’t go away in a day or two.”  
“You… Are you bipolar?”  
“No, just really focused sometimes.”  
“Iridessa!” Geoff snaps as he drags her forward by the metal d-ring on her collar, and Ryan wears a similar disappointed look. “Stop beating up your teammates!”  
“He made me.” Iri tries, but the look of doubt she receives let’s her know they don’t believe her. “I.. He was trying to.”  
“I don’t care what he was trying to do, don’t fucking destroy teammates… You're apologizing when he wakes up.” Geoff scolds as he pulls the unruly woman down the halls towards her room, where he shuts the door roughly.  
“What, why?”   
“Because he.”  
“He kept digging into my family history, and subsequently Michael’s too! He has absolutely no business knowing about the Order, and.” Iri starts only to feel a sharp smack in her bruised ass. “I. God dammit Geoffrey that hurts!”  
“Stop beating up your friends.”  
“Those men are not my friends.”  
“Iri who cares if they know about the Order, we’ve been long dead… It’s kinda cool that you were defending my honor and all.” Michael tells the woman as he pulls her from Geoff’s tight grip to lay on his chest, a tiny bolt of lightning warding Geoff off when he goes for another strike.  
“I must say that was impressive… how do you move so fast Bambi?”  
“Lexi, makes the neurons in my mind fire more rapidly in certain situations, and that causes my movements to be quicker… I can’t do that except when my adrenaline is up otherwise I crash… like Gavin fucking up my limbic system crash.” Iri explains to the trio who nod thoughtfully as she lies on Michael’s chest. “Who would have guessed you are descended from one of the knights?”  
“Who would have guessed you're descended from the King’s daughter?... You're just lucky I don’t hold any past resentments.”  
“Oh I’m the lucky one?” Iri questions with raised eyebrows as she rocks her hips against his, heat was starting to present itself again, and Iri would love nothing more than a rough fucking after putting her teammate down like that.  
“Fuck..Fuck.”  
“Because it seems like you're the lucky one in the long run. You get the pleasure of fucking me whenever you like, while I have to wait for your consent… otherwise the kings over there throw a bitch fit… I almost never say no, while you on the other hand fucking rejection all the time.”  
“Baby… I’m just tired….It’s not rape if we’re mated is it?” Michael stutters in between moans as he feels the woman pin his hands down to the bed as she pushes him to lie down as well.  
“Hmm that brings up an interesting point… Mad King, you're opinion?” Iri asks as she pulls her panties to the side and Michael had long since shimmied out of his boxers. She lowers herself down expertly, and moans the whole way down panting into Michael’s neck. After taking a moment to adjust she starts to ride the man beneath her at a slow pace, still waiting for the Alpha to answer her question. “Mad King won’t you answer your sweet maiden?”  
“Uh.. Well… God you two are wonderful.” Ryan murmurs as he watches the woman bounce on the omega purring under her, Michael had his hands pinned by Iri’s powers as she used the man like she wanted to. “As for your question… I’m not really sure, but I do know that you’ll enjoy this.”  
“Enjoy what?” Iri inquires as she stills her hips to look back at the man already on the bed behind her. Ryan wastes no time in ripping the lace off her hips, and spreading her cheeks to graze a thick finger over her other entrance. “R...Ryan?”  
“Suck.” Ryan orders as he offers her two fingers, which she takes gladly and runs her tongue all over getting them nice at wet. Michael can feel her clenching above him causing needy moans to fall from his lips, and her own as well. He tries to lift his hips, but can’t due to Ryan holding him down. Once satisfied with their wetness he begins prepping her, and smiles with each pleased sound she makes. “Ready Bambi?”  
“... Yeah… God yes, fucking shove it in already!” Iri grumbles hurriedly at the man’s slowness, she hated his teasing manner but she did love when he forced his member in suddenly causing a choked whimper to fall from her lips.  
“Needy Pet aren’t you?” Ryan murmurs into her ear, and smiles at the sounds both Omegas make when he rocks his hips lightly. “Should just pull out and leave you like this, maybe it will teach you to be nicer.”  
“I was nice…. I didn’t break any of his bones.” Iri counters while moving up and down on Michael in time with Ryan’s thrust. She watches his eyes nearly roll back from the pleasure, and listens with a smile as he purrs wantingly. “Poor little Micoo, stuck under me.”  
“Nah… no better place to be Vixen, I’d rather be pinned by you than Geoff… The view from here alone is enough to finish me off.” Michael whispers into her ear as she continues riding him, she releases his hands, and he reaches up to caress her bare chest. Tugging on her nipples roughly he listens to her gasp in pleasure. “Besides good Pets need to learn their place whether it be on top, bottom, or in your case the middle.”  
“Fuck Ryan!... Fuck yes!” She cries out only to feel Ryan’s thrusts slow. “Ry?”  
“Good Pets watch their mouths.”  
“Fuck off, Ryan please I’m so close!” Iri curses as she tries to thrust back only to feel the man slip out fully. “Ry, Ry no.”  
“Hush, Geoff did we.”  
“Yeah it’s in my bag…. Here.” Geoff murmurs as he hands him the vibrator, and watches him reach under Iri to find a bit of her slick. After slicking it up a bit he slips it in place, and turns it on despite her string of no’s. As Ryan turns up the vibrations the Alphas watch with smiles at the Omegas gasping loudly on the bed. “Now, we’re going to play a game.”  
“Fuck you and your games.” Iri snaps spitefully as she feels the man tug her head back to face him, she’d been so close, and now they’d taken it away.  
“Bambi, be good and you’ll get what you desire.”  
“Vixen just keep going, and ignore them.” Michael mutters nearly breathless from the pace she was taking, and the woman did just that till they were cumming and lying limply on the bed. Chancing a glance back he finds Ryan and Geoff just glaring at them, clearly upset that they’d refused them. “What do you expect we’re in heat?”  
“I expect obedience.”  
“No… you know we don’t do that so well… Why bother getting mad over it?” Iri pants as she closes her sleepy eyes, and Michael just wraps his arms around her; the pair maybe two seconds from sleep. “Love you.”  
“Mmhmm… Go to sleep you two before I whip you on principle.” Geoff grumbles as he and Ryan dress quickly, and exit the room to check on the man Iri assaulted. They can hear angry yelling before they even enter the room.  
“She’s a fucking lunatic! Did you see the way she damn near killed him?” Russ exclaims to Derrick who was standing there, listening to his complaints with an understanding look. Derrick knew that her actions had been a bit overkill, but Thames did provoke her and what had he expected? “She’s fucking crazy!”  
“That’s my friend you're talking about asshole, so watch your mouth.” Harrison growls bitterly as he steps up, only to feel Derrick pull him back. “Don’t be pissed because Tex is better.”  
“She isn’t better, she’s just an Omega playing dress up!” Russ spits back, and at that Harrison snaps he punches Russ roughly, and kicks him out of the room. The older wastes no time in retaliating with a punch to Harrison’s face. The Alphas watch as the two duke it out, and it isn’t until Thames stands up wearing a pained expression that they stop.  
“I want her on my team.” Thames mutters decisively, and Fin stands beside him shaking his head in agreement. He had met a lot of operatives in his years, but not one of them had ever had the audacity of her. Thames knew he had personal space issues, and the people around him would normal just let him do what he wanted but not her. She had put him in his place, and he respected her for it... He knew that woman would be a wonderful addition to their team... temper and all.  
“She’s brilliant in a fight, and you're just pissed because she beat up Thames… It would be the same if she did it to me, but if she beat you.. You’d be singing her praises, and commending her for a job well done. Stop thinking with your heart Russ.” Fin tells the man who growls at them, but they stand their ground. “She’s on our team, take us or leave us… Or weren’t you the one who promised not to leave her high and dry?”  
“Fucking cheeky bastard.”  
“Get used to it.” Fin murmurs with a smile as the Alpha relents and Derrick gives him a stern look. Derrick had never had any intention of removing her from the team, but it was good to see her new team mates sticking up for her... even if she did just technically assault one, but hey what's assault amongst friends?   
“Fine, she stays.”  
“She was never leaving asshole.” Harrison growls with a glare as he wipes at his bleeding lip and storms out of the room. He needed a run before he beat that smug bastard’s face in. Who the fuck did he think he was? He just got here, and he didn't even know the woman sure she was rough but that was just how she showed friendship... Not that she'd beat Thames out of friendship, but she had healed him out of it. “Hey Geoff, Ryan. What’s up?”  
“What was that about?”  
“Iri’s fighting ability, seems our fearless leader couldn’t handle it… Said this team didn’t need a monster like her.” Harrison tells the gents and notices the way their muscles stiffen. “She isn’t a monster, but that man is a dick… I shouldn’t have let Iri talk me out of leading.”  
“She’s persuasive.”  
“No she’s right.” Harrison continues to grumble while the pair follow him outside. “I’m going for a run, care to join?”  
“Uh… sure.” Geoff says sheepishly as he shifts down, knowing Todd had a better chance of keeping up with him than he did. Ryan nods as well, and shifts as well. The trio falls silent as they take off into the forest.


	122. Blunt Geoff is almost as bad as Poorly Timed Sentimental Geoff is

In The Morning  
Iri 

She awoke to the feeling a buzzing in her ass, and Michael still buried deep inside her. His hips rocking up in lazy thrusts that amused the woman. Nipping at his neck the man awakes slowly, and grimaces when he feels the stickiness connecting them. Looking around they notice the lack of gent, and Michael makes a worried whine.  
“Shush my sweet Knight, they’ll be back soon.”  
“No, it’s not that. It’s that every time you move it tugs on my pubes… Fucking hurts.”  
“Oh, well how do you want to do this then?” Iri asks wondering if they should just break apart quickly, tear it off like a bandaid. “Bandaid style?”  
“No, god no! Just, don’t move.” Michael nearly shouts as he sits up, and picks up the woman easily. “Vixen, why are you so light?”  
“I don’t know, I eat….. I really do!” Iri says quickly, she wasn’t even lying she really did.  
“You need to eat more with all those fancy powers of yours… Using too much energy.”  
“You're probably right, but it’s just a hassle… Ain’t nobody got time for that.”  
“You're going to find time or I’m telling Geoff.” Michael threatens as he enters the shower with her still wrapped around his chest, turning on the water and rubbing a bit of soap between the two he manages to get them unstuck. She pulls off gently and whines at the loss, but Michael just pats her ass feeling the dull buzz that was there. “Is?”  
“Yeah… Can you pull it out?”  
“Sure, spread’em punk.”  
“Yes Sir.” Iri mocks with a smile as Michael runs a hand teasingly over her cheeks, enjoying the way she hissed at the sensation.   
“Aww does that hurt?”  
“A little, why?”  
“Because…. maybe. you’ll. learn. not. to. beat. up. your. teammates.” Michael says as he punctuates each word with a slap to her ass causing the woman to pout against the shower tiles, her tail no longer high, rather sunken to the floor. “Those men are there to help you, why won’t you let them?”  
“The same reason I won’t let anyone else… I’m an independent woman, I don’t need no man.” Iri states sassily as she snaps her fingers and purses her lips at him causing the man to chuckle quietly. “Besides the same could be said about you Mr. Loner.”  
“Oh what does that mean?” Michael inquires as he soaps up her body, paying careful attention to her bruises.   
“It means that Geoff has never offered you anything, but love and you refuse him all the time in order to do your own thing.” Iri counters, and that is when Michael makes a quiet growl in her ears as he lathers up her head. She tried to turn away, but the man locks her muscles with his electricity and the woman is forced to stand there till he’s done. However, he did leave her mouth free... Clearly a mistake in this situation. “All he wants to do is love you, and you runaway… I remember watching you reject his proposal.”   
“Yeah well he said you rejected his too.”  
“But that was expected, I never been tethered to anything… So why would I start now?”  
“Iri just shut up, for once stop fucking talking.”  
“Why because this upsets you? Oh poor little Michael, I’m sorry I’ve said something to offend you.” Iri mutters as she feels her muscles unlock, and she turns to leave but he grabs her arm. “What?”  
“Just...Stop being a bitch!”  
“Fuck off you piece of Jersey trash!”  
“I can’t believe I ever mated with you… What the fuck was I thinking? Fucking crazy bitch.”  
“Go to hell you angry, unobservant, dickwad!” Iri declares as she rips a towel off the wall and wraps it around herself. Exiting the shower she finds Geoff and Ryan holding plates of food, but she just scoffs before dressing quickly and storming out of the room. About two minutes later Michael storms out as well his face set in a scowl.   
“She started it.”  
“I knew I should have gagged her.” Geoff grumbles as he turns to Michael. “What did she say?”  
“Nothing really, it's just that tone…. and she… Geoff what’s a Drifter, and is it anything like a Vagabond?” Michael asks suddenly, he’d heard the gent utter the words the other night and Thames had called her that. He didn't know why, but Marcus was itching to know what that meant.   
“How do you know about that?”  
“I heard you say it. Now what is it?”  
“Well, it’s a condition of the mind… It’s like ADHD that if not kept in check kills the person.”  
“What?” Michael nearly shouts as he stares at the Alpha who shushes him quickly, and reaches for the boy who just backs away from him in fear. “I’m going to die.”  
“No, no it’s alright Ry and I have been working on ways to help you through it… You don’t have it nearly as bad as Iri does, she’s like the epitome of a time bomb.”  
“She’s going to die!” Michael shouts worriedly with wide eyes as he looks around the room for her only to find her gone. They may fight a lot, but he didn’t want her to die… He fucking loved that woman. “Geoff what the fuck? Does she know, can you save her too?”  
“Geoffrey, this could have gone better… Michael come here.” Ryan murmurs as he glares at Geoff who just shrugs. “Now, I need you to trust me when I say you and Iri aren’t going to die. Can you do that for me?... Good boy, see with this condition we just need to keep you active and all your needs met.”  
“Needs?”  
“Yeah like sexually, and emotionally…. shh, shhh see it’s alright we’re good at keeping our Kitten sated aren’t we?” Ryan purrs to the man who was shaking in his arms at the sudden information. He just holds the man till he looks up at him with less worry in his eyes. “See not so bad baby boy… We’ll take care of you.”  
“I… I don’t need to be taken care of.” Michael grumbles and he pushes out of Ryan’s embrace. “I haven’t needed anyone, and I don’t need you now.”  
“Ry, I told you he would react this way. Michael come to Daddy.” Geoff soothes as the man warily comes to him. “Now tell me doesn’t this feel better than standing alone?”  
“...Yeah I guess… Geoff don’t be creepy.”  
“I’m not being creepy, this is one of your needs baby boy… You need to be cuddled and I’m just helping you to fulfill that need. See nothing terrible right? No crazy sex dungeon, or weird shit. We just have to keep you in a state of contentment.” Geoff explains to his mate who was slowly starting to relax, and let himself be held.   
“What about Iri? You said it was worse for her.”  
“Well… well that is where it gets complicated… She’s a bit more of a.. Well sometimes she’s not human.” Geoff mumbles sheepishly. “Some days she’s more fox than actual person.”  
“... That… that explains so much.”  
“It really does, but when that line blurs things get dangerous.. Mostly for the other person. Iri will always resurface, but sometimes it can take a lot of coaxing. So we’ll need to be patient with her.”  
“But what about her needs? Geoff she’s pissed right now, like seething anger.”  
“That’s alright, she’s probably venting right now… We just need to keep you guys calm and happy. Shouldn’t be too hard.”  
“Tch have you met us?”  
“I have, and I plan on marrying you two remember.”  
“GEOFFREY RAMSEY!” An angry yell sounds and that’s when Iri storms back into the room dragging Thames with her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“Tell you what Kit?”  
“That I’m basically a feral animal.”  
“Oh… I was getting to you… Would you like a hug?”  
“No, I don’t want a fucking hug… I want to rip you apart and… and… You know I’ll take that hug.” Iri murmurs softly after finally simmering down, and she remembers what Thames had told her about remaining calm. The man she had dragged here offered her a smile, and that’s when a wicked thought came into her mind. Geoff beckons for her to come over, but instead she wraps her arms around Thames’ body her tail entwining with his. “Thames thanks so much for telling me, thank you soo much… I could just kiss you.”   
“Uh.. You.. It’s really not that big of a deal.”  
“No, I should thank you in some way at least.”  
“Iridessa, don’t.”  
“Why not? He clearly wants it, even I can smell his desire.”  
“Because I will tie you to a bed, and whip you till you can’t walk.”  
“.... Fine.” Iri resigns as she gives the man a quick peck on the cheek, and unwraps herself from the dazed man. “Was it everything you thought it’d be?”  
“And more… I look forward to working with you.” Thames mumbles while exiting the room with a thoughtful look on his face, and a swish in his tail.   
“He’s so happy…… And you are clearly not. Well I’m going for a run, got to stay fit and stuff… keep that fox tamed and all.” Iri stammers as she backs up, only to feel Michael’s wind stop her from leaving. “Michael have I told you that I love you lately?”  
“Iri on the bed.”  
“Technically I didn’t kiss him… I kissed his cheek.”  
“Which is part of him Iridessa. Bed. Now.” Ryan growls as he hauls the woman onto it as Geoff pulls off her shorts.   
“Papa please… I was just.”  
“Just being bad. Now count.”  
“Geoff.”  
“Count.”  
“...One…. Two… Ouch mother fucker!” Iri growls as he starts whipping her with his belt; she tries to wiggle away but Ryan just keeps her down as Geoff continues his punishment. His harsh hits starting to bring tears to her eyes. “Twenty... Please stop… Please, I’ll be good.”  
“Are you lying to me?”  
“No… No I’ll be good.” Iri mutters with tear filled eyes, and Geoff nods for Ryan to let her up. She tries to move away at first, but Ryan just pulls her into his lap. “You know I was only teasing.” Iri says hiding her face in Ryan’s chest cutely causing Geoff to soften his glare. He knew the woman was only playing, but she needed to learn that he wasn’t going to stand for that.  
“I know, but now you’ve given that man hope… Hope he’ll get to see you naked some day.”  
“Why would he see that?” Iri inquires as Ryan wipes at her eyes, and she nibbles his fingers playfully causing him to chuckle softly. “Geoff?”  
“I don’t know baby girl… Now it’s time for you two to eat.”  
“Okay.”  
“I’m not hungry.” Iri murmurs, she didn’t want food right now… Right now she wanted cuddle, but Ryan just shushed her protesting eyes with his own strict ones.   
“It wasn’t a suggestion, it was an order. Michael come sit.”  
“Geoff can’t I feed myself?”  
“You could, but I enjoy doing this… Humor an old man will you?”  
“Fine.” Michael sighs as he sinks to the floor beside his chair and Geoff starts lowering the fork to his lips. He could tell the boy was uncomfortable by the way he fidgeted, but when he makes a soft rumble the boy stills and looks up at him.  
“Good boy.”  
“Whatever Geoff.”  
“Iri open.”  
“I’m not hungry.” Iri mumbles behind closed lips as the other gent offered her the fork. She turned her head to the side in what Iri knew was a childish manner, but she wasn’t hungry. Ryan merely sighs before holding her nose. “................Huh!” Iri gasps as she tried to wait it out, but the fork was just shoved in her mouth when she opened it for air. After placing the food in Ryan puts a hand over her mouth so she has to chew. With hate in her eyes she starts to chew, and swallows the bite slowly.   
“Good girl.”  
“Go fuck yourself.”  
“Mmm I’d rather fuck you, but that can wait… Come on open up. If you eat then you can go do whatever you wanted to do before you got mad at Michael.” Ryan bargains, and very hesitantly the woman takes another four bites before pushing it away. “Iri, you haven’t even finished one pancake yet… Come on Bambi.”  
“I’m full.” Iri insists, she felt full already after eating half of the fucking plate sized pancake. “Ry, that pancake is huge.”  
“And you need a lot of energy… Look at Michael, he already finished his breakfast and is getting cuddles. Don’t you want cuddles?” Ryan tells her after gesturing to the pair scenting on the chair causing her to whine needily. “Then eat.”  
“No, I don’t need this… I don’t need you… I.. I.. I can do what I want!” Iri mutters as she pulls herself from Ryan’s side, and exits the room with tears in her eyes. She takes off down the hallway, and then out the door still running. Iri hated the way they wanted her to obey, she couldn’t do it… well not all the time… She was trying her best, but they kept pushing and pushing and she just wanted freedom. Her mind wasn’t meant to be conquered, she was a caster, a woman of unimaginable power… She wasn’t something pretty to be collared, and constantly tethered to an alpha. “I’m not meant for this.” Iri pants as she finally stops running and looks at her surroundings. She was in the middle of the forest, and there was the sound of footsteps behind her. Turning back she finds Harrison and Fin just rounding the corner with headphones in, and running clothes on. They both wear looks of confusion, and concern when Iri looks at them with tearful eyes. “I.. I can’t do this.”  
“Do what Tex?” Harrison inquires as he places a soft hand on her shoulder only to find it shrugged off. “Tex what happened?”  
“They were.. and I… It doesn’t matter, I can’t do this whole pack thing anymore… It’s.”  
“What about the kits?”  
“I can see them on the weekends.”  
“Iri! Iri, Bambi come back… I’m sorry, come on baby girl.” Ryan shouts as he runs down the trail, he stopped dead in his tracks when he sees Iri being held by Fin crying.  
“I.. I just wanted them to love me.”  
“Bambi, I love you. We all love you, I’m sorry I tried to force you to do that. Last night you were hesitant, but willing… I just want you to stay.” Ryan says breathlessly as he tugs her gently into his arms. “I need you to stay.”  
“I can’t be what you want.”  
“You are exactly what I want, and the whole reason we did that is so you’d trust us… Because of your condition we have to establish a strong basis of trust otherwise… otherwise when you get lost to yourself… We might not be able to find you.” Ryan chokes out as he tries not to cry, but the thought of losing her and Michael to their condition destroys his control. Imagining her nothing, but a feral animal growling and snapping at everyone, and the inevitability of Geoff having to keep her unconscious till she could come back. “You have to trust us, I need you to trust me so when the predator consumes you. I’ll be able to bring you back.”  
“I trust you James… I’ve always trusted you.” Iri admits softly, she may have issues with Geoff but Ryan has always been a confidant for her. He would listen to her woes, when she would tell and offer nothing but helpful advice… Or he would help her train. “James, when I lose myself you’ll be the light I look for to find my way back home.”  
“Loving you is the hardest job I’ve ever taken on… and I couldn’t think of any better way to challenge myself.”  
“If you want we can go back, and I’ll be good… I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll sit on your lap and let you feed me, or I’ll scent with you forever, or.”  
“Iri, I don’t want you to feel obligated to make me feel better… I want you to want to do those things.”  
“I do! It’s just… I’m not used to.”  
“Ryan this woman has never focused on herself for more than ten minutes at a time. She isn’t a pet, and she never will be… She’s a fighter, and even I can tell that… She’s a good woman, but her heart is too open.” Fin interjects when he notices the woman stumbling to explain herself. He was still itching to fight her, and was hoping they’d get a chance soon… Fin was also hoping to watch her and Russ truly go at it, he’d been nervous since she’d taken down Thames last night, and now he was harboring a grudge… He knew the Alpha wouldn’t be satisfied till they’d fought.   
“My heart is too open? Coming from Gavin’s loving cousin, who tackled Geoff off his feet when he realized who he was… Sounds a bit hypocritical in my opinion.” Iri answers as she turns around, her butt still pressed flush against his front, and his hands wrapped tightly around her hips. Ryan purred happily into Iri’s neck as she cast a critical look at Fin.   
“I.. What… We’re not here to talk about me.”  
“Mmhmm Fin, Ryan?” Iri purrs as she looks back to her mate.  
“What Bambi?”  
“I’m hungry… I should have.” Iri stammers quietly as her stomach rumbles softly.  
“Shh, it doesn’t matter… Come on let’s go eat the rest of those massive pancakes.”  
“Let’s go home… Fuck Derrick, and Russ… I want to see my kits, and sleep in our bed.” Iri mutters with a devil may care smile, and Ryan just nods in agreement pulling them towards the facility.


	123. Omegas are simple, Parenting is not

Geoff

He and Michael were already dressed and waiting for the others, Lexi had told him of the pairs intentions and now they were slipping out the front. Right as they were about to make it Derrick gives him a curious look.  
“Aren’t you staying?”  
“No, I’ll be back in the morning. She’s fast asleep, and Michael misses Leo, so we are just going to go.” Geoff lies as he ushers Michael out the front door when he gestures with the side of his head. The man looks like he might question, but just sighs and turns on his heel leaving them alone in the lobby. Rushing out the door they find Iri and Ryan already pulling up with her car, and Geoff goes to get his with Michael not far behind. The drive home is long, but worth it when Iri finally opened that door however the sight she is met with instantly enrages her. Her children were screaming, fighting, and biting at Ray and Gavin who were backed into a corner trying to persuade them to stop.   
“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU FOUR ARE DOING!” Iri booms her voice dark, and the kits instantly turning to her. “What gives you the right to disrespect your fathers this way?”  
“....” The kits say nothing as they slink away from the pair who were sighing in relief at the appearance of the others.  
“I want an answer now!” Iri growls her tone dangerous, and Scarlett is the only one who finds a voice to speak with. “Scarlett?”  
“We… They wouldn’t tell us where you were and we were worried.”  
“So you lash out at them, and treat them like this? I know you weren’t raised like this, and I know that if Ryan or Geoff or I had been home none of this would have happened! You will show them respect or so help me god I will beat it into you! Do you understand me? Is any part of that unclear?” Iri shouts authoritatively at the group who shake their heads quickly, and look at their mother in stunned silence. “You will apologize, and go to your room. I want a two page essay on respect, and each of you gets ten swats.”  
“Yes Momma.” They reply somberly, and walk up to their mother. She delivers their spankings swift and with no remorse. The children cry quietly before mumbling apologies, walking up the stairs with sniffles on their lips.   
“Thanks Skye, really saved us from a.”  
“No, don’t thank me stand up for yourselves! Don’t let our children walk over you, stand up!” Iri declares angrily as she pulls Ray in for a passionate kiss. “You are strong independent fuckers, show them or they’ll eat you alive!”   
“Okay.” Ray mumbles in a daze as Iri forces her way into his mouth, and kisses him with no abandon. He doesn’t even say anything or even fight the snarling woman as she shoves him up against the wall and works a knee between his thighs. The others watch as the pair kiss heatedly, and smile at the pair. Ray grinds up against her, and she puts a forceful hand to his throat.   
“Get a backbone, or I’m done.”  
“Skye?”  
“I want you to take me, take me like you used to do… Make me concede.” Iri challenges her tone dark, and her actions unrelenting. Ray gives her one last hesitant look before heating up his palms, and wrapping them around her wrists. Iri says nothing letting Ray reposition them so she was up against the wall, his hot hands scalding her wrists to the point of near burning. He watches as she tries to wrench her wrists away, but can’t and soon he covers her in a thin film of flame. It wasn’t burning anything, but rather warming her to a point of uncomfortability. She starts to wriggle, but Ray refuses to release her and it isn’t until Iri feels her skin start to bubble in burning does she bare her neck to him. He instantly kills the heat, and begins kissing her softly.   
“Good?”  
“Better.” Iri purrs into the man’s heated lips, ignoring the pain she felt, and smiling until Ray grabs her hair and drags her towards the stairs. “Raymond.”  
“Too much?” Ray mumbles as he releases her hair, and pulls her to his chest in comfort.  
“Just a little Ember.” Iri answers as she tries to kiss his lips, but he pulls her back and gestures to the stairs.   
“Now get your ass in that bed, or I’m going to have you screaming so loud the neighbors will think I’m killing you.” Ray commands in a tone that Iri shivers in anticipation at, and her slick starts to trail down her thigh perfuming the air in her smoky scent. “What are you waiting for? Hmm were my instructions not clear enough?” Ray snaps as he watches the woman hesitate to follow his instructions, he heats his hand up to be hot enough to burn, and slaps her ass roughly. Iri yelps at the sensation of burning, and the hit mingled with the already bruised flesh.   
“Yes.”  
“Yes what?”  
“Yes Sir.”  
“Good girl, now go upstairs and prepare yourself while I get something special.” Ray praises, and watches as the woman smiles playfully before darting up the stairs. Once she was gone the men turn to Ray who was smirking after her. “Now that is how you do it boys… You may boast about control, but I have something better.”  
“And that is what Ray?”  
“Relief… I offer her relief. We don’t need safe words because with the relief I offer she doesn’t want any… most of the time. You let her think, you let her wonder if this is what she wants, but she’s an Omega. And Omegas are simple creatures, we want to please, all we desire deep down is to please. You just need to present the opportunity.” Ray says with an insightful tone as he turns quickly to ascend the stairs and head to the bedroom. Leaving the men to ponder his words, and the remaining Omegas to debate his words… However, Michael finds himself unable to, and Gavin is the same way.   
“....” Michael can’t think of anything to say, still stunned by Ray’s insightful words considering his usual remarks were snarky at best.  
“I don’t want him to be right.” Gavin mutters after a few moments of silence. “But… But it’s like my heart hurts when I disobey you two.”  
“... Can we stop fucking talking about this? The more I think about it the worse I feel, and it’s literally just genetics… Geoff come fuck me into the mattress next to Iri please?” Michael inquires as he looks to Geoff who nods sheepishly and wraps his arms around his waist, placing soft kisses on his neck and guiding him upstairs.   
“Gav, do you ever wish you weren’t an Omega?”  
“No… I don’t think I could handle being an Alpha, I’m not very good with responsibility, and owning a person is a lot of responsibility.”  
“Gav, we don’t own you no matter what you think… You can leave if you want.”  
“But I can’t, not without finding another Alpha to sate my needs… Or feel like I’m dying for four days every three months.” Gavin remarks softly causing the Alpha to immediately tug the somber Omega into his embrace. “Besides wolves are pack animals, and we look to an Alpha regardless of status.”  
“Must our Omegas always be so sullen?”  
“Sometimes it feels good to be in pain, and sometimes I like to be me.”  
“Be you? Gavin, the you I know is bouncy, loving, and friendly… The real you isn’t somber, the real you celebrates life regardless of the hurt it throws at you. You are a brave man.”  
“And you are a beautiful liar, but your words are appreciated Ryan.”  
“No matter who tells you, how many times we tell you, or even you yourself tells you none of you will ever understand your own beauty… Tis a shame.”  
“Oh be quiet and kiss me you brilliant fool.” Gavin mutters with a smile as he turns his lips for a soft kiss, and after they part the sound of yelping catches their ears. It’s then followed by laughter which lets them know everything was alright. However, it does stoke their curiosity and causes them to head up to see what their mates were up to. Upon entering the bedroom they find Iri and Michael pillow fighting Geoff and Ray with feathers flying everywhere. The pair just stands there admiring the fight, but that soon changes when they get hit in the face with pillows. Joining the battle they find that Ray and Iri ruthless in their fighting, and with tactical precision that reminded them of the way they played video games. Geoff and Ryan soon find themselves knocked back, and unwilling to rejoin the fight, red marks already starting to form on their faces from where they were smacked. Leaving just Gav and Michael, who are swiftly outmatched in a matter of minutes. The fight ends with Ray pinning Gavin, and Iri pinned beneath Michael both on the bed. All Omegas panting with laughter on their lips, that soon turns into needy kisses.   
“Ember?” Iri asks as Michael ravishes her neck roughly.  
“What Skye?” Ray answers while Gavin nibbles his ear lobe.   
“What was my surprise?”  
“....Uh…. I didn’t have one.”  
“So you lied?”  
“Uh yeah…. I figured by the time… You realized you’d be too tired to do anything about it.” Ray answers breathlessly as Gavin works his way down to his sensitive collar bone.  
“Fucking despicable.”  
“... I.. I’ll get you something Love.” Gavin purrs as she turns her head to meet his, and he pulls her in for a light kiss. He was the lad known to just surprise Iri in the middle of the day for no apparent reason. Iri would never admit it, but his surprises flattered her and she’d always make sure to thank him properly when they were in private. “I’ll get you something pretty.”  
“I was only teasing Gavi… I don’t need anything.”  
“Mmm but I saw some things the other day that will look beautiful on you Love.” Gavin murmurs in between kisses, and smiles when Michael tugs him up for a kiss while Ray claims her lips. “And, I love to spoil my lovely little Vixen.”  
“I’ll help you pick it out.” Michael adds, and Gavin just nods. “Women’s lingerie is so much prettier than guys.”  
“What about Ry’s kilt?... I made that special, and I think it looks cute…. Or the thongs I made last Christmas.” Iri mutters, and the men just quietly cough while giving each other sheepish looks all avoiding her eyes. “... You don’t… You said you liked them.”  
“Well…” They all trail off, unable to really say nothing more.   
“....” Iri didn’t say nothing choosing to fall silent under Michael, who places soft kisses on her lips as though begging forgiveness. He waits for her to respond in some way, but instead she just lies there letting him kiss her.   
“Baby?”  
“What?” Iri snaps, she worked hard on those fucking gifts and these assholes didn’t even like them… She spent fucking twenty minutes measuring them each to make sure it was right, and would fit well… And it wasn’t that she didn’t like touching their dicks, but do you know how hard it is to keep them flaccid while you do it? Plus she had to measure them when they were hard too because well some pack members were growers, not show-ers… Took her fucking forever and like fifteen hand jobs to be perfect.  
“Love it’s not that we don’t like them, it’s just.”  
“It’s just what? Was it too tight, or not your style? What?”  
“No they fit fine, it’s just we don’t like wearing lingerie.” Geoff says delicately, hoping to help the woman understand their plight. They loved them, they really did but none of them were fans of the way they wedged themselves up their asses. “We love that you put so much time, and thought into them. And that material feels like my dick’s being kissed, but I just don’t like having something wedged up my ass… Besides we think you look far better in it than we ever do.”  
“That’s not what you tell Ryan…. and I think you five look beautiful in them.” Iri mumbles quietly with a smile causing them to chuckle, and roll their eyes at her last comment. She wished they wouldn’t have lied to her about liking them, perhaps this year she’d just make them socks… Geoff always complained about having cold feet at work, and the boys had parroted that statement. Maybe she’d make Jack some too, the poor man probably had cold toes too.  
“Will you stop thinking about Jack while Michael’s kissing you.” Geoff interjects, breaking through Iri’s quiet monologue.  
“Mmm, but he’s just so beardy.”  
“Iri… please tell me.”  
“I’m joking… Just thinking about Christmas gifts… Hey do the kits have Halloween costumes yet?” Iri asks, she knew it was the middle of October and she had yet to hear anything about the holiday from them.  
“No, not yet… They haven’t decided on costumes yet.” Ryan answers as he, and Geoff settle down on the bed beside the group. He pulls Ray off of Gavin, and into his arms despite the sound of disappointment. Geoff does the same with Michael, and Iri cuddles closer to Gavin. “Should we check on the kits?”  
“No, they went to bed about twenty minutes ago… Was I too harsh? I feel like I might have been.”   
“Iri, you were perfect… Love we’re sorry about that, I guess parenting isn’t our strong point.”  
“No, I saw into Dexter’s mind… He planned that rebellion, he’s definitely the ring leader and Leo is his right hand man. Scar and Felicia tried to deter the boys, but they weren’t really listening.” Iri explains as she tucks herself under Gavin’s chin, and the man purrs into the top of her head. “I.. I can’t believe he read those books of yours… did you hide them?”  
“Yeah, we put them in the safe so now he can’t get them.”  
“Good, if he talks about heat again I’m going to kill someone.”  
“Iri, you should be honored… He’s just trying to understand you, and help you.” Ryan says with a smile.  
“By shouting at you two to knot me? That wasn’t appropriate, and he knows it… He’s just testing the boundaries, I bet her told Geoff he doesn’t love him.”  
“How’d… How’d you know?” Geoff mumbles from his side of the bed, and Iri just scoffs.   
“He always says he doesn’t love you when he’s scared, or… Or when he misses me.” Iri remarks sadly, looking down into the sheets. “He loves you Geoff, but he loves us more.”  
“Mhmm he loves us because boys need their mothers just as much as their fathers.”  
“So one might say children need their parents?”  
“Exactly.” Geoff purrs as he pulls Michael closer and kisses his curls, while Gavin does the same with Iri. Ryan and Ray were already nodding off leaving the rest to follow suit. Iri and Ray were both immensely glad their insomnia didn’t keep them awake that night. Gavin was glad that Lancelot was able to keep Iri and Ray asleep tonight, most nights the pair could block him out but tonight they seemed to surrender willingly to the restfulness the wolf provided.


	124. Nutritional Nazis, and Dominant Gavin

Weeks before Halloween

The weeks leading up to Halloween had been filled with training, and team building… Plus Iri’s normal amount of work due to the release of RWBY, and she also had a lot of sewing to do for the kits’ costumes. Dexter was Batman, Leo was Flash, Felicia was Catwoman, and Scar was Killer Frost. The boys’ costumes were relatively easy, and so was Felicia’s but for some reason Scar’s was giving her trouble. She just couldn’t quite get the fur to sit right on the gloves, but Iri still had about two days to get it right.

One Day before Halloween  
Iri

Leo and Dex were standing in their costumes wearing bright grins, and flexing in the hall mirror while Iri helped Felicia get into hers, the corset on the sleek black suit was giving the girl some trouble. Iri had just laced her up when a sudden wave of dizziness washes over her, and she has to grab the bathroom counter to stay upright.   
“Momma?”  
“Yes Scar?” Iri answers dutifully as she looks up, and has to subdue a yawn. She hadn’t slept in what felt like a week, and it was beginning to take a toll on her. But the others were still at work and someone needed to watch the kits.   
“Can you do the buttons for me?” Scar asks hesitantly and her mother merely smiles at her while leaning down to do said buttons only to feel herself lose her balance and crash onto the floor below. “Momma!”  
“I… I’m fine Scar… Just dizzy.” Iri soothes as she wrenches herself up, and finishes the buttons on her daughter’s back. “Turn around for me.”  
“Momma this fur is so soft.” Scar purrs as she pets the silky white fur lining the bottom and top of her gloves. They started at her wrists and went up to about the middle of her upper arm. “I look so pretty.”  
“Mmhmm, you guys are going to get all the candy tomorrow night.” Iri murmurs, grimacing at the appearance of a migraine… She was going to crash soon, regardless of her stamina. Her body could only maintain a high level of activity for so long, and after about fifty-two hours she was at her limit. “Why her, Scarlett? Why not Harley Quinn?”  
“She’s kind of crazy Momma, and her costume is… is.”  
“Is revealing?”  
“Yeah, and with this one you made it a dress that covers my chest.” Scarlett answers as she twirls around in the dress causing the sapphire dress to flare out gently at her upper thighs.  
“Princess, I could… have done the same with Harley’s if you wanted to be her.” Iri tells her with a smile, and the girl just shrugs.   
“I like blue better anyways, and this girl has powers of ice… Maybe I’ll have powers like her too.” Scar conjectures hopefully, Leo and Fel had both warned Dex away from helping her discover her powers.. and it kind of ticked her off. Everyone else knew their powers why couldn’t she, and why were they so protective of her? “Momma, when’s the last time you slept?”  
“It’s… It’s been awhile Princess.” Iri mumbles quietly, at this her daughter grabs her mother’s hand and pulls her from the bathroom to the master bedroom. After pulling her onto the bed she pushes their reluctant mother down onto the soft surface. “Scar, I.”  
“No shh, Momma we’ll just be doing our homework and watching T.V.”  
“Scar.” Iri trails off her eyes already fluttering shut, and a soft snore sounding in her throat. Kissing her mother’s cheek lovingly, and pulls the sheets over her. Scar jumps off the bed, shuts the door, and then joins the rest of her siblings in their mother’s studio where they were taking off their costumes.   
“Where’s Momma?” Fel inquires as she dons her leggings, and shirt while the boys’ pull on their jeans and t-shirts.   
“She’s sleeping, I told her we were just going to do our homework and watch T.V.” Scar tells them as she pulls on her skirt and shirt. “And that is what we’re going to do.”  
“Oh is it?” Dex challenges as he lifts a nearby paint brush with a smirk.  
“That isn’t scary, and besides we all know you can’t do anything other than that… Or piss us off.” Scar says with pursed lips, and crossed arms; she wasn’t scared of him.   
“Confident today aren’t you Scar?”  
“Most days.” Scar answers with rigid posture like she’d seen her mother do when she got ready to fight, or tell Papa Geoff to fuck off. “And what were you even planning?”  
“Nothing, I just like to tease you.” Dex teases with a smile that puts the twins at ease, they’d been expecting something a bit more dramatic but this was better. “Besides our Dads should be home soon.”  
“Scar come help me with my French.” Leo mutters pulling the girl from her stare down with their eldest brother. “You know I only get worse at this as the year progresses.”  
“Leo, it’s only because you focus too much on the correct sounds just let it flow from your tongue.” Scar coaches as they enter their bedroom, and they begin pulling out their books from their back packs. 

Six O’clock

Geoff and the others walk in to the sight of the kits lounging on the sofa playing Left 4 Dead quietly. At the entrance of their fathers they don’t even look over choosing to remain fixated on the screen as they make their way to the safe room in the game.   
“Hey guys.” Geoff bids with a smile, and the rest of them mirror the greeting only to receive grunts in response from the kits. It causes the adults to chuckle, and it isn’t until they realize Iri was supposed to be here that the chuckles stop. “Guys where is your mother?”  
“She crashed about three hours ago… Right after we got home from school, we had enough time to try on our costumes.” Dex answers quietly, eyes still focused on the screen. “Momma did a really good job with them, and they fit perfectly.” Leo adds as he shoots a Hunter off of Scarlett's character.  
“Well you know your mother.”  
“She’s good at sewing?” Leo mutters in confusion, he wasn’t sure what Papa Geoff was getting at.   
“No Leonard, he meant dedicated.” Michael mumbles quietly while shaking his head at his son. “But she is good at sewing so I could see how that makes sense.”  
“So Poppa what are you going to be?” Scar asks as the screen flashes game over when they all finally die.   
“Uh… I… I don’t know.”  
“You should be a superhero like us.” Fel suggests helpfully, discarding the controller, and reaching for Ryan. “You could be… Nightwing, and Momma can be Poison Ivy.”  
“Hmm, I think Iri said she was going as Batwoman.” Michael mumbles, trying to remember if that was right or not. “But Gav, you should definitely go as Nightwing.”  
“Alright well what will you guys go as.”   
“Uh… I’ll be Green Arrow.” Ryan states, he already had the facial hair going for it, and he was sure Iri would McGyver something together for it if he asked… Plus she had a quiver and bow from one of her cosplays.  
“I guess I could be Penguin, I still have my GTA costume.” Geoff adds turning to Ray and Michael who were still thinking. “Michael you could be Superman, you have the curls for it.”  
“I was thinking about Reverse Flash, I told Iri like two weeks ago and she already made the costume.” Michael answers, looking to Ray who was staring at them sheepishly. “What about you man?”  
“Kyle Rayner… The Mexican Green Lantern.” Ray says, and the kits just smile at their fathers. “I already have the costume from a few years back.”  
“Now that that's settled I’m going to make dinner.” Geoff states with a tired sigh as he heads into the kitchen, the kits follow to see if their help was needed in anyway. Michael and Ray settle on the couch while Gavin and Ryan head upstairs to check on their mate. Upon entering they find Iri sleeping on the bed snoring lightly, her stuffed vulpix pulled closely to her. Toeing off his shoes, and shedding his hoodie Ryan lies down beside her; Gavin does the same, but settles on her other side.   
“... Mmm Ry? Gav? What time.”  
“Shhh, go back to sleep Bambi. We’ll wake you when dinner's ready.” Ryan shushes as he wraps his arms around her, and smiles when the woman purrs into his neck her toy still wrapped tightly into her arms. “Give me the toy, and you can.”  
“No… It’s mine, and…. I… It’s comforting.”  
“Shh, you can keep it. Ry can just sod off… besides I think you look cute with it.” Gav says as he intertwines his legs with hers, trailing a socked foot up her bare legs causing the woman to purr into Ryan’s neck. “Now go back to sleep Love.”  
“Mmk… I’ll make your costume when I wake up again Ry… And you too Gav.”  
“You were listening.”  
“I’m always listening, safer that way.”  
“Well stop, let us keep you safe now… Let your pack protect you.” Ryan purrs into her hair, and smiles when the woman sighs into him while falling back asleep. Gavin uses his powers to fill her with sleepiness, and contentment allowing the woman to fall into an even deeper sleep. As they hold her they don’t fall asleep rather just stay awake and purring lowly around her in comfort. 

About Nine

Iri awakes to the feeling of being shaken, and her immediately response is to ignore the feeling in hopes of being allowed to fall back asleep. However, much to her displeasure the shaking continues and doesn’t stop until she sits up and rubs her eyes with her free hand while the other clutches her stuffed animal tightly to her chest.   
“Aww sleepy little Kit… I know baby girl, but you need to eat.” Geoff murmurs softly to the pouty woman who tries to lie back down, but he pulls her into his side to keep her from doing that. “Kit, come downstairs and eat.”  
“No, I’m tired Papa… I want to sleep.”   
“Do you want me to bring it up here?”  
“Mmhmm.” Iri mumbles sleepily into his chest, and the man merely smiles at her cute behavior. Geoff however only levitates a tray over with a bowl of vegetable soup, and a turkey sandwich on it over. He had a feeling that the woman wouldn’t want to get out of bed to eat, so he’d brought this just in case. Grabbing the bowl, he takes the spoon, and brings it to her lips. The woman doesn’t even fight him choosing to take the food he offered. Geoff purrs happily at her compliance, and once all the soup was gone he offers her the sandwich only to see it refused.   
“Baby girl, you need to eat it… How about some of it?” Geoff tries as he pulls the lettuce from the sandwich, and offers it to her reluctant lips. She takes it slowly, chewing at a pace that even surprises Geoff, and right when he’s about to say something about it she makes a needy sound alerting the gent to the fact that the lettuce was gone. It was odd that she was allowing him to do this, perhaps they were starting to get through to her, or perhaps she was too tired to fight him. Picking up the bread, and cheese he feeds that to the woman who was purring contently in his lap.   
“Thanks Papa.” Iri mumbles in between bites as she eats the food offered to her. She wouldn’t lie eating from Geoff’s hand was still a bit degrading, but the purrs of reassurance from her Alpha made her relax.  
“No problem Kit, are you full?”  
“Yeah… I’m going back to bed.” Iri murmurs as she finishes the last bite, and leans up to kiss the man who reciprocates gently till the woman pulls back, sated smile on her lips as she curls back up on the bed. “I love you Geoffrey L. Ramsey, I love you with all my heart.”  
“And I love you with all of mine Iridessa S. Burns, now go back to sleep.” Geoff mirrors back lovingly as the woman just allows herself to fall back asleep while he strokes her head softly. “I will always love you Kit.” After the woman was snoring softly into her stuffed toy, and sleeping fitfully does Geoff finally stand up to leave. He picks up the tray and takes it downstairs to wash it as the pack lounges lazily on the couch watching something the kits enjoyed. “Alright nine thirty, kits time for bed.”  
“Mmk.” They murmur tiredly, all rubbing their eyes sleepily like their mother had a half an hour ago. “Night Papa, Rapa, Pops, Poppa, and Daddy.” The kits mumble as they climb up the stairs to their beds leaving the adults alone on the couch.   
“Geoff?”  
“Yeah Ray?”  
“Did she fight you on the food?”  
“No, she just ate it all for the most part… The sandwich I had to break down, and then feed to her bit by bit but she ate it.” Geoff explains to the worried man who relaxes at that. They were still concerned about her weight, despite the reassuring words from Harold and Otto who had told them she was completely fine. Some people were just naturally skinny, and she happened to be one of those people. “You know what the doctors said.”  
“I know, but it still worries me… She’s fucking thin, and it makes my instincts itch… I just want.” Ray starts, but trails off knowing that the only time Iri seemed to be healthy was during her pregnancy and Ryan was practically forcing her to eat. “Maybe we should go back to doing what we did during the pregnancy.”  
“What?” Geoff mutters in confusion as the lads nod in agreement, he wondered how often they’d been talking about this.  
“Well think about it, she was healthier that way, and she listens to Ryan when he corners her… Most of the time.” Ray finishes, and looks to Michael who nods in agreement.  
“She was healthier, and her thighs were…”  
“Lush?” Gavin adds causing the pair to nod.   
“It made me feel like a good mate to see her filled out a little more.” Michael says and the gents make noises of agreement. “I know her job requires her to be lean, but not that lean.”  
“I know what you mean about the good mate part, instinct tells me I’m not doing my job when she refuses a meal.” Ray mutters as Ryan nibbles his ear lobe causing him to purr.   
“Boys if you want I can go back to doing that, she’s rather receptive to being fed or at least persuaded to eat… She really does have an appetite when she doesn’t suppress it.” Ryan comments quietly in between kissing Ray’s neck, and the others make chirps of agreement around him. “So I guess I’ll start doing that.”  
“We’ll help of course, but this way she’ll fill out a bit… Less likely to pass out from starvation on the job.” Geoff adds already tugging Michael and Gavin towards the stairs, and to the bedroom with Ryan and Ray not far behind. “Ry, you know if I do it she’ll just resist, and the lads don’t have a scary enough tone to make her will bend.”  
“What about Ray? She seems pretty willing to listen to you when you get all dom on her.”  
“True, but that only works on sexual things like I could order her to pay for my parking tickets but she wouldn’t do it… she’d fucking laugh at me, and then probably go back to work.” Ray explains to the group who nods in understanding as they open the door to reveal Iri no longer sleeping, but standing in front of the dresser mirror with her shirt pulled up, running fingers over her exposed ribs. She was gazing at her pale flesh, fingers trailing over her six pack, but then falling over her almost defined ribs.   
“Kit?”  
“Oh hey guys… I was just… Uh.” Iri stutters out, there would be no way for her to explain her actions except for the fact that she’d been eavesdropping on them. “I am really skinny aren’t I?”  
“Yes Love, you are very skinny.” Gavin agrees as he pulls her shirt back down, and guides her to the bed. “We’ll help you though, Ryan is excellent with nutrition.”   
“That’s because he’s a nutritional Nazi.”  
“Mmm only for you Bambi.” Ryan purrs sleepily as he beckons for the woman to come to him only to watch her hesitate by Gavin. “Fawn?”  
“Sorry, I was just… I should get started on your guys costumes.” Iri mumbles with a sheepish smile as she exited the room, the whole nutrition thing was already starting to nag at her…. Had she fallen into the same trap she had worked so hard to get out of? Clara, her psychologist had commended her for the progress she made, and Iri thought for sure she’d gotten away from her anorexia…. How many meals had she refused lately? Five… Six maybe… Iri couldn’t remember; she just remembers feeling tired, and not bothering to stop working. She continues pondering the thought as she sketches out the costumes, focusing on Nightwing’s red symbol, and getting the details just right. The suit itself was simple, and it would take Iri maybe an hour or two to get right. After sketching out Gavin’s cape she moved onto Ryan’s costume, which would be a bit more labor intensive with the hood and leather details that needed to be made. She finishes her drawings and looks up to see Michael standing in the doorway a warm smile on his lips. “Uh, I.”  
“Iri, you don’t have to explain… I know how you feel about nutritional Nazis.” Michael assures, but the woman just shakes her head.  
“It’s not that… I just… I just thought I was done with that. I thought I put it all behind me, Clara even told me that I’d gotten better.” Iri tells the man who was already leaning over her chair, and nibbling playfully on her fox ears.   
“Babe, you have gotten better but I don’t think you’ll ever get over it… Just like you’ll never stop doing this.” Michael mutters as he pulls her sleeve up to reveal the neat row of cuts. “It’s Austin, and today’s temperature was ninety-five… And your office isn’t that cold.” Michael states, and the woman doesn’t even pull her arms away.   
“I… It’s been stressful, and… and it.”  
“It what?”  
“It stops me from barking.” Iri admits softly, and Michael softens his stern look a bit. After hearing of the disease that plagued their minds they’d immediately sought to discover the symptoms of it, and barking was common amongst canines… Hissing was for felines… Now when Geoff scolded them for the tendency it took on a whole new meaning. If they barked, or hissed now it instantly drew their mates’ concern and from there it was them cuddling them, asking them what was wrong, or if they were hungry or thirsty.   
“I know what you mean.” Michael agrees somberly as he lifts up his shirt and shows her the marks on his hips. “I don’t know why, but.”  
“But the urge goes away with each cut?” Iri finishes hesitantly, and the man nods in yes. She pulls Michael to sit down on her lap, and lays her head on his lap as he strokes her back. “We’re sick.”  
“Yeah… Sometimes I’ll go to the bathroom just to hiss. Do you do the same to bark?”  
“I do… Maybe we should go for a run, and… and we’ll just howl and hiss and get it out of our systems. So we don’t.. so we don’t do this.” Iri suggests meekishly while lifting herself up, Michael leaps off her already shifted and readily waiting for her. She wastes no time in joining him, and the pair head out her window, shutting it on the way out so the pack wouldn’t hear them. They run about a mile out before they start howling, and yowling like the animals they were. Michael bellows out a loud yowl right in Iri’s ear that makes the fox yip angrily at her, and retaliates by barking sharply in his own ears. The pair continues barking, hissing, growling, and making every sound their predator can with a delightful look in their eyes. This goes on for hours, and by the time the two are finished their minds are so restful, and content that they’ve never been happier. On their way back Michael tackles her roughly causing the fox’s ears to perk up, and the pair starts to circle in the back yard. Iri nips at his shoulder only to feel him push her onto her back, and his paws pinning her forelegs. His mouth trails over her jugular, and nuzzles her pulse point affectionately. Iri never one to accept defeat rolls them over, and over until all of a sudden they land in the pool with a loud splash. The pair instantly shift back with laughs already falling from their lips as Michael shakes the water from his hair, and Iri brushes her wet hair from her face.   
“You have really good suggestions.” Michael says while swimming closer to her, and returns to nuzzling her neck. “For a Vagabond and all.”  
“Mmm the same could be said for you Drifter…. do you think they know we’re gone yet?” Iri murmurs back as she lets Michael pin her up against the pool wall.   
“Probably, but who cares… We’re free remember.” Michael purrs as he grinds his hips over his, and would have continued if he wasn’t suddenly lifted out of the water. Looking up to meet his captor he sees the disappointed eyes of Geoff and Gavin staring down at them.   
“What do you two think you are doing?” Gavin demands as he taps his foot impatiently as Geoff drops Michael, and Iri pulls herself from the cool water standing next to Michael wearing a sly smile. “Love, Micoo, you two are naughty, naughty Omegas.”   
“Tch, says goody two shoes… that’s like comparing night and day.” Iri quips still wearing a smirk even as Gavin glares daggers at her. “Oh come on Gav, stop pouting.”  
“You two should have told us before you left… What if.”  
“Gav shut the fuck up, we just went out for a run. No one died, no one got maimed… I almost got laid, but then you two interrupted.”  
“Rather confident aren’t you? Who is to say I’d let you get that far?” Iri taunts causing the ginger to laugh, and pull her into his soaking wet arms. “We’re wet.”  
“Mmhmm… In more ways than one.” Michael purrs with a seductive smile, ignoring the two men glaring at them as they kiss lightly. “If they keep staring like that their faces are going to get stuck.”  
“In the house, and on the bed now!” Gavin growls angrily, his tone surprising the kissing Omegas and even Geoff a bit.  
“You do realize that we aren’t afraid of you?” Michael quips with a rebellious look that sets Gavin on fire… not literally… well Geoff isn’t sure because he’s never seen Gav so mad… The Brit grabs Michael by his wet shirt, Iri by hers, and drags them into the house with Geoff trailing curiously behind. He wanted to see how this would play out. Gavin drags them upstairs, carefully Geoff might add which kind of ruined his whole dominant thing he had going… well until he switched to their hair for the rest of the short drag.   
“Ouch, Gav let go… Geoff make him…. Ow!” Iri gripes as the dragging ends with them being thrown on the dog bed by the bed. Gav wastes no time in clipping their collars on, and tying them to the bedposts.  
“Take off those clothes, and change into these.” Gavin commands as he pulls out a lacy nightgown for Iri, and a pair of loose boxers for Michael. Michael gives Iri a sheepish look at the skimpy nightgown, and notices how the woman shakes her head. “It wasn’t a choice.”  
“Gav, I understand the point you're making.”  
“I said now Iridessa.” Gavin orders sharply, and Iri just nods slowly while pulling off the dripping long sleeve shirt. Michael makes sure to block his view of her arms as he changes, and she pulls on the blue lace quickly, shivering beside Michael who pulls her close. “Good pets, now go to bed.” Gavin praises as he floods the pair with sleepiness, and they curl around each other to sleep. Once they were lying down with closed eyes Gavin puts a nearby blanket on them gently, and kisses their lips lightly before returning to the big bed, and Geoff’s waiting arms.   
“Gav, I didn’t think you had that in you.”  
“... Me either… I… I hate being mean, but those two won’t listen otherwise… hard headed Americans.” Gavin mumbles bitterly from Geoff’s chest causing the other two on the bed to make indignant sounds. “... Sorry.”  
“Shh Gav they know you're just worried, but go to bed your pets are safe.” Geoff assures the man with a sleepy smile, and closes his eyes to fall asleep. Gavin does the same, making sure to keep the pair on the floor in a restful state to deter from any more late night excursions. He’d yell at them in the morning for this, damn near worried him to death when he’d found them gone… Freaking thought someone kidnapped them the way they left, the light had been on and Iri’s pencils strewn about the room with the chair tipped over. However, now they were back and everyone was safe so he could sleep.


	125. Steamy Whirls, and Crimson Curls

Friday Morning

Iri awoke to the feeling of Michael nipping at her neck, his hand trailing over her cut arms, and the offensive sound of Geoff’s alarm clock.  
“Mich, what are we… Oh yeah.” Iri mumbles having remembered mid sentence, and turning to meet his lips. “Geoff turn that fucking thing off!” Iri growls from the foot of the bed as she pulls away from Michael to sit up, and see what the gent was waiting for. However, she finds the bed empty and cocking her head in confusion she turns back to Michael to find that it wasn’t Michael at all…. it was Erik, and he wore the most sadistic smile she’d ever seen. The predator wastes no time in pulling her back into his arms, and silencing her horrified screams with his lips. 

Real World

This time Iri awoke to the feeling of Michael shaking her violently, and the worried eyes of her pack looking down at her. She shakes her head and offers them a weak smile before kissing Michael’s cheek lightly.   
“Iri are you okay?” Gavin inquires worriedly as he unclips the lead, and lifts the woman onto the bed only to feel her struggle away. “Love what’s wrong?”   
“No… Nothing just… Just a bad dream.” Iri offers with a smile on her lips as she wiggles away, and grabs one of the shirts laying on the floor effectively covering her arms from any wandering eyes… But the look Ray gives her lets her know he’d seen them. Wrapping her arms around her waist she rejoins Michael on the floor, and he pulls her back under the warm blanket. “Sorry about that guys… Go back to bed.”  
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” Ray asks casually, he’d corner her later at the office if she didn’t tell him now.   
“Nah, it’s nothing… Just the usual bullshit, being laughed at in my underwear.. you know normal stuff.” Iri assures the man who seemed to accept this reluctantly, but allows her to deceive them… for now.   
“You know there is like ten minutes till the alarm goes off, no real point in going back to bed. You could entertain us with the plot of this dream.” Geoff comments as he sits up, and looks over the edge to find Michael pinning the woman, kissing her roughly. “Or you two could do that.”  
“Mmm I planned on it.” Michael mutters playfully in between kisses, and smiles when Iri spreads her legs wantingly. “How much time again?”  
“About ten minutes.”  
“I can work with that.” Michael murmurs with a smirk into Iri’s lips; she uses her powers to pull off his boxers and work his cock teasingly. “...Iri… Iri you… You never said you… could do that.”  
“You never asked.” Iri purrs with a teasing grin as she continues his treatment until the man grunts above her, and lines himself up. Reaching down he teases a finger in, and smiles at the slick already there.   
“Must have been a good dream.”  
“Mmm it was for a little while… You were there.”  
“Protecting you from the being laughed at?”  
“No, kissing me till my clothes disappeared.” Iri lies as he slathers his cock with the wetness on his fingers, and slowly works his way into the woman below him. “So… so big.”   
“You always say that.” Michael purrs as he gives a little thrust that causes the woman to moan into his kiss.   
“It’s true… such a well endowed Kitten.” Iri praises with a moan as Michael starts thrusting in a moderately fast tempo that suits both of them. It can’t be more than seven minutes before they’re both on edge, and the sound of the alarm pushes them over sending a wave of euphoria through their panting bodies. Lips locked kissing passionately as Michael withdraws from her, and rolls them over so she was on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder.   
“Hmm that was a photo finish you two… I didn’t think you’d make it.” Geoff mumbles to the pair who just shrug, and continue laying there with sated smiles. “However, we need to get up… So come on let’s go, shower time.”  
“Whatever you say warden.” Iri murmurs quietly as she tugs Michael up, and the pair head toward the bathroom with Ray not far behind. The glass shower can easily hold all of them, but the other three leave to get the kits up and make breakfast as well as lunches. Iri sheds her clothes while playfully flicking her tail towards Ray who smirks at her, and sheds his shirt while Michael steps in and turns the water on. The bathroom is soon filled with warm whirls of steam that fog up the glass, as well as the mirror over the sink. Ray pushes the woman up against the tiles wearing a smile that made her chuckle quietly.   
“Someone forgot to take off your collars.” Ray says kissing her lips lightly, and fingering the worn leather with a smile. “I’m sure Gav will be proud of his obedient pets.”   
“We’re no one's pets.” Michael mutters bitterly as he pulls the leather from his throat, and Iri does the same for herself. The pair toss them from the shower, and into the nearby sink. “Seriously though that shit last night with Gav is not forgiven, we’re no one’s pets to be dragged around and told where we can be.” Michael states proudly as he pushes Ray up against the tiles so Iri can wash herself. “We’re fucking people too…. Despite this disease.”   
“Red, he’s just teasing… Besides Gav was.”  
“I was bloody worried is what I was! I thought someone kidnapped you, don’t you ever.”  
“Shut up Gav, we aren’t animals to be lead around on leashes… I’ll kick your ass next time you pull that shit.” Michael warns with a sharp growl as the Brit enters the shower; he releases Ray roughly and joins Iri under the water, casting dark glares at Gavin who refusing to meet the other’s eyes still angry about the whole situation. Iri merely sighs while soaping up Michael’s back with body wash, paying careful attention to the knots in his back. Her deft hands make quick work of the tension filled muscles, and soon the sound of purring fills the shower like the copious curls of steam. Ray and Gav jostle slightly to the side, quietly washing and waiting for their turn under the spray. Gavin was in the middle of washing his toes when he notices the pinkish suds swirling around the drain, looking up quickly he notices Michael and Iri rinsing themselves off.   
“Love, Boi what happened?” Gavin inquires softly as he scans their bodies for lacerations. Iri and Michael say nothing choosing to shuffle from the water, and grab towel to cover themselves.  
“Gav what are you talking about?” Michael mumbles in an oblivious tone trailing his fingers through his auburn curls while Iri runs a brush through her red hair.  
“Michael, your hurt… your hip is bleeding.”  
“Oh… I must have snagged it last night and didn’t notice.” Michael answers in a bland tone that Gavin knew… This was his I’m still pissed at you, and I don’t give a fuck about what you have to say…. In other words his mate was being passive-aggressive.  
“Love could you heal it for him, stubborn cat won’t ask for it himself.” Gavin asks as Michael rolls his eyes, and exits the room to get dressed.  
“Gav, maybe he didn’t want it to heal.” Iri suggests after parting her hair to the side, and separating it into low set pigtails. She doesn’t meet the Brit’s eyes as she curls the hair, and then straightens her long bangs. “Maybe he likes it like that.” Iri mutters as she finishes her hair quickly, and grabs her makeup leaving the pair to ponder her words. Right before Gavin can say something else the two Alphas make their appearance, and step into the warm shower.  
“Damn, you four are going to use all my hot water.” Geoff gripes with a light smile, but the look of perplexment Gavin wears lets him know his words fell on deaf ears. “Gav? Gavvers, you okay?”  
“What?.. Oh yeah, I was just thinking.” Gavin assures the man with a smile as he ducks his head under the water, and exits the shower quietly leaving Ray alone with the Alphas. Once Gavin was gone they turn to Ray who purses his lips, and stares at them sullen eyes.   
“Kitten what’s happened?”  
“Nothing, Gav just doesn’t understand how masochism works.” Ray answers quietly, he too exiting the room in search of clothing.   
“.....” The gents stare at each other in confused silence for a little while, just long enough for Iri to come back dressed and her makeup done with their discarded towels in her hands.   
“Baby girl, what’s wrong with Gavin?” Geoff inquires, and watches their lover stiffen only slightly before shrugging. “Answer me.”  
“He’s just Gav, isn’t that enough?” Iri mutters as she hangs the towels on the hooks and placing her makeup back in it’s designated spot, giving herself a once over in the steamy mirror. “Besides it’s Halloween Geoff, everybody gets weird.”  
“That’s not a real answer.” Ryan interjects causing her to roll her eyes, and flip the man off with a smile. She turns on her heel causing her short skirt to flare up and reveal her lace thong. “Christ Iri, HR is going to have fun with that outfit today.”  
“....What I’m in a sketch?”  
“A slutty sketch?”  
“It’s an animation thing.” Iri says with a shrug, as the man exits the shower to lift up her skirt fully exposing her ass. He runs his wet fingers over her flesh, and listens to the quiet purring she makes in response. However, Geoff ruins that purring by the sharp slap he delivers causing her to yelp. “I swear it is!”  
“Oh really?... Well who the hell are you supposed to be then? Baby doll from Sucker Punch?” Geoff questions, still in disbelief… He had no doubt this was for something, but he doubted very much work related… Perhaps a lost bet with Miles or something of that nature. The outfit was Baby doll’s from the movie but her material was closer to dark indigo with black lines instead of white. Her hair was done exactly like the character from the movie as was her makeup.   
“Maybe.” Iri trails off as she tugs at the stockings and bends over to fix the bunching at her ankle. She didn’t have to look back to know the gents were staring hungrily, and pouting her lips just slightly while looking up at them through fluttering eyelashes was more than enough to push them over the edge. Geoff went to grab her hips, but she slid down easily into the splits and draws her back leg just enough so she can front flip out of the bathroom. It was a surprising display that has the men in awe at the level of skill, she merely smirks while blowing a kiss to the naked men.   
“Tease.” Ryan shouts accusatorily with a look that has a smirking Iri rolling her eyes while leaving.   
“Bendy.” Geoff comments quietly in between chuckles.  
“Very flexible, when she wants to be.” Ryan says, turning the water off and stepping out to begin drying off with Geoff. “Do you think she can still do that in heels?”  
“Mmmm, I’m not sure.”  
“I can!” They hear shouted from downstairs causing quiet chuckles to be sounded from the rest of the house. “Come along kits, time for school.”   
“Coming Momma.” They echo as Iri grabs her purse, and her keys. Michael finishes his toast quickly, grabbing their mugs filled with coffee for the road. “Bye Papa, Poppa, Rapa, and Pops.”  
“Goodbye Kits.” The men shout back as the group leaves, shutting the door softly on their way out. With them gone the rest of the group gets ready in a silence that seems forced, especially from Gavin who was still wearing a dark look.   
“Gavvers, what’s wrong?”  
“They cut themselves Geoff, did you know that?” Gavin states suddenly, taking the gents by surprise as they turn from their bowls of cereal and newspapers to face him. Ray just scoffs, and finishes before leaving the room to look for his laptop bag.   
“I was not aware…. But Iri has always had that habit, are they something I need to heal?”  
“...No they look like surface wounds, but it’s… why am I the only one surprised by this?” Gavin inquires with confusion, he would have thought the pair would have been a bit more unsettled by his declaration. “Aren’t you worried?”  
“I am, however I’m worried about you right now… What happened in the shower this morning?” Geoff asks as the omega shakes his head and shrugs. “Why did you freak out last night?”  
“I didn’t freak out, I was simply concerned that they were gone.”  
“Gav, when I’m just concerned about people I don’t collar them and force them to sleep on a dog bed when I find them…. So what’s really wrong?” Ryan questions, his tone soft and his eyes gentle to keep the Brit from shying away. “Come here, and let’s talk about it.”  
“Sod off Ryan, take that calming look with you.” Gavin grumbles as he leaves the room to find Ray, the gents were now truly becoming concerned about the emotional health of their pack.  
“Ry, we’re good right?” Geoff asks gesturing between them, and the other Alpha chuckles while pulling Geoff in for a kiss.  
“We are very good Geoff… It’s just our Omegas who aren’t.” Ryan assures the man with a soft smile, and kisses him again.   
“Good, at least some of us can be happy.”   
“... We do need to figure out what is going on though.”  
“I know, but it’s really hard when they won’t talk about it.” Geoff quips as he puts his and Ryan’s bowls in the sink.  
“Geoff, Sweetheart, you are a telepath just look.” Ryan states with a patient smile that makes Geoff stand in stunned silence for a moment or two.   
“Oh…. I would have thought of that eventually.”  
“I know, now come on let’s go to work.”


	126. Instinct

Work   
Noon

Iri and Michael were currently waltzing around the animation department, laughter falling from their lips, and bright smiles on the others eyes as they watched the pair. It isn’t until someone changes the music to something brighter, and faster that Michael gives Iri a knowing look. His steps more elaborate, and showy as Iri showed him in his mind what he was supposed to do. As the pair tangos across the animation department they listen to the whistles and compliments their audience gives. Michael dips Iri, and she wraps her leg around him, arching her back upward while the music fades in the background. The room is filled with claps, and the pair bow graciously as they exit the makeshift dance floor to let the next pair go. Miles and Chris step up issuing Iri and Michael a challenging look as another latino song comes on only this one was a bit quicker. Watching with curious eyes the pair begins to Cha Cha, and right at the step change Miles does a little twirl… Iri was impressed by the skill the pair demonstrated, and when their turn ends another pair steps up but she was too busy complimenting Miles and Chris to watch.  
“Guys that was amazing, like fucking awesome.” Iri praises heartily causing the pair to blush, and roll their eyes. “No I’m serious, and it took some guts… I’m proud of you my meek little Boss Man.”  
“Says the woman who used to be a social recluse, and couldn’t dance.” Miles counters with a chuckle that has Iri rolling her eyes. “You’ve come a long way though… Seriously, I’m proud of you… You used to be a quiet artist who didn’t converse with anyone, and look at you now. A successful mother, an almost married Omega, and our lead artist.”  
“Uh… Thanks Miles, couldn’t have done it without you… and you of course.” Iri purrs as she turns to kiss Michael’s awaiting lips, he merely purrs into her lips, and dips her again but only slightly this time causing her to chuckle. “So what are you two doing for Halloween?”  
“Going to a few parties… you guys?”  
“Trick or treating with the kits.”  
“Oh, did you finish their costumes?” Miles asks curiously, he had heard from Meg that the woman had been furiously sewing and even asked for her help.   
“Yeah, I finished Ryan and Gavin’s costumes earlier… Come on I’ll show you.” Iri says excitedly as she leads the group to her office, quietly chatting the whole way; however when they reach the door they find the lights on and Gavin yelling at Geoff inside.  
“Iri, we… We’ll catch you later alright.” Miles says quickly as Chris nods in agreement. “Good luck.”  
“Thanks, and I’ll talk to you later.” Iri bids as the pair disappear leaving Michael and her in an awkward situation. They could hear through the door that the fight was about them. Gavin shouting that they were sick, and should be treated as such while Geoff arguing that until they presented symptoms they were perfectly fine. “Michael?”  
“Come on Iri let’s go get them lunch.” Michael mumbles quietly, tugging his reluctant mate towards the exit. “I don’t want to hear how this ends.”  
“Okay Red… Okay.” Iri mutters in agreement as they leave their fighting mates to themselves.

Gavin and Geoff

“What don’t you understand you bloody fool? They are sick, and if we don’t keep track of them they could die!” Gavin shouts angrily at Geoff who just stands there with a straight face. “I’ve read.”  
“Gav, lower your voice.”  
“Go to hell!”  
“Gavin, I will not tell you again.” Geoff warns sharply with a growl causing the angry Omega to concede slightly, lowering his tone minutely.   
“Geoffrey, I. I don’t want them to die.” Gavin says to his Alpha who merely softens his look and opens his arms to the shaking Omega. “I want them to live, and the kits… The kits need them.”  
“Shh, Gav it’ll be alright… Pup they aren’t going to die; however, if you continue to smother the pair then they will lash out. You must remember that they are still people, and the more you suffocate them the more they’ll push back. Gav, you know how they hate to be controlled.” Geoff explains to the man who is still in his arms, and nuzzling his neck gently. “I love you Gav, and so do they but they can’t handle you like this… Their minds are delicate places already, but not so delicate that they need to be coddled.”   
“I just want them to be okay.”  
“Shh, and they will be… They will be Pup.” Geoff assures his distraught Omega who still shakes in his arms. Pulling the man close to him, he settles them on Iri couch, and Gavin immediately searches for his neck, scenting lightly. Geoff merely purrs in response, and places soft kisses along his exposed neck. “You are such a good boy Gav, such a good caring Pup.” Geoff praises the Brit as he continues scenting, and he feels his tense muscles begin to relax at his soft touches. He continues whispering soothing words to the frazzled Omega who continues scenting till his eyes close sleepily. Geoff knew Gavin hadn’t slept well last night, and he figured the poor man had worked himself into a fit with all the worrying he had done. Holding Gavin, and stroking his back seemed to be putting the man to sleep in his arms. Geoff however had no qualms with him catching a nap if that was what he needed right now. The Alpha just closes his eyes as well, and lets his mind wander.

Two hours later

Geoff cracks open his eyes when he hears the sound of the door opening, and looks up to see Michael and Iri poking their heads in cautiously. Seeing that the coast was clear they enter fully with two bags of food, leaving the food on her desk they make their way over to the pair on the couch. At their arrival Gavin starts to stir, and the pair wear soft smiles to meet his sleepy one.   
“Hey Gavi, you feeling better?” Iri asks softly as she strokes the man’s hair gently causing him to chitter happily against Geoff’s chest.   
“I’m sorry, I.. I was just worried about you two. I love you so much and to see you in pain kills me.” Gavin states as he pulls from Geoff to pull Iri and Michael into his arms.   
“It’s alright Asshole, next time I will fucking bite you though.” Michael says with a smile as he kisses the man, they watch as Iri pulls away to let the men have their moment. After she was gone the pair kiss with a passion that makes Geoff almost jealous. Gavin only separates for air, and that was only briefly. When Michael had his fill he pulled away allowing the other to kiss at his neck, and grind his hips forward. “Gav, not here.”  
“Why not Boi? You love shagging in Iri’s office.”  
“I’m just not feeling it right now.” Michael murmurs into his lover’s neck, and gestures to the food on the desk. “Besides lunch is getting cold.”  
“What did you get?”  
“Uh… Well…”  
“What did you get Iri?”   
“I think it’s supposed to be Chinese, but it smelled kind of Indian… Michael said they had a five star yelp review.” Iri offers sheepishly as Michael unbags the food. Geoff and Gavin just look at the food with contempt as the acrid smell perfumes the air. “I.”  
“Throw it away, I made lunches.” Geoff declares when she opens the lid, Iri rebelliously goes to take a bite but Geoff just grabs it from her grip, and strides out of the room leaving the Omegas waiting in shock. Gavin and Michael were the first to start laughing as Iri soon joins in with a quiet chuckle of her own, till the room is filled with raucous laughter. Geoff reappears with the lunches he made, plus Ray and Ryan. “Look who I found actually producing content today.”  
“You fuckers have been talking about feelings while we’ve been doing work.” Ray grumbles as he grabs one of the bags, and settles on the couch to eat it. “He made me…. do stuff.” He states in between bites of his sandwich.  
“Aww poor Ember, working so hard… making content for the fans.” Iri purrs as she settles beside him, and nuzzles his side with a loving smile. “Such a good boy.”  
“Damn right I’m a good boy, you need to eat Skye.”  
“... I.”  
“Come on, just a little…. Or at least drink the vitamin shake.” Ryan bargains as he extends her sack lunch, and she just nods slowly. He watches her sheepishly take the shake out, and sip it slowly. “Good girl.”  
“Geoff what’s for lunch today?”  
“Turkey club sandwiches, celery sticks with peanut butter, and apple slices.” Geoff answers as he occupies Iri’s swivel chair, and starts to eat his healthy meal.   
“Not that I’m complaining, but what’s with the health kick?” Gavin inquires, and Geoff just chews quietly while glaring at Ryan… Geoff was a man who enjoyed food that tasted good, and not that the occasional salad wasn’t delicious but Ryan’s proposition of salads for every meal perturbed him… Well that and he wanted Geoff to stop drinking, he’d even gone so far as to hide his liquor. Which was a feat in itself given that the eldest man had quite the supply of it.   
“Oh god forbid our Omegas actually be healthy for once.” Ryan gripes as he rolls his eyes beside Iri who was quietly sipping her vitamin shake. He pulls out one of the apple slices, and offers it to her only to see her refuse it. “Iri, you need more than that.”  
“I… Later, I have a little bit of…” Iri start, but the sound of her phone ringing interrupts her words. The music for Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Vegas starts to play. ‘Don’t call your mother, cause now we’re partners in crime. Don’t be a baby remember what you told me.’ Iri just stares at her phone with no intention of getting it, but Geoff gives her an expectant look. ‘Remember what you told me.’  
“Iri if you don’t answer it then I’m going to.” Geoff threatens, and the woman snatches it up quickly.  
“Go for Tex…. Uh, huh…. I...Shut up York…. Fuck you, and tell Russ to go to hell…. Oh we are going to Hell….I see well then I guess I’ll see you Saturday.” Iri mumbles quietly as she hits end, and hangs up the phone; she stares at her feet for a while before Ryan draws her head up to meet his eyes.   
“Bambi, what was that?”  
“Nothing… Well really I…” Iri stutters quietly, and just pulls her tail into her hands to hug the fluffy appendage in comfort. She was feeling incredibly nervous, and it was taking all of her willpower not to run from this room and hide in a closet.  
“Kit talk to us.” Geoff says gently as the woman continues her silent hugging, and leans into Ryan’s chest. “No, come on talk to us.”  
“I… I’m just nervous.”  
“Vixen, you're always nervous… Why now?” Gavin inquires, and Iri just sighs choosing to take another sip of her shake to avoid their question. “Love?”  
“I just am alright!” Iri snaps as she suddenly stands up, and releases her tail. The appendage now lashing side to side in anger, and her ears pointed down in frustration. “Just leave me alone!”  
“Vixen.” Geoff, Gavin, and Ryan say in a warning tone as the woman just rolls her eyes while crossing her arms, and turns to leave only to see a ring of fire encircle her.   
“And you call me melodramatic.” Iri grumbles quietly. Ray having heard her makes the fire wrap around her legs, and slowly snake up her body till it is wrapped all over her. “.....”   
“Ray, release her.” Michael commands as he begins to condense the air around them worriedly. However, Iri merely stands there wearing a defiant look that makes Ray turn up the heat slightly so it just barely starts to burn her skin. Geoff knows what’s going to happen before it happens, and before he can stop Ray, Iri’s ears twitch subtly, her eyes becoming a shade darker, and her lips curl up in a silent snarl. Iri flicks her unusually cold eyes to meet his warm gaze, and Ray soon finds himself gasping on the floor. His flames die out instantly, and he feels air flood his lungs.   
“Iri, what was that?” Ryan asks worriedly, shocked by her sudden coldness; he’d expected some sort of reaction, but nothing that swift or harsh.  
“What was what?... Where am I?” Iri mumbles in confusion as she sinks to the floor as well, her head was pounding, and Lexi was having trouble focusing. She could smell fire, and feel a warmness on her skin but she wasn’t burned. Though Ray was on his knees gasping…. Did she do that? “Ray are you okay?... I didn’t hurt you did I?”  
“No… No I’m good, Iri.” Ray assures the woman, she really hadn’t hurt him… at least nothing that warranted his anger. “Sorry about that.”  
“About what?”  
“I sorta set you on fire.”  
“So that’s what happened… You invoked my instincts.” Iri trails off quietly, she and Michael had discovered that in dangerous situations their bodies would sometimes react on their own. It depended on the level of danger, their level of stress, and what they did in response. Most of the time the pair would be able to ignore it, but sometimes if they weren’t careful it would take care of the threat swiftly. This must have been one of those times because they would never remember when it happened. It was like blinking how fast it happened, and sometimes they worried if they weren’t becoming a danger to their family. “I didn’t mean to.”  
“Yeah it’s cool, I should have known.” Ray says as he pulls Iri into his arms. “Don’t worry about it Skye, no harm no foul.”  
“Yeah.” Iri replies into his chest somberly, shifting her eyes up she sees Michael offering an understanding look, and pulling herself out of his grip she heads out the door. Her steps were fast, since she’d taken off her heels earlier allowing for even swifter travel as she sprinted through the office, making sure to be careful of others. Once she manages to make it outside, she wanders over to the grassy field that was nearby, and takes her stance. Before she can practice the moves Derrick told her to, Iri’s phone vibrates… A text from York.   
Look up.- York.


	127. Harrison, the lawyer?

Iri does as she is told and Harrison leaps down from his spot in the tree to stand beside his partner. Brushing himself off slightly, he wears his normal snarky smile that made Iri want to perpetually roll her eyes at him.  
“Hey Tex.”  
“Sup York.”  
“Not much, just got tired of being nagged at… You know how Derrick gets the closer we get to missions.” Harrison says as he looks his partner over. “What’s with the outfit?”  
“I… I was hoping to provoke my Alphas…. Didn’t really work.”  
“Really?... Why didn’t you just ask them?.. I can't imagine they'd say no.”  
“Because where is the fun in that?... Besides what kind of spy would I be if I can’t even persuade my mates?” Iri mumbles with a sigh as she does a single round off, but falls on her side roughly. “I still can’t get that right.”  
“You're too stiff, let your limbs flow freely… Each movement needs to stem from the last, and remember to school the placement of your legs.” Harrison coaches as he performs one perfectly, and Iri just purses her lips in thinking as she watches his demonstration. “Also what are you doing out here?”  
“Hiding, and practicing my layouts…. Derrick told me last time that they were sloppy, and he told me this could save my life.” Iri comments as she takes her stance again, and takes a few calming breaths, reminding herself to move flow like a river and keep her legs together.  
“Was it after the how flips could save your life speech?”  
“No…. He didn’t give me a speech, I just thought flexibility was important.” Iri mumbles as she takes her stance and starts practicing. She isn’t sure how long it is, but when she stops her arms ache, and her core is on fire but her moves were tighter. Harrison who was watching the whole thing merely smiles at his panting, and sweaty partner who is wiping her hands on her short skirt.  
“I still don’t believe they didn’t at least try something.” Harrison mutters in disbelief as she simply shrugs, and puts her fists up in front of her.   
“Let’s see if my fists are as distracting as this skirt is.” Iri taunts with a knowing smile as the man beside her scoffs at her implications. “Oh spare me the good guy act, I can read minds remember?…. Ooo someone's been practicing.” Iri mutters with a smirk as Harrison dodges her first punch, and even the second forcing the woman to pick up her pace. The pair continue to fight, and with each minute that ticks by their punches increasing in speed till it was nearly impossible to discern whose movement was whose. It isn’t until Harrison manages to trip Iri that the flurry of fists is stopped, and as Iri laid there panting she glared at the man smirking above her...Jackknifing up Iri starts off with three jabs to his left side, a butterfly kick, and finishes by pinning him down with his arms above his head. Harrison lies beneath her with a smile, and his breath coming in short gasps.   
“Damn skirt.” Harrison puffs as he continues smirking beneath the woman, who just chuckles above him. She says nothing choosing to release the man, and slide down to lie in the crook of his arm on the ground. Iri says nothing choosing to remain curled silently into his panting side, and casting her gaze upwards to the cloudy sky. The man beside her also says nothing choosing to look up as well, he wondered what Iri was thinking but doubted she would tell him. Despite how close they’d become over the last few months she still wouldn’t speak to him about her personal thoughts unless they directly pertained to him. So here they laid staring up at the expansive cloudy blue sky enjoying the silence, and each other’s company. “Did I ever tell you about my ex-wife Marigold?”  
“...Once, but nothing more than how much my smile reminded you of her… You were very drunk.” Iri states with a smile as she turns her gaze to him, and then back to the blue sky.   
“We met in the eighth grade, and I married her the month after we turned eighteen; it was right before prom, and she used her white prom dress as her wedding dress…. The ceremony was quick, and our parents doubted at us the entire time. Now that I think about it, they were right but at the time we didn’t care… Love always has a way of trumping logic. She graduated valedictorian, and I was second but with her it never mattered you know? With her I thought I was invincible, and the world was our oyster. Anyways we headed off to Harvard, her for veterinary school and me for a law degree.” Harrison explains wistfully, before Iri interrupts him.  
“A law degree?” Iri states in surprise, her eyes wide.  
“Yup, I thought I was born to be a big wig lawyer taking cases about wrongfully convicted murderers. But… That was until my genes presented, and I discovered I was an Apex Predator. As you know my father was a member of Echo Team, and it turns out Derrick had been keeping tabs on me… He’d expected me to present, and when I did he was all over me… And how could I refuse? It sounded amazing, and he promised me I’d be just like my father.” Harrison tells her with a tone that sounded like regret, but was mixed with happiness. “Marigold warned me that I was making the wrong decision, that this would only end in sleepless nights, and anger. But I was young, impressionable and willing to risk my life to pay for our accumulating debt… Money is never a problem, until it is the only problem.”   
“So why’d you divorce?” Iri inquires hoping to keep him on topic, she knew how Harrison liked to diverge.  
“She couldn’t handle the not knowing, the sleepless nights… We divorced after my sixth mission, I remember coming home one night and seeing the papers stacked up neatly on the table… She was nowhere to be seen, her stuff was gone. Ronald has never produced such a realistic rendition of any person before or after that night. You know I’m not very strong, and my skills are decent at best but that night we were so angry that our powers were strengthened… You know what that’s like.” Harrison answers softly, he stares up at the sky wistfully. “I never saw her again, except for the memories and the long cold nights when Ronald decided my mental health couldn’t bear another minute alone…. But illusions are just that… Illusions, and perhaps that is the worst part of being an illusionist. Knowing that everything you create is a lie, and will always be a lie.”  
“.... How do you know she left you?”  
“I may not be a rocket scientist like you, but I know what divorce papers mean.”  
“Well what’s to say someone didn’t persuade her to leave, or she was kidnapped?” Iri suggests trying to be helpful, but the man just shakes his head.  
“I know what you're thinking, but nothing like that. We just weren’t meant to be, as for your theory of kidnap or coercion I eventually found her after many years of hunting. She confirmed everything I thought I knew with her new husband and swollen belly, we were just different people I guess. I was an adventurous soldier and she was a quiet but brilliant veterinarian.” Harrison explains to the woman who still lies curled into his side, and if sensing the Alpha’s distress she purrs soothingly. “Marriage is a complicated thing, and this job only makes it worse.”  
“You have really great timing you know that? Perhaps I should just give my engagement ring back now… save Geoff some heartbreak.”  
“Do it, I fucking dare you… Kit how many times must I tell you, you are mine no matter what profession you have… Fuck, you could be a stripper, and I’d still marry you.” Geoff states tiredly as he wanders over to the field to find his mate curled into her partner’s side, he’d been listening to their conversation… Call him a nosy fucker, but he wanted to make sure it didn’t turn into self loathing.  
“We could play that song…. What’s it called again?” Iri mumbles trying to remember the title of the song.  
“I’m in love with a stripper?” Geoff suggests with an impish smile, and watches Iri shake her head at her idiocy.   
“I feel like I should have known… Oh well, I suppose I can’t know every song. So Geoff what brings you out here?” Iri questions from Harrison’s side still curled up closely to him, and the man himself still had an arm resting protectively around her.  
“Uh hmm.” Geoff says as he clears his throat, and crossing his arms in front of them. “It is too often I find you in the arms of another man.”  
“What?... Oh… Oh!” Iri says with wide eyes as she pulls herself from his side, and stands up quickly in embarrassment, dusting her skirt off vigorously. In her frantic dusting she accidentally rips the delicate stitching causing her to squeak in utter shock. The men can’t help their laughter as the woman stands stock still, her tail wraps around her waist in an attempt to hide her lace covered hips from their eyes. “Geoff!”  
“What milady?” Geoff inquires with a chuckle as he snatches the torn material from the ground. He hands it to her helpfully, expecting her to take it only to see her stand in front of him with still wide eyes. “Baby girl, it’s nothing neither of us haven’t seen.”  
“...” Iri doesn’t say anything, choosing to snatch her skirt, and wrap it around her hips. “I… I…”  
“Come on Kit, let’s go home.” Geoff bids as he pulls his stuttering mate into his arms, and kisses her quivering lips. “Perhaps next time you want attention you’ll ask for it.”   
“I told you he knew Tex… No man could not notice…. Unless they’re blind.” Harrison adds cheekily causing the silent woman to glare at him, and playfully pick him up with her powers. She lifts him about a foot off the ground before dropping him. He lands with an oomph, but a smile still on his lips. “Your love… it hurts so good.”  
“Tch, he doesn’t even know the half of it… Now come on you two let’s go!” Michael shouts as he and the rest of the pack shows up. “...Iri.” Michael starts when he notices her blushing cheeks and her holding the edge of the skirt tightly.. He also notices Harrison wearing a pleased grin that causes his hackles to raise.   
“Harrison, did you touch her?” Ryan asks in a dark tone that causes shivers to run through Iri’s body, and this just confuses Harrison even more… Why was she scared if the question was directed at him?.. Or did Ryan’s sadistic tone arouse the woman, which lead to another thought. Did Iri get off on Ryan threatening people? “I asked you a question Coyote.”  
“.... Well I did touch her, but we were training… And then talking about my past, I suppose it was comparable to cuddling if you really want to put a label on it… But labeling us is such a closed minded thing to do. ” Harrison answers with a snarky smile as he stands up, and dusts himself off. He offers a playful wink to the gent before flipping backwards, twisting midair, and then shifting into his predatory form. “See you later Tex, it’s been fun.”  
“Yeah see you tomorrow morning.” Iri mumbles as the coyote takes off into the dusty sun set leaving her alone with her still bristling mates, and a chuckling Geoff. “I’m not sure what you find so funny?”  
“The fact that you think we didn’t notice the game you're playing… Tch we may be dumb, but we’re not that dumb.” Geoff says with a smirk as his flustered mate just freezes in his arms.  
“Love, you realize it’s not hard to talk to Miles right? Like that man is an open book.” Gavin interjects as Geoff kisses the side of her head, they watch as Iri floundered for words instead choosing to clamp her jaw shut. “Speechless?”  
“Gav, I do believe you’ve broke her.” Michael comments with a sly smile, Gavin just purrs with a smirk and pulls Iri from Geoff’s embrace to his own.   
“Besides Love, if you want to parade around in short skirts and pigtails we won’t complain… gives us something to think about when you're gone.” Gavin purrs seductively into her ears, and smiles when they twitch in anticipation. “Just imagine the lewd thoughts we have… Pinning you to walls and kissing your breath away, till the only words you can choke out are please more… Or bending you over desks and pushing your panties aside, fucking you like the slut you are…Calling you to our office just to make you get on your knees and suck us off...” Gavin trails off in a sultry tone his hands caressing her bare thighs, and teasing the dampening lace between them. Iri doesn’t even fight the man as he runs his nails over her flesh, leaving fading red marks that make her moan wantingly. She turns her head back to kiss his waiting lips, and purrs at the forceful kiss she finds. Gavin lately had forgone his soft and sweet touches trading them in for the rough, demanding ones she craved. It was almost like a switch with the man, and some days Iri loved to flip it… She loved his possessive caressing, or the way he would call her over to his side with a single high pitched whistle like a master would his faithful pet. Iri loved that feeling of total obedience, and she almost never fought Gavin when the opportunity presented itself… She liked to be owned, and as much as she didn’t want to admit it her instincts liked it too. Vagabonds are a fickle thing, and Iri had discovered that the more she fell into this obedient mate role she played, the easier it became to subdue them. She had asked Harold and Otto about it, but the doctors just shrugged unknowingly. With such little research about her disease and how it affects the brain she was sort of on her own. Michael was facing a similar dilemma, but with Geoff always available it didn’t seem so bad. Though now was not the time to focus on that, now it was time to fight. So as Gavin is forcing his way into her mouth, and biting at her bottom lip she feels a ping of rebellion… She had put on this outfit to tease, not please so very carefully she extracts herself from a confused Gavin and wanders over to where Ray stood quietly with a smirk.   
“Help me carry their costumes will you?” Iri inquires softly with a light kiss to the latino’s waiting lips, Ray tries to lean forward to capture her into a full kiss but she remains just out of reach. “Ah, ah, ah, ah I’ll reward you after you help me.”  
“Alright Skye, but why don’t you just have those two help you? Their fucking costumes.” Ray asks as he watches the woman unclench the skirt material, and use her powers to hold the seams together allowing her hands to be free again. With their newfound freedom Iri immediately pulls the man around a corner, and starts kissing him needily. “Mmm this is why.”  
“Stop talking and fuck me.” Iri demands as she works at his belt, and he pushes her up against the wall of the alley.   
“You really are a fucking slut aren’t you? Cornering me in an alley, practically mugging me for my cock.” Ray purrs into her neck as he begins leaving bruising kisses along her collarbone, teasing his teeth over Geoff’s mating scar. The woman beneath him is speechless as she spreads her legs wider trying to get the man to fuck her already. Reaching a hand below he teases a few fingers in and out causing the woman to make desperate needy sounds that went to his already hard member. Ray sinks into the slick woman with a moan, and smiles when the woman below him purrs happily. “You good Skye?”  
“So good Ember… Move please.”  
“Like this?” Ray taunts as he snaps his hips roughly, enjoying the surprised squeaks that fall from her lips. “Or like this?”  
“Ray, just come on… Someone will see us.”  
“Says the girl who just jumped on my dick, we could have waited till your office.”  
“But we didn’t, now please.” Iri begs as the man sighs quietly while stopping his teasing and thrusting in earnest causing her to cry out in pleasure.  
“Keep it down Skye someone will hear.” Ray warns as he thrusts up into the wanting woman, who barely seems aware of anything other than what he was doing at this moment. He can hear footsteps approaching, and his hips move a bit quicker to sate them both. However, it wasn’t quick enough and the sound of whistling fills his ears.   
“Damn Ray, you can really move.” Aaron praises as he and Blaine stand in the background watching casually, as though this was an everyday occurrence. Though not that it hadn’t happened before, Iri was just a bit more cautious than this. “Blaine, this is why you're single… Little Narvaez has better hip action than you.”  
“That’s not fair these two were almost mated before they were technically mated.” Blaine quips quietly as they admire the man’s pace. Iri says nothing choosing to hide her face into Ray’s neck, and moan softly as he gets closer and closer to finishing. “And who knows he could have been fucking her on the side.”  
“Yeah because dominant, possessive Ryan would have allowed that… Tch, you're just jealous.”   
“Go… Ray!...Away.” Iri gasps out as her partner’s hips become erratic, and his spots begin to glow under his sweater. Chancing a glance up she finds both Alphas still standing there with smirks on their lips, and Iri wasn’t sure if it was them, Ray, or the fact that she’d let Ray fuck her in an alley that has her cumming with a shout. Ray was merely minutes behind with a shout of his own, and merely wears a sleepy smirk as he nuzzles his mate’s neck lovingly.   
“I love you Iri.”  
“I love you too Ray.” Iri murmurs into his shoulder as he holds her pinned there, it isn’t until the sound of more footsteps approaching does the pair truly understand what just happened. “Blaine, Aaron what are you doing? Get the fuck out of here!”  
“Uh, I’d just like to point out that you knew this could happen when you chose to live so vicariously.” Aaron states causing the two omegas to growl, and Iri to flash her teeth at him before the footsteps stop.   
“Iri?”  
“Ray?”  
“....” Iri and Ray just simply stare at their mates who are wearing looks of confusion, however after scenting the air most wear smirks… The other two wear glares that cause Iri and Ray to shiver in mild fear. “It’s not what it looks like?” Iri tries hesitantly, only to hear laughter come from Blaine and Aaron.  
“Oh it’s definitely what it looks like.”  
“Shut up Blaine!” Iri growls angrily, punctuating that statement with a fearsome bark and then clamps her hands over her mouth when she realizes what she did. “I… I didn’t mean. I.” She starts to stutter, and that is when Geoff and Gavin’s expression softens slightly causing her to groan inwardly. They’d reach for her in three… two….one. Ray releases the woman, and Geoff immediately snatches her up. From there she was whisked away into her office where Geoff began to scent with her lightly while Gavin nuzzled her side, and sent soothing feelings through her mind. “I’m fine.”  
“Shh, just relax… We’re here.” Geoff purrs into her ears, and snuggles her closer. If the gent had looked up he would see the look of disdain she wore, and the way her tail flicked in annoyance at his coddling. Gavin didn’t need to look up to know how the woman felt right now, but he just ignores her and continues his nuzzling… Part of him knew they were being selfish, but most of him didn’t care. Iri allows the pair to ‘soothe’ her for about ten minutes before she becomes impatient, her hips starting to squirm on Geoff’s legs, and her tail flitting around impatiently. “Kit, be still.”  
“Geoff, I’m bored and not even feeling remotely feral… I just like to bark when I’m angry.” Iri states while using her powers to gently force the man to release her. “I just hate Blaine.”  
“Mmhmm, sure you do Bambi… Though I must say you get caught very often by him.” Ryan questions with a perplexed look.   
“No, he’s just always up my ass.”  
“He better not be.” Geoff growls as his mate rolls her eyes, and gathers up the two costumes she originally came to get.   
“Twas a metaphor Mr. Ramsey… Now come on the kits are probably anxious to get going, plus we still need to change.” Iri urges as her tail now flits in excitement, she hadn’t dressed up in years and her costume was perfect. She couldn’t wait for tonight, and looking at her watch they had about two hours till trick or treating started. The men merely smile at their excited mate, and start towards the car again as Iri practically bounced beside them. Geoff hadn’t seen her this happy since she’d gotten on the plane to L.A.. Once the group was safely secured in the vehicle they begin the drive to Burnie’s house. He’d offered to grab the children after seeing Iri furiously working, and the others editing as well. As they drove Iri listened to her mates chatter idly about the upcoming weekend, and their plans while Iri casts her mind out… She felt a naggingly familiar presence, and turning around in her seat she glimpses a black SUV trailing quietly behind them about six cars back. Casting her thought mind casually she works her way into the driver’s thoughts.


	128. Distraction, Deals, and Adapatability

The Other Car

“Russ, I don’t see the point of this. Harry said he would tell her about tomorrow.” Fin states as he watches the Alpha beside him switch lanes quickly, making sure to keep the metallic trailblazer in his sights. They’d been tailing them since the parking lot, and even Thames hadn’t seen the point in this.   
“Finsley, just go with it… I don’t trust him, and I don’t trust her.”  
“Oh for god’s sake, will you get over that already? I provoked the woman, I wanted to see if she could truly fight or if it was all bluster.” Thames growls as he looks up from his casual Tinder swiping, as much fun as it has been fucking Fin into the sheets he would much rather be fucking some mewling Omega woman begging for his cock…. He liked to make them beg, sadistic he knows but hey we’re all evil it’s just the degree that matters.   
‘No Thames, you're just kinky not evil.’ A soft feminine voice whispers in his mind. Thames doesn’t say anything back as he shifts his gaze around the car only to find Fin and Russ still arguing. ‘I’m not in the car Thames… Why are you three following me?’   
‘I wondered how long it would take before you caught on… Russ believes you to be a deserter.’  
‘Of course he does.’ Iri murmurs, and Thames can almost imagine the woman’s frustrated glare as she rolls her eyes at his statement. ‘I don’t suppose you’d distract him for me would you?’  
‘And what do I get in return?’ Thames inquires with a smirk as he flicks his eyes up to still see the pair bickering. ‘I want something good.’  
‘Well… What do you want?’  
‘Teach me how you move so fast. I’ve been practicing with Ferdinand, but he doesn’t understand the concept and every time he tries we crash.’ Thames bargains, and Iri just scoffs in his mind.  
‘Yeah, no problem. I’ll teach you in the field tomorrow.’  
‘NO!... Tex, you never teach anyone in the field especially nothing so volatile as that. You can teach me during one of our sessions or something.’ Thames warns adamantly, and can almost feel the woman’s confusion but she agrees reluctantly. After their bargain was struck Thames turns to do his part, he starts off with slow gagging sounds trying to force himself to vomit; he knew Russ would only stop this car if he was physically ill. It takes merely two seconds and the image of his gruesomely murdered family to bring up his partially digested lunch. Puking all over the seat next to him, he makes the most pitiful whimper he can in hopes of drawing Russ’ attention.  
“Thames? Shit, Thames are you alright?” Russ inquires worriedly as he looks back quickly to see his companion ghostly pale, and leaning over the mess beside him as though he meant to puke again.   
“Russ… Russ, I..” Retch. “Don’t feel so great.” Thames mumbles tearfully, he knew the Alpha would be all over him after he looked up. So schooling his eyes, he puts every ounce of pain, fear, and sadness he’s ever felt into them and meets his companion’s worried eyes. Russ almost immediately makes a soothing rumble in his chest, and works quickly to navigate the car to the side of the road where he and Fin help the sick man out. Thames kneels in the weeds, and vomits for the last time; smirking in his mind when he feels Russ rub his back soothingly and Fin stroke his tail lightly.   
“Let’s get you into bed… I’m sure Harrison told her.” Russ mutters as Fin swiftly dashes back to the car, and cleans it up in a matter of seconds… The perks of speed he supposed, though Fin would be ridiculously tired after using his powers, which was why he didn’t use them often. He remembers the first time he saw the beta run, and it had been like nothing he’d ever seen. It had been amazing to watch the young sergeant run four miles in the time it took him to run two… However, as the cocky man rounded his fifth lap he crashed face first into the ground as his body ran out of fuel, and the sergeant was knocked unconscious, his body skidding to a stop near his feet. After that display Russ had learned to use Fin’s speed sparingly, and always make sure the man had eaten before he did. So after Fin used his powers to clean up the vomit they helped Thames back into the car, and began the drive back to the labs. Fin sat beside the sick beta, and cooed softly at him. 

A few hours later

Once back at the labs they guided the fossa hybrid into the sheets, and Russ laid behind him while Fin left to go do whatever Fin did… Russ allows himself to doze gently, never noticing how Thames was still awake. After Russ had fallen asleep completely Thames extracted himself from the Alpha’s gentle grip, and exited the room to find his squad mates. He was sure Harrison and Fin were probably training together somewhere. As he wandered he noticed how quiet labs seemed to be for a Friday night, not that it was a European dance club but it was usually a bit more vivacious than this. Traveling down the halls he hears the sound of laughter coming from a few rooms away, and curiosity drawing him he wanders over to the mess hall to find Derrick, Fin, and Harrison drinking beers, sharing war stories, and just enjoying each others company. It was odd, but Thames had never seen Harrison smile without Iri around… Like sure the man wore his usual smirk, but he never honestly smiled and laughed like he was now. It made him wonder what they were talking about.  
“It was at that moment I’m lying flat on my back with a knife to my throat that Harry finally breaks free of his bonds. He bowls over the trainer, but I end up with the knife in my throat and Iri finally takes this as her cue to react.” Derrick explains while lifting his neck to show Fin the scar right below his chin.  
“Yeah, to be fair you told her to watch and see how it’s done.” Harrison says with a smirk that causes Derrick to roll his eyes. “You were just lucky she could heal it.”  
“How was I to know the trainer would stab me?”  
“Well he was conditioned to kill us, so it was kind of suspected.”  
“... I guess, but yeah that woman has been a grade A cadet every since we recruited her… Sure her mates get in the way, but it’s to be expected… I just wish I wouldn’t have sent her out by herself. Wyvern thought she was ready, but I was her handler. I should have known… It was my decision that nearly cost her, her life.” Derrick remarks regretfully as he takes a swig of his beer, and turns his eyes to the beta lingering in the doorway. “Agent Arizona, join us.”  
“My name is Thames. I’d appreciate if you called me that.” Thames states sternly as he enters the room fully, and grabs the open beer Fin was handing him.  
“Of course Arizona… I mean Thames.” Derrick says correcting himself, all fifty one of their agents were named for the state they came from with the exception of Agent Oxford, or Pup as he was commonly called by the others since he was one of the youngest they had…. Though with Tex joining the ranks the title no longer fit. “Oxford how’s it feel to finally not be the youngest?”  
“What are you on about Sheorn?” Fin asks with a quizzical tone as he takes a swig of his drink.   
“Well with Tex here the others may finally stop calling you Pup since she’s our youngest agent.” Derrick clarifies, and watches the man’s face light up in happiness, not that it was usually dark.   
“Brilliant! Perhaps Alaska will finally stop her teasing… Grumpy old woman.”   
“She’s not old, and leave my ex-wife out of this.” Derrick mutters with a smirk that causes the other to scoff playfully, his tail thumping lightly.   
“How is Alaska doing? I heard her team was having a hell of a time with the Japanese hackers.” Thames inquires causing Derrick to shrug nonchalantly.   
“I haven’t heard from her in awhile… But that’s not really uncommon for her, she’s always been a solitary creature.”  
“Frigid bitch would be the best way to describe her.” Harrison pipes up, though for that remark he feels Derrick thwap him on the back of his head. “Ow, what is with you and Iri hitting me lately?”  
“... Hey! You bloody lied to us didn’t you!” Fin suddenly declares when he sees Thames taking a drink of his beer, and at his random accusation the fossa merely shrugs. “You mong, Russ is going to be pissed at you.”  
“Let him be, he had no right to interrupt her life. Tex may be a green agent, but she doesn’t need a babysitter… I think she’s proven that quite thoroughly.” Thames murmurs, and the room is filled with sounds of agreement. “Is she the only one who wasn’t a soldier first?”  
“No, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Rhode Island were the same way… Decent agents, but not nearly as keen as her… I don’t know what it is about her, but the way she seems to internalize everything, absorb it so thoroughly and adapt her tactics to it. Her ability to adapt, to take any situation and make it work for her is… is simply amazing. I’ve never worked with an operative so unwilling to accept defeat, even Harrison has his limits… And Alaska as well, but she seems to have none for the most part. Whatever Erik did to her, whatever destruction he imposed on her mind and then forced her to rebuild created a resilience that I’ve never been able to obtain from even our most successful Agent. She may not have your military training, but she has persistence and determination.” Derrick tells them in a reverent tone as his mind wanders back to the training sessions where even in the worst outcomes she discovered success, and even her first mission. After hearing her intel, and forcing her into a reluctant session with Clara he’d discovered the woman had been various forms of abuse from sexual torture to the repeated breaking of bones and destruction of flesh. It had been gruesome, but the woman had bounced right back for the most part. Her chipper tone a bit forced at times, and the occasional bark were the only true signs that she’d suffered anything. “Plus her status makes her an anomaly as well.”   
“Derrick, I don’t even need my powers to feel the attraction in those words.” Thames mutters with a smirk, seemed he wasn’t the only one who had an interest in her. “Your scent reeks of unrequited love.”   
“Tch, you mistake love for admiration… I am enamoured by her mind yes, and she is a beautiful Omegan woman for sure but most of our female agents are. It’s much easier to honey pot someone when the woman is worth looking at.... Take Fireteam Promiscuous for instance.” Derrick counters with a soft look, sure he’d once or twice thought about his agent in a less than professional way but he was ninety percent sure so had Thames. “Besides isn’t that like the pot calling the kettle black Arizona?”  
“Hmm, I suppose but I always get my way in the end so.” Thames starts only to see Harrison’s once light eyes flick over to him darkly, it is only seconds after that the bottle is smashed, and the jagged glass is suddenly dangerously close to his jugular. “You clearly don’t appreciate my humor.”  
“No, and stop talking about her like that… She’s a person, a mother with kids who are pretty fucking awesome, and mates who would give their lives to save her from this life… She’s.”  
“She’s what?” Thames interrupts sharply.  
“She’s my.” Harrison starts again only to be interrupted by his other squad mate.  
“She’s your bloody sister isn’t she?” Fin deduces boldly causing the others to turn to him in shock, and then back to Harrison.   
“What? How do you know? When did you find this out?” Derrick questions rapidly as he looks to the coyote who shakes his head at the brit’s sudden declaration.   
“I was going to say friend, and for her to be my sister I’d have to be a fox Fin.” Harrison states as he pulls the bottle back, checks his phone, smirks at it, and gets up to leave. “I’ll be back later.”  
“Where are you going?” Fin inquires lightly, his ears pricked up in interest and his tail wagging slowly. “And can Thamesy come too?”  
“You don’t even know where I’m going.”  
“So, we like going places and I personally don’t look forward to Russ’ anger when he discovers my subterfuge.” Thames says with a hopeful look to the Alpha who was sighing quietly. “I truly am only joking when I say things like that, she kicked my ass thoroughly the first time. I don’t need a repeat lesson.”  
“Fine, let’s go.” Harrison relents as the trio exits the room leaving Derrick to ponder his thoughts on the team…. He wondered if Harrison had truly meant he was just her friend, or if he was something more. Perhaps it was time to check the genealogy of the pair because she had almost unnaturally accepted his companionship when he’d presented her with it. She had accepted it far easier than she had his, or even her squad mates which made him wonder about it.


	129. Halloween

Iri and the others

Austin was a strange place, and Halloween night just made it even stranger as the group of heroes and villains walked through the neighborhood with the children in search of candy. Lexi in the shape of Iri had been left at the house in charge of passing out candy; the fox had been all to happy to stay behind and do the task. Now the group strolled around the large neighborhood wearing their costumes. The kits wearing large smiles, and practically strutted beside their parents. The only thought Iri had was how cute they looked…. And how handsome her mates looked. Ryan as Green Arrow, Geoff as Penguin carrying Batman Dex, Michael as Reverse Flash with Leo as Flash on his shoulders, Felicia walked beside Iri wearing her Catwoman costume, Scarlett skipped excitedly beside the Nightwing Gavin as Killer Frost holding her father’s hand tightly, and lastly Iri rounded out the group wearing her Poison Ivy costume that all her mates agreed was far sluttier than they would have liked it to be... at least in public, they would have had no problem if she wore that style of dress around the house. They weren’t fans of the Arkham Asylum version Iri had made and while she hadn’t had enough time to paint her skin a light green, she had, had enough time to paint the intricate vine patterns all over her body. Padding beside the men quietly she can’t help the nagging feeling that they were being followed, but each time she cast her mind out she found nothing that would warrant this feeling, and it was starting to become frustrating.   
“Ms. Burns! Ms. Burns!” A voice shouts, drawing her attention from where the group had been walking to the familiar face of Frank. “Ms. Burns how are you?”  
“I’m well Frank, how are you, still fencing?” Iri inquires with a smile, and realizes this was the presence she felt earlier, what she felt had been his mind calling out to hers, he’d probably been trying to gain her attention, and his thoughts were awfully loud…. Not that he knew she was a telepath, but he knew from their fights that she was rather perceptive.  
“Yeah, and I won nationals last year… I got the scholarship to West Point!” Frank tells her excitedly as he embraces the woman with a bright smile. “I have to thank you, for all the help, and really just believing in me… I couldn’t have done it without all those long nights, and encouraging words. Plus you really helped me with my footwork.”   
“Hey, I’m just glad to be of assistance and I knew you had it in you… You just needed some help seeing that too.” Iri says with a warm smile as the high school senior smiles brightly, and it’s at this moment his friend the cowboy wanders over wearing a wide eyed expression at the barely clothed woman before him.  
“Dude, you never told me this was your instructor.” A guy mumbles in awe to Frank who rolls his eyes at him, and starts to tug him away. “You have all the fucking luck.”  
“Anyways thanks for everything Ms. Burns.” Frank says gratefully as he drags his awestruck friend away from Iri. She couldn’t hear his words, but she did see the other boy gesture to his chest and motorboat the air.   
“Teenage boys.” Iri comments with a bright smile and a chuckle as Ryan narrows his eyes possessively at her, he tugs her swiftly to his side before they continue on. After letting Dex, and Leo down the group darts up to the houses to get candy leaving the adults waiting at the base of the driveway patiently. As Iri watches the kits come back she doesn’t even see when Ryan suddenly grips her hips, and tug them flush with his. “Ry, what are you doing?” Iri asks in flustered tone, a bright flush on her cheeks.  
“What that costumes makes me want to do… God you look positively promiscuous.” Ryan purrs into her ears while grinding ever so slightly against her, and nibbling her neck lightly. “I just want to bend you over and.”  
“And tell me how much you love me.” Iri finishes with a playful smirk as she frees herself from his arms only to be captured by Gavin, and forced into a slow soft kiss. She smiles into his lips as the other pulls back only to find another man waiting to take his place, and soon Michael’s spicy lips were on hers. Her favorite part of kissing Michael was the after burn, it was like chewing Big Red, and the cinnamon flavor encompassed her mouth completely leaving that spicy after taste that warmed her tongue in its wake. “Mmm Red.”  
“You just wait till we get home Vixen, I’ll really give you something to purr about.” Michael murmurs into her lips as he pulls back to take the woman’s hand into his as they accompany the group to the next house. “I’ll.”  
“Momma can you come with us?” Scarlett interjects softly as she and the others eye the decorations of the house warily. This house was decked out, and even had people roaming around the large yard frightening unsuspecting trick or treaters.   
“Of course kits, come along.” Iri murmurs with a smile as she takes her daughter’s hand, and the others crowd close to her making sure to stay by her side or behind her. As they head to the front of the house Iri narrows her eyes threateningly at the man starting towards them with a fire she saved for her enemies. The man seemed to recognize this and decided to go after the teenagers behind them. Once at the front of the house the kits get their candy, and take off at a sprint back to their fathers who were waiting with amused looks… well except for Gavin who was hiding behind a chuckling Michael as a man dressed as Michael Myers terrorized him. Before Iri can go help him a hand grabs her shoulder, and reacting on pure instinct she whips around and kicks the person’s feet out from underneath them and pins them to the ground by their throat. Geoff and Ryan who had been watching the whole thing happen cringe at her response, they were about to go over however the sound of laughter reaches their ears.  
“Damn Lady, you're strong.” The breathy voice says as Iri releases the creature, and helps him up.  
“Sorry about that, force of habit… Happy Halloween.”  
“You too, fantastic costume by the way.” He says before turning back to scare the incoming people. Iri mumbles thanks before slowly heading back to her mates who were wearing patient looks.   
“He shouldn’t have touched me.” Iri states defensively as she notices the tired sigh from Geoff’s nose, and the soft shake of a head from Ryan. However, before she can further defend herself another hand is felt on her shoulder, turning to face this one with a growl she instantly loses her fierceness and smiles brightly.  
“I’d hate to see what happens when someone truly scares you.” A voice that was Harrison says jokingly as he, Thames, and Fin appear beside them. “Nice costume, very you.”  
“Is that meant to be offensive?”  
“Perhaps, but we all know you're kind of a slut… I mean you sleep with five guys on a nightly basis.” Harrison jests with a judgmental look that causes Iri to roll her eyes, and punch his shoulder teasingly. “Again with the hitting, one day I’ll expect to be greeted with a hug.”  
“Keep dreaming York, my affection hurts remember?” Iri teases as Gavin switches his position to hide behind her as the scary man makes his way back. The character however goes straight for the woman, and Iri meets his gaze with a steady, unblinking glare as he makes spooky noises. She just looks unimpressed and turns back to Harrison who was shaking his head at her.   
“Must you always make everyone’s job harder?”   
“Tis a talent at this point… so what brings you here?” Iri asks as the group starts up again, and the man merely shrugs as their other squad mates linger at the house. It isn’t until they hear the sound of wrappers crinkling, and the sight of Fin eating candy that they realize what the wolf was doing.   
“Didn’t you text me?”  
“Oh the picture of the kits?”  
“Yeah, and you said wish you were here.”  
“Iri stop having male friends.” Geoff states in a dead pan tone causing the partners to roll their eyes.   
“No, and I said wish you well.” Iri clarifies, the man cocks his head as though he were to argue, but then pulls out his phone and rereads the message. He makes a small sound of oh. “You really need to learn how to read.”  
“Well be that as it may I was rescuing our dear team mates from the soon to be pissed Russ… Apparently you used Thames as a distraction earlier, and he tricked Russ into believing he was sick.” Harrison explains to the woman who nods in understanding as her pack casts looks of confusion at her. “Russ was stalking her earlier.”  
“Love, it seems your list of lovers is endless.”  
“Well what can I say? These hips are almost as popular as my lips, and my breasts just seem to draw the eyes of all.” Iri says with a smirk that has her lovers snarling slightly. “You five are just lucky you're at the top of my list.”  
“You truly do know how to push my buttons.” Geoff growls as he drags her into a heated kiss causing the woman to make a sheepish noise, and blush profusely as she tried to pull out of his tight grip; however, the Alpha doesn’t stop and when he does he wraps an arm around her waist, keeping her tucked into his side. Dex and the others merely come back to find the appearance of their two uncles and Mr. Thames. Leo immediately charges Harrison, and Scarlett dashes to Fin who picks her up happily placing soft kisses on her brow.   
“Uncle Fin, Uncle Harry what are you doing here?” Dex inquires as he hugs Harrison tightly, and Felicia nuzzles his thigh lovingly. “Did you see our costumes? Momma made them by hand.” Dex boasts with a prideful smile as Harrison smiles warmly at the children.  
“Uncle Fin, she made Daddy’s, Rapa, and Poppa’s costumes too.” Scarlett says with the same prideful smile as her brother, Fin makes a noise of surprise, and nods in appraisal of the group.   
“You all look top. Gavino that cape is ace.”  
“Thanks Mate, Iri made it this morning… I’m surprised she’s not at all knackered from the work she put into these.” Gavin says as his cousin inspects the red and black costume with a smile.  
“Tex, you never told us you sew.” Thames comments quietly.  
“You never asked, and besides we're not friends so my hobbies really aren’t your business.” Iri states coldly causing Thames and Fin to flinch at her frigid tone. “Not you Fin, any friend of Gavin is a friend of mine, but Thames this is… Ouch, Harrison what was that for?” She yelps as the man smacks the back of her head.  
“Stop being a dick, and Thames was just making conversation.”  
“I’m not being a dick, I.”  
“Don’t argue with me Tex.”  
“Don’t tell me what to do York.”  
“Alright you two stop bickering, and catch up.” Michael demands as the rest of the group had moved on without them leaving them arguing on the sidewalk. Iri just huffs, her tail lashing angrily as she and her partner sprint over quickly.   
“So when are you going to teach me how to be fast like you and Harrison?” Thames inquires quietly, changing the subject causing the woman to soften her glare slightly. She says nothing as she comes over, and places a hand to his head. That was mostly for show though as she communicated with the man’s predator quickly, showing him exactly what he needed to do, and answering his concerns swiftly.   
“There, Ferdinand has all the necessary information to perform the task, but you won’t be able to do it without having high adrenaline otherwise your body will shut down temporarily.” Iri informs him quickly before yawning sleepily into Geoff’s nearby shoulder, and pulling his arm around her shoulders.  
“Thanks.”   
“No problem, and I don’t know why but something about you sets me off… I think it’s your tail, it makes my fox nervous.” Iri conjectures quietly causing the fossa to chuckle quietly. “Why is that funny?”  
“Harrison said the same thing too, I must admit the appendage is a bit un-proportional but it’s genetic.” Thames says to the woman who nods in understanding. “If it makes you feel any better Ferdinand isn’t all that comfortable with you either… He believes vixens are far more cunning than they should be.”  
“Flynt said the same thing.” Ray pipes up from the front of the group with a smirk, it was good to know that his predator wasn’t the only one who felt that way about foxes. Iri goes to say something else, but the feeling of someone tugging on her tail draws her attention. She looks down to see Fel, and Dex yawning widely while reaching for her. Scooping the pair up easily she turns to Geoff and the others, using her tail she flicks it in the direction of the house.  
“I think they’re done for the night.” Iri states quietly, and Michael nods in agreement as the boy who was on his shoulders starts to droop forward. Pulling his son down into his arms, Fin gestures to Scarlett who was still wide eyed and raring to go.   
“Momma, I’m not done yet… Just one more house, I’ll be quick.” Scar begs as she pouts her lips, and pleads with her eyes. Iri never one to deny the girl just nods her head, and gestures with her chin to go ahead. The little wolf immediately darts toward the door, and Iri hands the sleeping children to their fathers so they could start the long walk home. When it was just Iri and her squad a silence falls over them, till Fin starts to talk about the mission.  
“Did Russ brief you yet?” Fin asks as he looks toward the woman who was shaking her head in no. “Very well, we’re heading to Venezuela to rescue a team of agents who missed the extraction point… Wyvern, told Sheorn to just leave them but he has no intentions of doing so.”  
“Tomorrow we’ll be rescuing Utah, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, and Vermont…. Nice enough people, but a bit troublesome.” Thames adds with a sheepish smile.  
“Don’t sugar coat it Thames, this is a team of morons… I’m just surprised they’re still alive, and Kentucky is just lucky I owe her one.” Harrison states cooly, they may be a relatively new team but Fireteam Zebra was the absolute worst group of operatives…. Plus they were never good agents to begin with, and he always wondered why Wyvern actually kept them around. “It’s a surprise Wyvern still keeps them active by the way they continuously fuck up.”   
“Tex just imagine a team full of Gavin's, led by Michael.” Fin explains simplistically, and watches the woman grimace at this. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her boys, but sometimes their level of teamwork left something to be desired. However, before she can say anything she hears a fearful whimper that draws her attention. Looking around she sees Scarlett nowhere to be found, and that kicks her instincts into over gear.  
“Scar? Scarlett! Scarlett!” Iri shouts in mild fear, where was her daughter? Scanning the crowds quickly she glimpses her daughter’s fearful form in the arms of a ghost. Acting purely on instinct she dashes for the ghost, oblivious to everything else, and upon reaching she rips her daughter from the hands of the person. Kicking the stranger in the back of the knees she growls fearsomely while ripping the cloth from the person’s body, finding a shaking teen beneath it. “What were you doing with my daughter?”  
“I… I was trying to find her mother…. you must be her… I was trying to find you, and I figured the police would be able to help.” The teen stutters as Iri lets the girl up, at this point the police car that had been parked maybe ten feet away starts to flash its lights causing Iri to curse and roll her eyes.   
“Ma’am what’s going on here?”  
“Just a misunderstanding, I’m sorry about that Miss.” Iri apologizes quickly as she begins to walk away with a shaking Scarlett in her arms. “What have I told you about strangers?”  
“I… She didn’t.. I.”  
“Scarlett everyone who isn’t me, your father, Papa, Rapa, Daddy, or Pops is a stranger do you understand?”   
“Yes Momma, does that make my uncles strangers too?”  
“No… Scar, don’t be a smart ass.”  
“Sorry Momma, can Uncle Fin come home with us? I want to show him my room.” Scarlett inquires sheepishly, and Iri just nods her head at the girl. “If…only if you want to though.”  
“Doll, I would love to.” Fin says wearing a bright smile as he lifts her from her mother’s arm, and she immediately purrs against his shoulder. “Such a sweet little Lass, just like your father.”  
“Poppa told me a story about you a few nights ago.”  
“Oh, and what happened in this story?”  
“He said that you saved him from a bully.”  
“Hmm, he would remember that wouldn’t he… Well it was more like he saved me, but I suppose the way he tells it I saved him.” Fin murmurs quietly as he and the others follow Iri back to the house. About halfway there Fin feels the little girl nod off into sleep on his shoulder, her light snoring reminding him of a young Gavin. “Gav, used to make the cutest sounds in his sleep. My cousin would coo, and purr; he sounded like a little kitten and I can see she takes after him in that sense.”  
“Well actually she’s much more like her father than me. She’s kind, very much a liaison between her fighting brothers, and generally the happiest child I’ve ever met. Plus she’s the spitting image of her father, despite the nose.” Iri explains as they round a corner, bringing them to the street the house was on. She looks to the girl snuggling on her uncle’s shoulder, and then shivers slightly at the cool breeze ruffling her loose curls lightly. Thames noticing the woman’s shivering doesn’t say anything as he pulls her into his side. However, Iri just shakes him off and gives him a look of disgust .  
“I was merely being nice.”  
“Yeah, well I’m fine.” Iri states sharply as she puts Harrison between her and Thames, and they continue on silently to the house. When they reach the front porch Iri gestures for them to come in, and they mutter thanks as she holds the door open. Once inside Iri is met with the scene of kits nuzzling their fathers on the couch while the TV played behind them. It was an endearing scene, and upon seeing their arrival Gavin gets up to grab his daughter from his cousin. Iri heads upstairs quickly leaving the men behind.  
“How was she Fin?”  
“Absolutely brilliant, she’s very kind Gavino.”   
“Yeah, just like her mother.”  
“Funny, she said it was all you.”  
“Nah, Iri’s a sweet woman when you get past all the rough and tough Texan attitude of hers… She’s a real lovely little Vixen.” Gavin states with an affectionate smile as Iri descends the stairs with her phone in hand, and a tight lipped scowl on her face. “What’s up Vixen?”  
“Oh nothing, just a few missed calls from work… I’ll be out back for a little bit, uh Gav do you mind helping her change? This’ll take a while I think.” Iri mutters tiredly, and the Brit merely smiles while disappearing upstairs. She takes her leave again, and the men watch her exit through the back door with the phone to her ear.   
“Harry what do you think that’s about?” Geoff asks as he stands up with Dex in his arms, and the rest of the group does as well with the other two kits.   
“No clue…. I could go out there if you want.” Harrison suggests casually, but the man just shakes his head before ascending the stairs.   
“She’ll tell us if she wants to, we’re going to put these guys to bed and then be right back… Beers in the fridge, help yourself.” Geoff says, leaving the squad mates alone in the living room. Harrison, having come over many times just kicks off his shoes and grabs three cold ones from the fridge, heads back to the couch, and picks up the remote. Fin does the same with his shoes, and joins Harrison on the couch while Thames hesitates slightly… However, all it takes is a reassuring smile from Fin and a come hither with his tail to get him to do the same.  
“Thames you reek of reluctance what’s wrong?” Fin inquires when he notices how the fossa’s tail begins to twitch nervously.   
“I.. It’s weird being out of the facility for so long, and not being on a mission.” Thames answers as he looks to the wolf who was nodding in agreement, but just continued smiling happily. “How are you so good at this?”  
“Adaptability is key in our work, and in this last few weeks I’ve been working on it with Iri at Derrick's request… Erik, taught her how to maintain composure in even the worst of times. You should really train with us once in awhile, might learn a thing or two.” Fin explains as Harrison nods in agreement causing the fossa to become perplexed. “You and Russ are the only two who seem to be reluctant of our team… Well that and Iri, but she’s getting better about it.”  
“That’s because no one can resist you Fin, you're the friendliest agent in the entire program… Next to South Carolina of course.” Thames says causing the wolf to light up. “Besides she’d be absolutely heartless if she could ignore those puppy dog eyes of yours… Such a sweet Pup.” Thames purrs with a light kiss to his lips, the Brit merely blushes and freezes beside Harrison.   
“Thames, I told you not to call me that outside of our bedroom.” Fin hisses as he watches the other man roll his eyes slightly. “Arizona, I’m not joking.”  
“Don’t call me that Finsley.”   
“Must you two always bicker?” Harrison inquires calmly as he casts a glance to the two bristling betas, who both open their mouths to talk but the sound of angry yelling catches their attention. Turning their heads they see Iri punching, and a dark figure tackling her. Jumping up from their seats they dash out the back yard to find Iri growling, and Russ spitting blood onto the nearby grass.   
“Russ? Russ what are you doing?” Fin asks in confusion as he and Thames start towards their Captain only to be stopped by Iri’s powers.   
“He can’t hear you…. But I can. What the fuck is going on?” Iri questions while dodging punches, and sweeping the man’s feet out from under him. “He isn’t in touch enough with his predator to go feral, and… whoa!” Iri starts only to become distracted by the knife narrowly missing her abdomen. “Thames what’s his deal?”  
“He’s mad….. about you.”  
“Thames, skip the… god dammit, Lexi put him down.” Iri commands bitterly as she kicks him away roughly, and grimaces at the blood starting to leak from the deep cut he made. As Iri backs off the fox rushes him and forces her way into his mind, once there she knocks him out, and falls back to help Iri who was already starting to heal the cut. “Thames, Fin make sure he’s alright. Harrison go inside and grab the medical kit on the counter it’s by the fridge.” Iri orders swiftly as she sits down on the grass, and waits for Harrison to return. The other two hesitantly inch towards their fallen Captain who was starting to wake up, Iri grabs the discarded knife from beside him, and brandishes it in warning. “Russ.”  
“... What? What happened?”  
“I don’t know you tell me, one minute I’m talking on the phone the next you're attacking me… What do you remember?” Iri inquires calmly as Harrison reappears, and so do her mates who instantly gasp at her blood covered hands. “Guys it’s fine, Russ talk to me.”  
“I… They were gone, and… my head hurts.”  
“Yeah that’ll happen after possession, but who were you talking to before you came to me.” Iri asks as Geoff sits down beside her, and starts to heal the wound quietly. “Geoff, I could have stitched that.”  
“No need Kit, I got it.” Geoff replies with a smile as the slash knits itself together again, and Iri hands him the knife while standing up. “Iri.”  
“He’s fine now, but I need to know who he was talking to.” Iri says swiftly, cutting off the worried man. Kneeling down beside a confused Russ, she looks into his hazy eyes. “I’m going to search your mind, don’t freak out.”   
“No!” Russ shouts while inching away from the woman, who nods her head respectively. He had a great deal of things in his mind that he never wanted another human being to know… Despite the tales told about his heroism there were also many tales about his brutal blood soaked defeats that his companions didn’t need to know of… Even things he’d never told Thames and Fin, things he especially didn’t want Agent Texas to know about. “And it was Wyvern… He found me in the hall, and reminded me that the only reason we were going on this mission was because of you… I just felt so… so angry, and all of a sudden I’m driving here, and you were in the open.” Russ explains quietly and Iri just nods in response. “We were supposed to be deployed to Syria to investigate a small town, but because Derrick wanted to make sure you were fine he refused to let Wyvern give us the mission so instead it went to Fireteam Tempest….. Now that I come to think of it that doesn’t really make me mad at all, it gives us a chance to work out the kinks in our squad. Make sure we’re actually field ready.”  
“Mistress there are trace levels of mercury in his blood system, probably absorbed through.”  
“Physical contact, did you shake Wyvern’s hand or touch any part of him at all?” Iri finishes her fox’s statement swiftly. Her thoughts were racing, and if they were correct than they had bigger problems than rescuing Fireteam Zebra.  
“Yeah, he… He ruffled my hair, and told me to get to bed… Made me feel like a kid.” Russ mutters as he looks up to Iri who was rubbing her chin in thinking and the vixen beside her wearing similar expression.  
“Lexi, why would he sabotage us?”  
“Perhaps he truly doesn’t want Team Zebra to come back? Maybe this is his way of.”  
“Of indirectly eliminating them, maybe he sent them on this mission just to get them destroyed.. It’d be an effective way to dispatch them, and his hands would be clean.” Iri conjectures causing the fox to nod in acceptance. “But why wouldn’t he just execute them… He’s legally allowed to, assuming everyone got the same contract as me.”  
“Tex, you realize that if he were to just execute a defective team that might make other teams less effective… Probably more resistant to this job, I know that if he put a bullet through your brain right now I wouldn’t help him… Contract or not, but if a team just happens to die in the field then oh well… No one would be surprised if it was them either.” Harrison explains to Iri who continues to purse her lips with concern, meeting his bright green with her stormy blue. Her mates had seen that look once or twice, when she’d realized something important or was trying to decide something.   
“How many teams are there?” Michael asks softly, interrupting the two who were sharing a look.   
“There are ten of them counting us, three purely combat teams which are Fireteam Gold, Alpha which is us, and Bravo. Next there are teams with certain purposes or powers such as Fireteam Reach, a reconnaissance team. Fireteam Tempest, a team made up of only storm related Apexes that are mostly used to provide optimal weather conditions for other teams; Fireteam Defiance, is an insurrection team used mainly to cause distractions to allow for a combat team to complete an objective. Fireteam Promiscuous, is a team of shapeshifters used for gathering information… any way possible. Fireteam Zebra, are supposed to be an extraction team, but very rarely are they ever. The last two fireteams, Crimson and Cerulean work in tandem as Death Squads. Each team is made up of a Team Leader, Automatic Rifleman who is second in command, a Rifleman who assists the Grenadier, and lastly a Marksman or Specialist. I am our teams Grenadier. Russ is our Team Leader with Thames as Automatic Rifleman, Fin is the Rifleman, and Iri is our Marksman.” Harrison expounds to the group who nod in understanding, but Iri wears a quizzical look.   
“Marksman? I’ve never fired a sniper rifle in my life, how can I be the Marksman?” Iri questions, but Russ just shakes his head.  
“Not in the traditional sense, but I’ve seen the way you can shoot projectiles over a great distance as long as you can see your target… Besides most Specialists have healing capabilities.” Russ states as he offers the sheepish operative a smile. “Of all three of us here, you are the most in tune with their predator which also makes you our Specialist… I don’t know why, but every team has a Vagabond, Drifter, Roamer, Wayfarer, Nomad, or Wanderer.”  
“Geoff what are the rest of those?” Ryan asks his mate who shrugs unknowingly, and turns to Russ for answers.  
“Roamers are the Canine versions, Wayfarers the birds, Nomads the snakes or lizards, and Wanderers are the bears, mongooses, badgers, and Tasmanian Devils.” Harrison explains quickly to the adults who merely give him a nod. “I know it’s a lot of information.”  
“Most of which is classified, I expect discretion.” Russ warns and the six nod swiftly. “Good, then boys and Iri, I believe it’s time we head back to the facility. We have at least 11 hours before we head out.”   
“Wait, I thought I could stay with my mates for the night. I’ll be there in the.”  
“No, this I have to insist upon… Sorry, but it’s protocol.” Russ adds with a sharp look, that let Iri knew he wasn't truly sorry.... he was merely being polite, and trying to get her mates to accept him. She wasn't stupid, and this was just another of the games he liked to play.   
“Yeah… I’ll just go change, and I’ll meet you guys back here.” Iri mumbles complacently, as she stands up and starts towards the back door. She could have fought him, but what was the point he'd win in the end... But a mischievous thought crosses her mind. “Michael, Gavin, Ray can you help me with something real fast?”  
“Of course Love.” Gavin titters excitedly as he and the boys disappear after her leaving the gents alone with her squad.   
“So, what happens if you do rescue these people tomorrow?” Geoff inquires, and Russ merely sighs loudly.   
“I don’t know, but if Iri’s right about Wyvern wanting them dead then we have bigger issues… I’ll talk to Kentucky about it tomorrow when we get there, hopefully she’ll provide a little more clarity.”  
“Wait why is she called Kentucky?”  
“She’s from Kentucky, it’s the same reason Iri is called Tex. All fifty one of our agents are nicknamed by the state of their origin, except for Fin but he’s from England and the Oxford region specifically so that’s his name.” Harrison says to the pair who go oh. “Didn’t they call you Alabama, Geoff?”  
“No, I was Fox for most of my military career…. But that was the Infantry, you guys are different. Also that’s a lot of operatives.”  
“Yes it is, and lately Wyvern has taken to scoring us… Derrick doesn’t like it, and neither do we. We’ve taken to ignoring the scores, but the best squad gets the best equipment so we’re forced to play his game.” Thames explains sullenly, most of the squads hated competing against one another, but when you're vying for equipment that could save your life you learn to get over it. “We just recently joined the game, and that puts us at the bottom of the combat squads.”  
“This is why Derrick keeps telling us about adaptability, Russ he doesn’t want us to play his game… We’re the Squadron Fate Forgot remember? Less is more is our motto.” Fin says excitedly having finally figured out the purpose of the handler’s warnings.   
“Maybe, but I still don’t think it’s a good idea to have agents competing in the field like this… It’s hazardous, and an unnecessary risk. How much longer do you think they’ll be?”  
“Uhhhh, a few more minutes I think.” Ryan conjectures as he opens the door slightly to hear the sound of panting, and the slapping of skin on skin. After shutting it swiftly, he turns back with a polite smile. “Just a few more minutes.”   
“I see…. Nice house Geoff.” Russ praises awkwardly as he gestures to the pool. “Not that I ever have time off anymore, but when I did I used to have a house like this.”   
“Thanks… This is incredibly awkward.” Geoff comments while looking to Ryan who is merely standing there with a polite smile. “I’m just going to go get them.”  
“Uh, Geoff I don’t think you really want to… That thing is almost taken care of.” Ryan mutters as he gestures to Iri coming back wearing a pair of boxers and one of their shirts; she was being led out by Michael who was kissing the back of her newly bruised neck softly. The three men exit the house in varying degrees of clothing, hair tousled in different directions, and cheeks bright red from exertion. “Guys?”  
“That thing… That thing was heavy.” Gavin pants wearing a sated smile as he pulls Iri into a loving kiss, and begins playing with her tail again. “So heavy.”  
“You're the worst liar I’ve ever met Gav, seriously the worst.”  
“God you four reek of orgy.” Thames comments with a smirk causing the group to growl playfully at him.  
“Come on Tex, time for bed.” Harrison urges as he motions for the woman to follow him to the car, she just nods, but not before giving Geoff and Ryan passionate kisses.   
“I love you, and I’ll see you soon… Help Dex with his English project, Felicia will want someone to watch her when she practices, Scar needs to read that Lincoln biography for Monday, and Leo has a play date with Felix on Saturday… Don’t forget.” Iri says as she feels Harrison tug her tail impatiently. “Don’t forget!”  
“We won’t, love you Kit. Be safe, call me when you get back!”   
“Of course.” Iri says as she finally turns around, and falls into step beside Harrison. Her mates walk out behind them, and watch as the squad gets into a black SUV. They continue watching till the car is out of distance, and then turn to face each other.   
“Did you three just fuck her?”  
“Yeah Geoff… Jealous?” Michael taunts with a smirk that has the Alphas’ growling.   
“Actually yes… Now go get in bed so I can take my aggression out on your tight asshole.” Ryan commands gruffly causing the boys to chatter excitedly, and dash off to the house. He makes it to the front door before he realizes Geoff was still standing on the lawn. “Geoff, you coming?”  
“Yeah…. Yeah I am just give me a minute.”  
“Geoff, you know.”  
“I know, I just have to check something.”  
“Check what?”  
“Nosy much?”  
“No, I just don’t want you to stand out here and wistfully stare after her.”   
“Tch… I… I wasn’t.”  
“Uh- huh, sure you weren’t now come on Alpha… Come help me fuck those pretty boys of ours into the mattress.”   
“Okay Ry, I’m coming.” Geoff remarks as he gives the road one last look before disappearing into the house with Ryan not far behind him.


	130. Follow my lead

Saturday  
0700 Hours, Venezuela

The sun had just risen over the horizon casting the canyon walls in its weak glow, giving them an almost gold shine. Fireteam Alpha was making its way slowly through the rocky terrain, tracking the location of Fireteam Zebra through their microchips that were still sending a signal. From what Harrison told them the chips only stopped when your brain function did, and that left Iri with a sense of unease. However, she couldn’t think about that now as they traveled along the rock wall in a diamond formation with Russ in front, Thames and Fin on his flanks, Harrison bringing up the back, and her in the middle. Russ had insisted she take the middle in case of a fire fight because she could cast a force field around them if things got rough… But she knew it was because he didn’t trust her not to mess this up somehow. His doubt was nearly stifling along with his disbelieving glances that caused Iri’s own self-doubt to flare up, but after a swift pep talk with herself she found herself ignoring his behavior... she may not have been as qualified as him, but she had a place on this team and her other four squad mates had made sure of that on the way here. She pushes the negative thoughts down, and focuses on maintaining the positive attitude that Fin always wore... Remembering the words she lived by, fake it till you make it and her mates back home she falls under the quiet calm the rest of the team bore. The squad travels in silence as they traverse the terrain, and it isn’t until Iri feels a mental nagging does she actually glance back to see Harrison wearing an inquisitive smile.  
‘York?’  
‘Tex, how are you holding up? You, good?’ Harrison’s concerned voice asks, and she merely nods in yes. ‘Tex?’  
BANG!  
Iri feels the mine’s vibrations before she sees its explosion rippling the ground beneath them like water in a pond, and thinking quickly she casts a field around Russ whose foot would have been taken off by it. As the dust settles Iri meets the man’s wild eyes, his chest still heaving with her own serene blue.   
‘Russ, are you alright?’ Iri asks softly, and holsters her sidearm quickly to attend to any wounds he had but the man just waves her off and gives the signal to continue. ‘We can’t go any farther this way without alerting them, or blowing this canyon to bits.’ Iri states through the groups mental link, gesturing to the way the earth around them was shifting uneasily beneath their feet. ‘Years of erosion have ruined this soil, and I give it maybe two more mines before it’s gone.’   
‘Suggestions?’ Harrison asks, and watches Iri begins hovering about a foot off the ground. However it wasn’t truly hovering because she seemed to be stepping on something that wasn’t there.   
‘I will create a pathway, follow my steps. Do not deviate.’ Iri warns as she redraws her weapon, and starts off at a quick pace. ‘Do not hesitate because these won’t last long…. Trust me.’ The group gives her wary looks, but Harrison and Fin soon follow quickly with the other two not far behind. Once the squad was safely across Iri takes point with Russ in her position, the rest of the walk was far less exciting letting Iri fall into a serene calm that allowed her to cast her mind far into the woods. After about twenty minutes of quick hiking the group comes to a high walled compound that had one entrance at the front that had guards swarming on both sides. They pause in their step to figure out a plan, and watch from the bushes as the guards walk around the perimeter.  
‘Russ, Thames can distract them and I can do a quick recon of the area… Just to see what we’re working with.’ Fin suggests as he looks to the team leader who was staring at them with a perplexed look. Russ had offered a plan on the way here, but with so many guards it was no longer viable... He was wondering if just storming the complex would work, or if that would turn into a bloodbath. ‘Russ thoughts?’  
‘Fin, they heard that mine. They know someone is here, and you zipping about in there will only alert them further. Thames how many can you persuade into leaving?’ Russ states causing the Brit's ears to twitch in understanding as he falls silent, and waits for him to make a plan.  
‘Maybe twenty…. If they’re near each other.’  
‘Harrison can you make us look like civilians?’ Iri asks interrupting the team leader who scowled at her, a plan already forming in her mind. Honestly she had no intention of sitting here, and waiting for Russ to figure out how to best use their powers. When she already had a plan in mind that didn’t involve anyone dying or even knowing they were here.   
‘I think so, it’ll be sketchy though. Why?’  
‘Thames you're with me, when I give the signal be ready… like I mean ready to get out of here.’ Iri says as she grabs Thames hand before the group could refuse however, Russ growls darkly at her.  
‘You don’t make decisions here.’   
‘Of course I don’t, well unless you have a better plan I suggest you be ready.’  
‘... Elaborate Texas.’ Russ growls through gritted teeth, his eyes turning steely meeting the confident look the Omega wore.  
‘There isn’t time, just be ready… Thames let’s go.’  
‘Tex, don’t touch anyone and don’t get too close either… You know how this work.’ Harrison warns as he uses his powers to glimmer the pair in the veil of a two citizens. ‘Iri, how do you plan on getting past them?’  
‘Stay hidden, and do not move for whatever reason.’ Iri states as she grabs Thames’ hand and begins towards the door. They are immediately met by the guards shouting words at them, and that is when she cries out. Praying that Harrison’s disguise works she screams fearfully. “Muerte, Americanas muerte!”  
“Que?” The guard asks in confusion, but Iri just keeps wailing with tears rushing down her face and pointing insistently in the direction behind her. Thames following her lead begins to shout as well, and using his powers to entice the soldiers he manages to lure a large force of about fifteen down the path. Once gone the pair slip in carefully, and begin surveying the compound remembering that they had maybe minutes before others came to take their place. Earlier when they’d first landed she had told Lexi secretly to detach, and figure out the precise location of their teammates unbeknownst to the others... She wanted a back up plan if Russ' plan wouldn't work, and she always made sure to be prepared no matter what the cost. Glancing around quickly she spots her vixen motioning discreetly behind a nearby horse stall, the pair meet her, and that is when the vixen fades back into her mind.   
‘Lexi, what do you got for me?’ Iri asks as she loops Thames in so the man could talk as well.   
‘They are located in the Southwest shed, but the groups in a sorry state. Kentucky has been drugged since she got here, they’re trying to force information from her. She and the rest of them are grossly malnourished, sickly, and Vermont is deathly ill.’ Lexi reports causing the pair to nod quickly. ‘I suggest moving quickly, those soldiers are coming back soon, and that group can’t survive a firefight.’  
‘Tex?’  
‘I’m thinking…. There!’ Iri nearly shouts in his mind catching a glimpse of the large hay cart parked to the side of the shed. ‘If we get them on there we can smuggle them out, and the boys can just hitch a ride.’  
‘... I… That might work.’  
‘Got a better plan that doesn’t involve killing these civilians?’  
‘Not really, let’s go.’ Thames orders, Iri nods, and Lexi reforms but this time as a large horse beside the cart. ‘We’ll meet you there, and I’ll get as many people to cover as I can.’  
‘I…I… Be careful Thames.’ Iri answers with a curt nod, and begins making her way to the barn Lexi had pointed to careful not to run into anything or anyone. After narrowly dodging a pair of women walking past with laundry she makes it to the structure. Placing her ear to the building and listening quietly she can hear the sound of grunting, and something that sounded like a muffled yelp. Forcing door open quietly she is met with the sight of several men and women chained to the back wall while another man punches the woman she recognized as Kentucky from the picture she’d been shown in briefing. Reaching out with her mind she very slowly, and gently begins to rouse the wounded soldiers careful not to startle them. In the midst of doing that she inches her way forward to where the man was brutally striking Kentucky. Drawing her knife silently she wastes no time in covering the man’s mouth, and stabbing it into his exposed jugular. Blood soon covered her hands, and she watched as the man dropped to the ground his mind silent in death. Withdrawing her knife, and wiping her on the sleek black pants she wore. After placing the knife back in her boots she look up to find the group still barely conscious.   
“Fireteam Zebra?” Iri inquires quietly to the group who makes soft noises in response. “Kentucky what’s the status of Vermont. Is he movable?”  
“Who… Who are you?” Kentucky asks as she spits blood to the side of the woman standing in front of her. She watches her cut the ropes quickly, and efficiently with a knife before tucking it back in the sheath under her armpit, making note of the golden firearms holstered on her upper thighs. Kentucky was a Lieutenant but she could already tell this mysterious woman was probably far better at her job then her, despite her Omegan scent.   
“I am Agent Texas, I don’t believe we’ve met… Fireteam Alpha is here on orders to rescue you.” Iri informs the woman quickly, trying her best to acclimate the woman but they didn't have much time.  
“..... Wyvern… Wyvern made the decision to leave us about a week ago… Why are you here?” She asks as the woman swiftly undoes the rest of her squad and helps Vermont up. Iri says nothing choosing to heft the man up, and gesture with her tail to the back door.   
“Arizona is waiting with our ride out, grab your team and get moving…. Now Kentucky!” Iri growls impatiently as the Alpha woman hesitates, and sighs in frustration when the woman continues to do nothing. She takes a deep breath, forcing her powers to lift the rest of the struggling squad to stand. It was at that moment Thames enters the building to see Iri helping the squad to their feet, and practically dragging them to the waiting hay cart. “Lt. Kentucky what are you waiting for a golden ticket? Let’s go.” Iri tries again, as Thames helps her carry the wounded to the cart. She goes back swiftly to find Kentucky still staring at her warily. Thinking quickly she uses her powers to knock her out, and lifts the fallen woman up receiving a confused look from Thames when she lays her down gently on the hay. “She wouldn’t move… Let’s go, Vermont is not looking good.”  
“What happened to him?” Fin asks as he pops out from under the hay along with Russ and Harrison who were already reaching for their canteens to help the weak Agents drink.   
“Thames get us out of here, Harrison can you glimmer us?” Iri commands ignoring Fin's question in favor getting them the hell out of here.  
“Yes, but shut up.” Harrison grits out as he forces another illusion to be produced, he could tell Ronald was reaching his limits, but it was only a little further. Thames needs no more direction as he clicks his tongue at Lexi who starts off at a trot, the man was quick to influence the guards into holding the gate, and soon they were on their way to the village. Leaving Iri to triage the downed squad. She worked swiftly, and after healing the lacerations she begins to repair what tissue damage she could but it wasn’t much considering the extensive damage each of them had. So she chooses to focus on Vermont who was currently coughing up blood, placing her ear to his chest she checks his breathing, and notices that it was shallow. As the group bumped along the road, and Iri continued holding her ear to his chest she can hear his heart suddenly stop.   
"Fuck!" Iri growls angrily as she rapidly begins chest compressions, and places her lips to his dry bloody ones to give him breathes. She does maybe a minute of compressions before managing to restart his heart, and pulling back with her arms aching Iri wipes the blood from her lips. “Russ, he has Parrot Fever… It’s curable with antibiotics, but he won’t last much longer at this rate... And I don't know if CPR will be enough to restart his heart next time.” Iri states after casting her mind into his, and feeling the damage to his lungs. This man was deathly ill, and he needed medical care now otherwise they'd be transporting him back in a body bag.  
“Thames let’s go!” Russ shouts up to the man who was nodding, and whips Lexi into a faster pace. At this Iri feels herself start to waver as the horse uses the bulk of their shared strength to run faster; Harrison notices this and immediately grabs the woman who was dangerously close to blacking out.   
“Tex? Iri, you good?”  
“So…” Iri trails off as she separates from Lexi to allow her to use all of their remaining strength to run, with the lifting, and CPR Iri had just done she had no strength left to give, and to continuing consciousness would only sap from Lexi's; so she allows her vision to go black and her body fall limp over the man she had been treating. Harrison curses bitterly as he shakes the woman’s shoulders, but it’s no use her body was exhausted however at this moment Vermont’s eyes open weakly.  
“York… York, he… He left us.” Vermont chokes out catching his attention as Iri’s slumped body leans over his battered chest. “I saw it.”  
“But we didn’t, we got you Ver, just rest Buddy.”  
“How’s North and South?” Vermont asks as he turns to the siblings that were still passed out beside Kentucky, but alive. He remembers the first time he met the vibrant pair, being scolded by his mate for their reckless behavior. Utah was to his right, her eyes closed peacefully as though this was merely one of the naps she so loved to take, despite Kentucky's nagging. He loved his mate, but she did make it a habit to be a bit pesky in her asking. “Who.” Bloody cough. “Is this?” He inquires, gesturing to the woman Harrison had just pulled off of his chest.   
“Agent Texas, she’s new.” Harrison states as he takes her into his arm, cradling her head on his chest knowing it was a softer resting spot than floor of this bouncing wooden cart.  
“Strong... a leader…. I saw her…. Choices.” Vermont chokes out as he grips Harrison's outstretched hand with a weak smile. "Glad you came."   
“Yeah, but just be quiet now Ver… We’ll be back home soon, and you can tell me all about them then.”  
“Wyvern….Dangerous.”   
“We know Major.” Russ assures the man who seems to accept this and finally fall back into silence... He couldn't help the nagging sense of inadequacy as he listened to the man praise the new agent who was supposed to be following his lead, not leading them... But denying her victory would be idiotic. So after his thoughts of hatred settle he turns to see if anyone else was awake, but the rest of the group is passed out with Fin was watching over them carefully. He can’t help but wonder how they’d manage to get out of that one without a single bullet. Russ had been completely ready to exterminate that entire encampment, and now there were only four casualties from the three soldiers who had wandered too close to them, plus the one from Iri… A successful mission in all of it’s parameters, but this news about Wyvern was troubling. However, before he can think further on it Fin nuzzles his shoulder which felt a bit odd because of his helmet but caused a smirk regardless. “Good job, Fin.”  
“Not bad yourself Captain, not bad at all.” Fin purrs as he listens to Thames chuckling from the front, and notices Harrison smirking with Iri in his arms. She’d been the lightest equipped of all of them carrying two custom made desert eagles that Russ thought looked to shiny for the field, the suit Harrison had made her with a pair of form fitting blue-black jean-like tactical pants and a black compression shirt over it, a utility belt carrying medical supplies as well as extra ammunition, a knife sheathed under her armpit, a pair of of black, knee high, lace up combat boots that had several throwing knives lining the edges of them, and another knife strapped to her upper thigh.. Just in case. It takes Lexi and Thames about an hour to navigate the rocky forest, but eventually the make it to the evacuation point, and after loading everyone up they’re on their way home.


	131. You knew this would happen.... And a certain pair has a film kink

Sunday

Iri awakes with a pounding in her head, and the feeling of someone stroking her ears. Blinking lazily she looks up to see Geoff smiling down at her warmly. Closing her eyes again she swallows, and notices how dry her throat was. Her body was incredibly sore, and Iri can’t figure out why she hadn’t even gotten hit on the mission… The mission! She needed to talk to those guys, particularly Vermont who seemed to know the most about what was going on.  
“Kit?”  
“Papa?” Iri mumbles as she wrenches herself up with groan, but Geoff just pushes her back down easily; he notes her compliance dully in the back of his mind. “What time is it?”  
“Shh, just stay down. Thames and Harrison told me what you and Lexi did… Your head is probably hurting right now.” Geoff nearly whispers, keeping his tone soft as he talks to the woman. He remembers the headaches he used to get after coming back from the field, and the pain accompanied from them. Laying down beside her, he lets her nuzzle his chest weakly. “Kit, Harrison says you were amazing.”  
“Eh… I could have been better.” Iri mutters softly into Geoff’s bourbony chest, purring at the comforting scent she finds there, and noticing how the stabbing pain starts to dull a bit at his presence. “You make my head hurt less.”  
“Ironic because usually I make it hurt more.” Geoff quips, and smiles when she chuckles softly however it quickly becomes concerned when she winces. “Kit, did you know you're sick?”  
“Yeah… I’m kind of a sadistic person sometimes.” Iri admits softly, but the gent just shakes his head.   
“No, I meant ill… Apparently you caught the disease Agent Vermont had when you were treating him… A mutated strain of Parrot Fever is what Harold called it.”  
“...Oh joy… That’s why I feel awful.”  
“Yeah Fin dropped you off earlier, and gave us some medicine for you to take.”  
“Geoff, what day is it?”  
“Sunday, about noon. Why?”  
“It’s so quiet here… Where are the kits?”   
“At the park with Felix… they were having such a good time that I decided he could stay the night, and the same with Miranda.” Geoff tells the woman who nods in understanding, but wears a perplexed look at the name. “Miranda is Felicia’s new dance friend.” That causes a smile to light up Iri’s pained face, and Geoff can’t help but mirror it.   
“I knew my little Snowflake had it in her.”  
“Mhmm, now go back to sleep Kit… I’ll wake you for dinner.”  
“No, I… You should stay here.” Iri stutters, gripping the man’s shirt tightly when he tries to pull away. “Geoff, don’t go.”  
“Shh, I wasn’t. I was just getting the medicine, it’s about time you took another pill.” Geoff soothes softly as he puts his steady hands over her shaking ones. Gently he unwraps her soft, clenched hands, and holds them in his calloused ones. “Kit, I could never leave you…. Never.” Geoff promises to the woman who just nods meekly, and pulls her hands back. He watches her draw them up, and place them softly on the pillow beside her head. At this Geoff stands up, pulls the blanket over the feverish woman, and heads to the kitchen to get the antibiotics. Upon entering the downstairs he hears the sound of the front door opening, and the laughter of children fill the foyer. Geoff gives the group a warm smile, and Dex almost immediately darts for his arms. Picking his son up easily, he places a soft kiss on his forehead causing the boy to squirm in embarrassment.   
“Is Momma awake yet?” Dex inquires softly, they knew she had a mission last night and they were worried.   
“No, your mother caught a cold and she’s very sick… Best to let her sleep for now.” Geoff tells his son, and the rest of the kits whine quietly. “However, I’m sure she’ll be up in a few hours.” This causes them to instantly perk up, and turn back to their playmates.   
“Come on, let’s go play Halo on the big screen downstairs.” Dex suggests as he worms out of his father’s grasp, and gestures for the group to follow him. Once gone Michael immediately dashes up the stairs, too quickly for Geoff to stop, and enters the room to find their mate coughing harshly into a blood speckled pillow.  
“Vixen?” Michael murmurs hesitantly once her fit had subsided, and the woman weakly turns her head to him. “Iri, are you okay?”  
“Don’t kiss me or touch this… Can you help me move to the guest bedroom? I don’t want to get all of you sick.” Iri asks, but Michael shakes his head and points to the floor. “Michael, I’m not sleeping on the floor.”  
“No, here just wait a minute.” Michael orders sharply as he puts the two dog beds on top of each other, grabs a comforter from the closet, and then picks her up gently. He places her down on the soft surface with a smile, and purrs when she makes a sound of contentment. After they were settled he wiggles out of his pants, and over shirt to snuggle into the woman’s neck, purring sweetly into her ears. “Vixen your hot, like scorching.”  
“And you are so cold.” Iri trails off, she had more to that thought but her words were cut short by the coughing fit that followed them. “You're going to get sick.”  
“Fuck it, I have sick days… Plus Ryan’s been nagging me to get a physical anyways.” Michael mutters with a devil may care attitude that makes Iri chuckle till she falls into ragged coughs. Running cooled fingers over her flushed skin he notices how her whines seem to subside with each touch, so cooling his skin a few degrees he wraps himself around her tightly. “Better?”  
“Much.” Iri murmurs sleepily, her eyes just starting to shut when Geoff opens the bedroom door wearing a disapproving look.   
“Michael, you're going to get sick like that.”  
“Tch, too late old man she already warned me… Geoff her skin is like burning hot.”  
“Yeah, it’s a high grade fever. Lexi, and Todd have been working to bring it down but for some reason it’s being difficult… Iri, Kit take this please.” Geoff says gently as Michael shakes her shoulder lightly, trying to rouse the woman. She opens her eyes slightly, and just opens her mouth as well, her body too sick to fight and her mind too weak to care. After swallowing the pill swiftly she closes her eyes, Michael sighs beside her, and pets her hip soothingly helping to lull the woman back asleep. ‘She should be better by Thursday according to Harold.’  
‘Why is it every time she leaves this house she gets fucking sick, or injured in some way?’  
‘World’s a dangerous place baby boy, and she just happens to have a weak immune system.’ Geoff answers while placing a soft kiss on his waiting lips. ‘I’d give her a kiss, but someone will have to take care of you two.’  
‘Ryan could.’ Michael quips mentally causing Geoff to roll his eyes at the man.   
‘Don’t be selfish, and what are you doing for Rage Quit this week?’  
‘I don’t know, some fan made game I think why?’  
‘Well if you're going to be sick then I need to have someone else do it, do you think it’ll piss Ray off enough to generate a good reaction?’  
‘Yeah, but don’t let that fucker touch my shit… Last time he did he fucking got so mad that he melted my mic, and mouse… I’m just lucky that dick was sitting in his own chair.’ Michael growls grouchily, he still remembers footing the bill for that one… And Geoff having to stop him from electrocuting the man. ‘Make him do it at his set up.’  
‘Mmk, now go to sleep.’  
‘And if I refuse.’  
“Will you two shut up, god dammit my head hurts, and you two are fucking yelling in my mind!” Iri growls suddenly, her sharp tone cutting through their mental conversation swiftly. “Fucking assholes.”  
“Alright Kit, I’m going.” Geoff whispers soothingly to the sick woman, who sighs in relief when they stop and he disappears. When she was sure Geoff was gone she shifts around to face Michael who was looking at her curiously.  
“So if you're going to be sick anyways, why not?” Iri inquires seductively, while reaching a hand down to his boxers causing a fair amount of surprise to course through Michael’s mind. “Red?”  
“You are despicable you know that?”  
“Thames always says we’re all evil, it’s just the degree that matters and I’m happy with mine.” Iri mutters in between kisses, Michael was never squeamish when it came to blood and the copper taste that coated her mouth seemed to arouse him further as he pins the woman to the makeshift bed. “Lock that door please, or at least electrify it.”  
“My pleasure.” Michael purrs, flicking his eyes to it quickly and coating it with his powers to deter intruders. From there he begins by kissing her neck, and enjoys the taste of smoke that he finds there. His kisses soon trail down to her wrist where he laps at the scar on his wrist, mouthing the flesh gently as though asking permission to bite. Iri says nothing choosing to just nod quickly and a choked out moan forces its way through her throat when he bites down roughly. Her body arches up into Michael’s, and she nearly passes out from the pleasure. “Sensitive.”  
“Sick… You know… That does.”   
“Mmm I do.” Michael murmurs with a sly smirk as he pulls away from her wrist to assault her mouth, while teasing a finger into her. “No underwear?”  
“I just woke up like this.” Iri gasps when he adds another, and begins scissoring them in her achingly wet pussy. “Michael… Michael…. Michael please.”  
“Please what?” Michael teases as he pulls his slicked fingers back, and rubs his member on her sex lazily. “Come on Vixen, use your words.”  
“Fuck me.”  
“Direct… I like that about you.” Michael mumbles as he pushes into her, and smiles at the gasps she makes. “Fucking hell.”  
“Come on, please… please.” Iri pants as he begins his lazy thrusts, and continues to tease the sick woman who was holding onto his shoulders tightly. “Vincent please!” Iri nearly shouts forcing Michael to stop, and cover her mouth with his hand.   
“Shush Iri, there are children here and you know how sensitive Gav’s ears are to the sounds of sex when the kits are home.” Michael warns as he hears the sound of knocking, and curses inwardly at his vocal vixen whose ears were flat against her skull in remorse. He hopes that if they were quiet enough Gav would go away because he knew the man would scold them, and probably tell Geoff who’d make it his personal crusade to stop the pair. However Gav doesn’t go away, and he hears him yelping in shock as he tried furiously to turn the knob. “When Geoff comes busting in I want you to know this is your fault.”  
“Michael, I love you.”  
“Fuck yeah you do, now be quiet while I finish us off.” Michael mutters as he uses his powers to lock Iri’s mouth shut, and he starts up a pace that would have them both finishing in minutes.   
“Michael open this door.” Geoff growls from the other side causing Michael to sigh in frustration. Unlocking Iri’s jaw he transfers a little shock to her clit that has the woman bucking, and gasping in need; Michael isn’t far behind when he cums into the woman and pulling out slowly he settles down beside the purring woman. “Michael Vincent Jones, now.”  
“I’m sorry.” Iri murmurs softly, eyelids already fluttering shut.  
“It’s okay, it’s really a compliment if you think about it… Sweet little Vixen crying out for her Kitten’s cock, means I’m fucking you right.” Michael mutters with a yawn as he pulls the woman close despite the coughing fit she has. “Hey, no blood.”  
“Mmhmm, Lexi and Todd have been busy, but shh… sleep with me.”  
“I just did.” Michael replies in a smart ass tone that has her rolling her eyes at him. “I mean if you want I’m good for another round.”  
“Michael if you don’t open this door, I’m going to beat your ass black and blue.” Geoff’s furious tone states from the other side of the door, and seeing the futility of his ploy Michael releases his powers over the door. It flies open quickly with a curious Gavin, and an angry Geoff storming inside. “I told you she was sick, and you think it’s okay to fuck her? What part of sick do you not understand? And you, do not lie to me Iridessa, I ought to whip you both!”   
“But Papa, we were just playing.” Iri mumbles with big eyes, and pouted lips. “He was just being a good Kitten.”  
“Don’t give me that look. Gavin stay in here, and make sure they sleep.” Geoff orders curtly causing the Brit to smile, and jump on the bed. He reaches a hand down lazily to stroke Michael’s curls, and smiles at the purrs he receives. “Bad Kit, bad Kitty.”  
“Fuck off old man.” Iri grumbles grouchily from Michael’s embrace, and if Geoff was less of a man he would have went over there, dragged her off that bed, and beat her till she was screaming… But he was a better man, so he let that slide along with Michael’s lusty actions. The gent leaves quickly, and Gavin lets out the breath he’d been holding since her sharp words.  
“You two are lucky he’s in a forgiving mood.” Gavin states as he flicks Michael’s ears causing the other lad to hiss at him. “Otherwise he’d have swat your asses till you could only stutter apologies at him.”  
“...” The pair don’t say anything to that, choosing to just cuddle close, and finally drift off to sleep like they were supposed to do the first time leaving Gavin lying on the bed alone.... Which was probably a bad thing for the rambunctious lad... His father used to tell him idle hands do the devil's work, and right now Gavin wondered what was considered the devil's work? Was that just masturbating and murder, or was it every bad thing? Surely the devil couldn't monopolize bad deeds could he?... Well in an attempt to answer that question with the internet he rolls over to Ryan’s side of the bed, grabs the gent’s Ipad, and begins to type in his question. However, an interesting site pops up and soon that leads to scrolling through his internet history… one because the lad was curious, two because Ryan usually looked at interesting articles, and three… did he mention that he was curious? And as he sifts through it he sees many medical journals on the disease the pair shared, Gavin opens one that says, ‘Vagabonds and the effects Alphas have on them.’  
As Gavin skimmed the article he notices about ten highlighted sentences that when clicked lead to an open note, labeled possible symptoms/treatments. ‘When dealing with feral Vagabonds the first thing to remember is to stay calm, if they see fear in your eyes it sets them off. Always remember that if you are the Alpha present that way when dealing with them, Vagabond Omegas respond well to strong Alphas….’ And the list went on and on, Gavin had always wondered why when he whistled Iri would react the way she did… Sure he just thought she liked playing pet, but according to Ryan’s helpful hints it was a natural response. Apparently Vagabond Omegas crave that strong sense of leadership, despite how often they may challenge it. There was a side note that said something similar for Drifters, but thinking back he figured Geoff calling for Michael was the same thing… He’d learned pretty fast that he could only whistle for Iri, and if he did so for Michael it resulted in a swift punch to the throat. And after reading through the whole list he felt enlightened about their disease, a bit less skittish that suddenly one day they would be sprawled on the floor seizing or something equally as terrible. Turning from the Ipad he looks over the edge of the bed to find the pair still sleeping fitfully, and purring cutely into each other’s embrace. Gavin longed to join them on the floor, but he knew Geoff would be upset if he allowed himself to catch her disease as well. It was bad enough that they were both sick, he was sure Geoff wouldn’t appreciate a third Omega whimpering on the floor. So with that in mind he goes back to the contents of Ryan’s history, and finds something interesting… Not just scholarly interesting, but rather pornographically so. Following the link he finds it leads to a website advertising twenty something year olds dressed in little school girl uniforms that covered very little, reminding him a tad of the little outfits he made Iri parade around in sometimes. As he scrolls around a bit he finds the Pet fetish section of the website, and it didn’t take long before the glimpse of Iri’s tail draws his immediate attention. Eyes widening in more anticipation than curiosity he lowers the volume exponentially, and soon the screen is filled with the sight of Iri, and Michael playing like they always did on Tuesday nights in the playroom… However their faces blurred out expertly and the pitch of their voices different, but Gavin would know those two with his eyes closed. The video itself was about twenty minutes and fantastically erotic judging by the way his cock twitched in his pants only furthered this point. Reaching blindly over to the bedside he grabs a bit of Iri’s lotion, and begins to take care of himself; about halfway through the sound of the door opening catches his attention. Swiftly pulling the covers over himself in case of children but smiles in relief when Ryan enters the room quietly. The Alpha says nothing as he kneels by the pair sleeping, and strokes their heads softly before joining Gavin on the bed.   
“Gav.” Ryan states as he catches a glimpse of his Ipad resting beside the guilty looking lad.  
“Yes Ryan?”  
“What have I told you about touching my stuff?” Ryan inquires with a knowing smile that has the smaller man squeaking and stumbling for an explanation. “And… Oh I see you found that.”  
“Uh, do they know?”  
“They are aware, and every time they watch it they get tremendously wet.” Ryan purrs into the Brit's ear who shivers beside him. “But the real question I find myself asking is are you wet?”  
“... Bloody dripping.” Gav answers, and with that the Alpha pulls him into a possessive kiss while working just the Omega's pants off causing him to whine in confusion.   
“Turn over, and show me.” Ryan commands seductively, and Gavin scrambles to comply. “No, face down… You know how to present, now show me.”  
“Ry.”  
“Do it correctly, or I’ll put a ring on you.” Ryan threatens causing the blushing man to acquiesce. Gavin slowly lowers his face completely to the mattress, arches his ass out fully, and spreads his cheeks apart with his hands all while giving Ryan a hopeful look. “Now, there’s a good Pup… Mmm, look at you all wet and wanting. I bet you’d love nothing more than for me to fill you up nice and tight.”  
“Please Ry, please.” Gavin begs, but it only earns him a sharp slap to the ass followed by a bite to his back.   
“Hush, and besides this is a punishment… Wouldn’t teach you a damn thing if I gave you what you want now would it?” Ryan says and watches the Omega’s ass start to slump at his declaration. Laying another three slaps down Gavin quickly fixes himself so he was presenting the right way again. “Do that again, and I’ll tie you up in the playroom.”  
“...” Gavin says nothing choosing to advert his eyes away, and pout into the mattress at the man’s cruel behavior. All he wanted was a good fucking, and this bloke was going to deny him… Self righteous, American… If Dan was still his fellow he’d.  
“Dan wouldn’t do nearly as good of a job as Ryan will.” Lancelot interrupts as he appears on the bed by Gavin’s face, smirking when he hears the Alpha growl behind him.  
“Dan? What does he have to do with anything? Hmm, tell me did Dan do a better job of fucking this needy hole than I do? Maybe we should just call him, perhaps he can give me some pointers.” Ryan growls coldly as he gets off the bed, and heads straight for the closet where the toys were kept. Gavin can only gulp and curse his wily wolf who was trotting alongside Ryan happily with his tongue lolling to the side.   
“Mingy Mutt.”  
“Don’t blame him for your discretion, now open.” Ryan says sharply as he pulls Gavin up by his hair, and pushes a gag into his mouth then latches it securely behind his head. “To give your mouth something to do, instead of think of him.”  
“.Iyan… Iyan.” Gavin tries to muffle out through the gag, but Ryan just snarls angrily. Whimpering in defeat Gavin just grimaces when he feels cold metal encase his cock, and then become secured behind his balls. He tries to buck away from the gent's possessive touch, but Ryan’s strong grip holds him in place as he pulls out his last toy. Ryan teases the toy on the outside of Gavin’s hole, slicking it up with the younger’s grassy scent before slipping it in the man’s leaking ass. He can hear Gavin huffing in pain beneath him, and the wolf lying on the bed no longer displacing air with his tail happily. Taking a smidgen of pity on the man he pulls it out, and continues to tease him open enough to allow the silicon to slip in all the way. Once in he pushes a combination of buttons that soon has it twisting, turning, and vibrating harshly in the man’s ass.   
“Now, I’m going to lie here, watch a show or two, relax a bit, and you are going to think about what you’ve done to deserve this… Perhaps maybe even discover why they say curiosity killed the cat.” Ryan states as he lies back, grabs the remote, and ignores the needy whimpers of the man beside him. Godric at this point decides to make an appearance causing Lance to leap off the bed and start for the door, but the elder wolf just shakes his head at him.   
‘Come here Lancelot, not fair if he gets to have all the fun now is it?’ Godric woofs softly as he circles the already presenting wolf, Lance knew better than to fight him. ‘Mmm, such a pretty boy.’   
‘Thank you Ric.’ Lance mumbles back politely causing the elder’s tail to swish happily in surprise.  
‘So polite all of a sudden, perhaps you don’t need as much training as your master does… Let’s go see what Todd thinks.’ Godric purrs with a loving nip to the younger’s hip, and the pair eagerly dissipate into the air leaving Ryan alone with them again. The gent says nothing as he watches his program, a hand occasionally lazing over Gavin’s sweaty back and after about three hours he takes pity on the man allowing his hips to slump a bit. After another half an hour he let’s Gav lay on him, and continues to pet his back despite the needy sounds the other was making. It isn’t till the pair on the floor wake up with needy whines that the gent actually moves; casting a curious look down he finds the pair sitting up with sleep still heavy in their eyes.   
“Daddy what time is it?” Iri mumbles out quietly, she still felt sick, but this was more along the lines of a cold making the discomfort much more manageable.   
“Lass come up here for a moment, and you too Lad.” Ryan commands lightly causing the sleepy pair to comply willingly, and crawl up on the bed almost instantly spotting Gavin’s writhing form. “Pup, I want you to tell them what you did.”  
“... I didn’t do anything.” Gavin remarks as he tries to pull his head away from Ryan’s strong grip, but the elder merely tsks at him, and swats his bare ass several times. “Bloody hell that hurts!”  
“Gav, what is he talking about?”   
“I...I..he just left it out, and you know how I am.”  
“A fucking toddler? Seriously dude your child is smarter than you when it comes to Ryan.” Michael quips at their stuttering mate who begins to moan when Ryan teases the vibrator in and out slowly. “Ryan, I would also like to point out what Geoff told you when you first started living here.”  
“And what would that be Lad?”  
“He told you Gavin will touch everything regardless of whose it is so it’s rather pointless for you to get mad at him… You also knew that if you left your Ipad unlocked he was most likely going to snoop… So you're either dumb, or.” Michael trails off as he gestures to the younger’s lad predicament.  
“Or you wanted to have an excuse to play rough with him.” Iri finishes with a sleepy yawn as she curls around Ryan’s legs, purring at the warmth she found there.   
“Lass, I must say you are very affectionate tonight.”  
“I’m sick… you know how I get.” Iri counters, still nuzzling the man’s thighs as her tail laid gently over her hip.The elder lad does the same into Iri’s back, and the group goes back to ignoring the pleading man beside them. And Iri had to admit it was taking a large amount of willpower not to uncuddle herself, and take care of him.


	132. I beg to disagree

Six pm

Iri was beginning to lose the battle against helping Gavin when the man started uselessly humping Ryan’s thigh while the gent and other lad ignored him expertly.  
“Alright Ryan, you’ve made your point now take care of him.” Iri urges as she sits up interrupting the middle of whatever Ryan was watching, her attention had been on Gavin for the last two hours watching the man writhe and whimper beside them... it was literally driving her insane. Ryan however wears a defiant expression, pursing his lips to issue a challenge but Iri wasn’t having it. She meets his challenge with strict posture, and an angry look. Michael at this point had tried to wrap his arms around the bristling woman, but she shrugs him off and glares at Ryan.  
“Iri, he’s mine to punish.”  
“Fuck off, you know he will just do this again… Stop being an ass.”  
“Fawn, relax… and don’t tell me how to do my job.”  
“I will if you aren’t going to do it right, perhaps this is why his thoughts wander to Dan… Hell so would mine if you did this to me.” Iri quips, and before she can say anything else her body is pinned to the roughly to the mattress with her face mashed into the covers. “Do you think this is frightening because.”  
“Shut your mouth Omega, and I will tease him if I’m so inclined. He has a safe word, and if you’ve noticed his mouth is empty; Gavin can utter it at any time he wishes.” Ryan growls sharply causing the woman to huff beneath him.   
“Whatever Ryan.” Iri barks angrily as she bucks her body up, and pushes him off of her. She exits the room swiftly, her feet fleet, and her hands clenched in anger as she runs down the stairs then out the front door not bothering to pause for shoes. Storming her way through the streets she comes to a crossroads, and wastes no time in trekking down the road heading north it with one destination in mind… A destination where her anger could be drowned out, or subdued enough for her to ignore it.   
‘Mistress would you like company?’  
‘I don’t care Lexi, if you’d like to stay you can but I can’t promise my mood will lighten.’ Iri tells her fox softly, and the fox merely shrugs while appearing beside her as they walk through tall, dry grass lining the road. “You are like the sister I never had, and I love you.”  
“I know.” Lexi states with a cocky smile, the fox shifting into a mare and leans down far enough for her mistress to mount her easily. “So where are we going?”  
“...”  
“I know, I know don’t ask stupid questions.” Lexi neighs as she starts off at a canter towards the pair’s destination.

Back at the House

Geoff comes inside from making dinner with the kits happily bouncing around his legs, groaning about how hungry they were. Ray was beside him chuckling softly at their woeful phrases.  
“Father, I can feel my final breath leaving me as my body withers away.” Dex cries pretending to pass out in Felicia’s nearby arms.  
“Papa, our bellies ache like the African children on T.V.” Scarlett groans out as she nuzzles Geoff’s thigh needily.   
“Alright you four, I get it. We need to feed you more, now go set the table so we can eat.” Geoff says with a roll of his eyes, the kits immediately dart off to start their task leaving Ray and him alone in the kitchen.   
“Hey have you seen the other half of our pack?” Ray inquires as he pulls off the edge of a crispy potato, and pops it in his mouth before the elder can slap it out of his hand. “I would have thought they would have come down from their seclusion by now.”  
“Mmm, that’s a good question… You want to go see or you want me to go?”  
“I’ll go, you stay here with the horde.” Ray says casually as he sneaks a kiss from the man who gave his lips willingly.   
“Sweet…. Your lips taste like candy my pretty little rose.”  
“Gross, and I’m not like your precious Kitten. You can’t muddle my mind with kind words, also Ryan is the only one who gets to call me Rose.” Ray states in between their pecks causing the eldest gent to quirk an eyebrow. “It’s sorta like a life debt thing.”  
“You owe Ryan a life debt?”  
“Not formally, but you know how he is.”  
“I do… Anyways get going Kitten before dinner gets cold.”   
“Ight, I’m out.” Ray mumbles as he sprints up the stairs quickly to see what the others were doing, and upon entering the room he finds Gavin covered in what he hopes is lotion, but judging by the lust in the air it wasn’t. However, the look of pure bliss on Gavin’s face made him a bit envious of the fellow lying naked on the sheets with a red faced Ryan beside him, and Michael who was sleeping fitfully on the dog beds stacked up by the end bed.   
“Such a good Pup, so supple and lithe… Oh, hey Kitten. What’s up?” Ryan asks nonchalantly as he pulls on a pair of boxers and heads to connected bathroom for a rag to clean Gav up with… Though the man was in dire need of a thorough cleaning, perhaps he should just give him a bath. Changing his mind he grabs the pliant man, and heads to the heat room bathroom with Ray right behind him. Once in the bathroom he shuts the door, and turns the water on scowling slightly when it refuses to warm up fast enough. Casting a pleading look back to Ray who sighs, and works his magic on the tub now full of steamy water. Slipping the Brit into the warm gently he listens with a smile as the man purrs sleepily in his arms. “Gav, I’m going to go get you some clothes real quick. Don’t drown.” Ryan orders, and said man just nods in response. Once back he finds Ray sitting on the edge with Gavin nuzzling his crotch happily.   
“Gav told me he learned something today.”  
“Oh and what was that?” Ryan inquires with a smirk while pulling up a small stool made for this very purpose. He dips a wash clothe in the warm water, lathers it up, and very gently begins trailing it over the Brit's lanky limbs.   
“It was that he should touch your stuff more often.”  
“Masochistical Puppy… If you wanted something rougher all you need to do is ask, Geoff and I will happily sate your needs.” Ryan murmurs softly to the wolf hybrid who smiles brightly into Ray’s crotch. “How mad is our lover? I hope she has diffused a bit over the last few hours.”  
“Uh… We haven’t seen her, or at least she wasn’t outside with us. Why was she mad?” Ray asks, his inflection that of a worried person. Ryan just shrugs, and shakes his head. He gives the man a look of disbelief as Ryan washes Gavin. “Really?...”  
“She’s mad because she thought Ry was being cruel, but she was also mad because she’s sick and she knows she has work to do… And I think she’s tired too.” Gavin states with a whimper when Ryan trails his hand lower to cleanse his nether parts, they were incredibly sore and each touch of the soft cloth felt like sandpaper. “Ry, stop.”  
“Shh, I have to get you clean because I’m sure you don’t want to go to the doctor.”  
“Who needs a doctor we have an Iridessa.” Gavin adds causing the elder man to smirk, but continue his cleaning albeit a bit softer than his already feather light touches. It takes maybe twenty minutes before he’s satisfied, and Gavin is being toweled off. A pair of basketball shorts slipped over his hips, and a pat to the ass to get him moving for the door. “Ouch!”  
“Hush, you know you loved every minute of it.”  
“Cheeky bastard, I ought to mention Dan more often.”  
“You better not you fucking cockslut, I’ll take you in front of him next time he’s here… I’ll make sure he sees his precious little B worked open nice and slow on my thick cock.” Ryan threatens sincerely as he pulls the other in for a vicious kiss that has him gasping for air. “Now go eat dinner before I decide yours should be a bowl full of my cum… For the both of you.” Ryan growls as he releases the man and watches as they both scurry from the bathroom with expressions of mild fear.  
‘At least someone still fears me.’ Ryan thinks softly to Godric, who was curled up sleepily in the back of his mind. He’d had his fun with the rest of the predators and now all he was looking for was a quiet night of rest before the work week began again. Hanging up the towels Ryan makes his way down the stairs to find the pack engaged in a rowdy meal that consisted of Dexter goading his father till he told a story most of the adults felt wasn’t appropriate, but for now Ryan just allows it… not that he could really stop it if he wanted to, but a gentle suggestion would be all Geoff would need to change topics. However, it seems that when their youngest mate didn’t appear the man needed no help in switching to subjects.  
“Where’s Iri? Ray told me Michael was still sleeping.”   
“We thought she was with you, but Ray told me she wasn’t… Geoff, I have no idea where she is.” Ryan admits as he grabs a plateful of food, and takes a seat beside Leo who was chewing slowly as though in thought.  
“Did you touch her before she left?” Leo asks softly, a plan already brewing in his mind. “Because Champ will see the decision she made after that.”  
“Yeah… Yes I think I did, would you like to see if you can find her?” Ryan asks, and the young boy nods excitedly at this; their parents didn’t really offer him a chance to use his gift, and it was exciting to think that he might be able to help. He puts down his fork, and takes Ryan’s hand into his own. They watch as Leo’s eyelids flutter, and his body goes slack for less than a second before his bright eyes pop open, and he turns to Ryan.   
“Momma, is at a bar… The Moonless Night, and she was… She was very mad at you when she left.” Leo declares with surety causing Geoff to scowl, and push his chair back.  
“Let Momma come back on her own Papa, she needs this tonight.” Scarlett states, her eyes never leaving her plate. “Lance told me earlier that she wasn’t feeling well.”  
“I see… I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”  
“She will… She always comes back.” Scarlett answers with an understanding smile, they loved their mother… flaws and all.


	133. What you feel like to me

Iri   
10 pm

She sat at the bar nursing a strong mix of something that burned her esophagus, and made her feel pleasantly numb. Iri wasn’t sure why, but lately the numbness was starting to become a good thing. However, before she can ponder that thought more Lexi, in the guise of her sits beside Iri giving them the appearance of twins. At first Iri had been confused by it, but now she didn’t care and the fox was having a good time dancing with whomever she could.  
“Mistress, I’m drunk.” Lexi states woozily as she practically lays on Iri causing the woman to chuckle. “When are we going home, I want to get fucked.”  
“And I think that’s where I can be of assistance.” A man interjects with a sly smirk, and before Iri can tell him to fuck off Harrison decides to sit down beside them. Iri hadn't even known her partner was in town, though it wasn't like she had casted her mind out to see who had been here.  
“Actually no, that would be my job so beat it.” Harrison growls in a dark tone that has Iri rolling her eyes, and pushing off his muscular arm that had somehow slithered around her shoulders.   
“Lex, why don’t you go dance for a while… I’ll take us home soon.” Iri tells her companion softly, who is already springing back up to head to the floor when a fast song comes on. With her gone Iri turns back to her drink, and does her best to ignore Harrison’s non-stop talking but after about twenty minutes she finds her patience running thin.   
“So.”  
“Who do you think you are?” Iri finally growls in a dark tone that has the man cocking his head in confusion, and shifting his light eyes to meet her stormy ones. “And why the hell do you think it’s alright to come over here, destroy the calm I’ve created, and blather on endlessly about god knows what? I don’t want my own mates’ company, and I most certainly don’t want yours… So go away.”  
“Well… To be completely honest I do it because I need to…. I need your friendship much more than ever thought I would. I really just need this, and the way your eyes just burn right through me. I’m not entirely sure why, but that’s okay with me. After losing my entire squadron, my wife, my mother, and my father being alone is really hard for Ron and I… And he adores Lexi’s company, even though it always ends in a bite or two.” Harrison admits sheepishly, Iri had never seen him so vulnerable and for some reason she accepts it… Her hard eyes soften to a comforting blue, and her lips un-curl from a snarl into a warm smile.   
“Fine, but… just be quiet, I came here for that.”  
“Iri, your the best friend I’ve had since her, and I.”  
“If you say love Geoff will probably burst through that door, I’m not fucking joking… That man has a crazy sixth sense for that kind of shit.” Iri warns, cutting the man off mid sentence but he merely shakes his head with a friendly smirk.  
“Well I kinda do love you, but not in the sense your thinking of... more of a cherished friend than a lover.”  
“In that case, I cherish the fuck out of you too York.” Iri answers with a good natured smile, and punches the man briefly in the shoulder.  
“Must you always be so vulgar?”  
“Must you always be so sappy?”   
“It’s called sentimentality, and what can I say pretty things deserve sentimentality.”  
“Well then it’s a good thing I’m ugly as fuck.”  
“Mhmm otherwise we’d have a whole other set of problems to deal with, and attraction is a sticky business.” Harrison states causing Iri to chuckle quietly and cast a wry look at the man who was sipping from his glass.  
“You really are an amazing person you know that?”  
“Oh I know, tch, I couldn’t look this good and not be.” Harrison answers with his normal cocky tone, and the woman just shifts her eyes to the dance floor where Lexi was grinding on some woman.   
“Vain, but I don’t think I would have it any other way.”  
“It’s because I compliment your sense of self-sacrifice… One of us needs to be a bit self absorbed for this partnership to last… What’s the old saying?”  
“Opposites attract.”  
“And I am most definitely your opposite…. Plus I think I might be your cousin.” Harrison mutters quietly causing the woman to shift in her seat and cast a curious glance back at him. “Somewhere along line our family trees split, and now you're something like my third cousin sixth removed… Or something like that.”  
“Huh, who would have known.”  
“I would… One because I did the research, and two you just feel safe to me.”  
“Mmm I know what your talking about. It’s like the soothing song Celeste would sing to me, or when Joel would rock me in his arms… You just feel comforting.”  
“Like family should.”  
“To family?”  
“To family, and a mission that went flawlessly thanks to you… I must say that was excellent work especially for someone who has no formal training.”  
“Yeah…” Iri trails off quietly, she regretted that she’d taking the lead like she had, especially because the alliance between her and Russ was rocky at best, but together they’d managed to save Fireteam Zebra and that was all that mattered in her eyes.  
“What’s the matter?” Harrison inquires when he notices her hesitance. “That was a clean operation, and you should be proud for having basically directed it.”  
“You don’t think I should have let Russ lead?”  
“No, Vermont told me that his decisions would have gotten Thames severely wounded and them dead… So fuck his rank, I’m glad you did what you did.”  
“Thanks, I guess lady luck was just on my side that time.”  
“No, luck has never been on your side that was pure skill and don’t even try to deny it… Face it Iri, you were destined for this and your damn good at it.”  
“Alright enough with the praises, your going to make my head big.”  
“I doubt it, no amount of praising ever makes us feel good about ourselves… Hell Daddy could come sing us songs about our benevolence and you wouldn’t believe a single word of it. Mistress, I want to go home now...I’m tired and I want Lance to cuddle with me.” Lexi whines as she openly shifts into a fox and settles on Iri’s lap, nuzzling her needily. “And we’re sick.”  
“Have you been taking that medicine?”  
“Sort of, I think I missed a dosage because I left.”  
“Come on, did you drive?”  
“No, we walked.” Iri answers as Harrison places a twenty on the bar, and gestures for Iri to follow him. She does so willingly, and her cousin leads her to his lime green charger that seemed to glow in the pale streetlights. Iri doesn’t wait for him to unlock the doors choosing to do it herself with her powers causing the man to scoff. “What?”  
“No one unlocks Delilah, but me… She’s my baby.”   
“Only because you can’t get a real girlfriend.” Iri teases with a smirk, and the man just purses his lips in disdain.  
“I don’t have to give you a ride home you know, I could let you walk alone on the streets where anyone could grab you.”  
“You mistake me for an Omega who gets scared easily by the prospect of a fight, now get in here and drive the damn car.” Iri growls with a flippant look as Harrison starts the car up, and the pair start off towards her house. The drive takes maybe ten minutes, and as they sit on the side of the road Iri looks to her partner. “Would you like to stay the night?... If only to save yourself from another night of those three going at it.”  
“Fuck yes, I’m really getting tired of it… Like I get it you love him, but it’s painstakingly clear that he doesn’t feel the same way… Or now Thames has taken to his Tinder dates which are almost as bad, your lucky you have a mate.” Harrison complains grouchily as he shuts off the car, and the pair start towards the house; however, about halfway there they find the front door opening quickly and Geoff tapping his foot angrily. “Iri, he’s pissed.”  
“Brilliant deduction partner, now if only we knew why.” Iri stated in a mocking tone causing Harrison to roll her eyes at him.   
“Your lucky your my cousin otherwise I’d beat you to a pulp.”  
“Like you could even hit me.”  
“Iridessa, I am very displeased with your current behavior.” Geoff declares as he opens the door, and pulls her into the house with Harrison following close behind. “Also why the fuck can’t you answer a phone call?”  
“I didn’t take it with me, and I was with Harrison… So I was safe and sound, did you know he’s my cousin?”   
“No, and right now I really don’t care. Go upstairs, take a shower, and I will warm up your plate when your done.” Geoff orders with a swift smack to her ass that has her yelping, and Harrison chuckling. “And you… What makes you think it’s okay to kidnap my fiancee?”  
“Not kidnap, we just happened to be in the same place at the same time…. She offered to let me stay the night so I didn’t have to hear Thames fucking random people, but uh, I can see it’s going to get weird so I’m going to go.” Harrison explains as he moves to go for the door, but Geoff just shakes his head.   
“Na, not really just some cuddling on our bed and you're welcome to the guest room. Iri just changed the sheets last Thursday so they’re clean.” Geoff says as he gestures upstairs, and to the left. “Third door on the left.”  
“Alright, and… thanks man… It’s really kind, and.”  
“Eh, what can I say your Delta’s son and my fiancee's partner… Plus her cousin, so you're literally family.” Geoff tells him with a smirk, and watches as the younger man’s lips quirk up in a smile.   
“Yeah… Yeah I guess I am.” Harrison murmurs looking to the eldest Alpha who merely smiled back at him. “Night Geoff.”  
“Night Harry.” The gent bids as the other walks upstairs to find his room, leaving him alone to get Iri’s medicine, and her food because if he didn’t she probably wouldn’t eat tonight. Heading upstairs with a warm plate he hears one of Iri’s soothing lullabies coming from the kits’ room, and peaking his head in cautiously he finds her rocking Dex to sleep with the others snoring softly in the background in the middle of her lullaby.   
“Are you, are you coming to the tree? Where the dead man called out for his love to flee. Strange things did happen here, and no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree…. Are you, are you coming to the tree? Where I told you to run, so we’d both be free. Strange things did happen here, and no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree….. Are you, are you coming to the tree? Wear a necklace of rope side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, and no stranger would it seem if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.” Iri sings out in a clear somber tone as her body rocks gently to the slow methodical rhythm of the song, the boy in her arms allows his eyes to flutter shut, and at that she places him softly in his bed. She pulls the covers up around her now sleeping son, kissing his forehead lightly, and is met by the smiling face of Geoff. He waits until she exits the room before pulling her still damp body into his arms, and kisses her neck lightly.  
“I could listen to you sing for an eternity, and I’d never tire of it.” Geoff purrs into her wet hair as the woman coughs harshly into his shoulder. “Come on, I left your dinner on the table in the hall.” He says, pulling the woman towards their bedroom snagging the still steaming plate on the way. Upon entering they find Gavin and Ray cuddling closely asleep while Michael growls darkly from the floor as Ryan tries to urge the man to drink the hot soup.   
“Fuck off alright, my throat… hurts.” Michael grumbles in between coughing, and tries to turn away only to find his chin grabbed and turned to face its’ captor. “Daddy, make him stop.” Michael whines pitifully to Geoff when he sees the man enter with a freshly showered Iri  
“Baby boy he will stop when you eat that.” Geoff assures his frustrated Kitten who looked like he might lash out soon, and handing Iri the plate he watches her sit beside Michael to start eating without any encouragement whatsoever. When he was sure she was going to eat on her own, he turns to face Michael who was starting to growl again his hackles barely rising. “Michael, come on.” Geoff murmurs softly, taking Ryan’s place, and the other gent turns to see Iri chewing slowly almost thoughtfully.  
“Daddy.”  
“Shh, I told you this would happen if you kissed her… And you just had to fuck her didn’t you?” Geoff scolds lightly causing the already sullen feline to sulk a bit more, and his eyes look down in shame. When Geoff’s Omegas got sick they were very delicate creatures, like fucking made of glass, and more often than not incredibly frustrating. “Now stop pouting, and prove to me that you can be a good boy.” That seems to do the trick because Michael lifts his head, and takes the steaming mug into his hands to drink it. Smiling brightly at his Kitten he runs a soothing hand through his sweaty curls, and feels his forehead to feel what he knew to be a fever. Todd had warned him earlier that both of them would be feverish, and sickly despite his help. He’d encourage their body’s to produce an influx of necessary antibodies, but they would still have the symptoms for the most part. Watching Michael and Iri, he’s mildly surprised when both of them finish their meals without further encouragement, and then they both lie down for bed snuggling close. It was like the fight had been drained out of them, and it worried him slightly… But by the way Ryan was looking at him he knew he was acting like a new mother with a collicky child, so sighing softly he leaned back and allowed the younger gent to pull him into his comforting arms. Using his powers he flicks the lights off, Ryan purrs contently into his neck kissing lightly at the bourbon scent he found there till Geoff was lulled into a sleepy state. He allows himself to be coaxed asleep by soft soothing rumbles of the Alpha behind him, and the natural warmth radiating off Ray less than arm’s reach from him.


	134. A hole that only family can fill

In the Morning

Geoff awakes to the sound of vomiting, cursing, coughing, and Iri’s soothing humming. Waking up slowly he scrubs his face and does his best to exit the bed without disturbing Ryan, but it was all for nothing when the gent awoke too. Once he hears the sounds he too decides to follow Geoff to the bathroom where he finds Michael puking with Iri doing her best to soothe him despite her own vomiting.   
“Like the blind leading the blind in here.” Geoff murmurs with a scowl as he grabs a pair of wash cloths and wets them for the pair, placing them on the back of their heated necks. Ryan merely chuckles softly and sits in between them rumbling quietly causing the pair to let out distraught sounds that break their hearts ever so slightly. Geoff wanted to ask Todd to heal them further, but he knew the fox couldn’t nor wouldn’t because if he interfered with their body’s natural immune reaction than that would cause further medical problems that would be far worse than this. So sitting beside Michael who was leaning against the wall, waiting for the nausea to pass he offers him a comforting rumble. The Omega leans into his side, and goes to answer with a noise of his own that turns into coughing that leaves him ragged for breath, his chest heaving in an attempt to take in air. “Shh, it’s alright Michael… Shh, I know it hurts.” Geoff soothes when he notices the man start to shake at the pain, and he tries to say something but his words are cut off by Michael's need to vomit.   
“You two can’t stay home alone today… Geoff, I was going to edit today anyways so I can stay with them… I have most of the stuff on my flash key, but if you can send me the folder marked Assholes from my desk to me that’d be great.” Ryan tells his mate who nods in understanding, and makes a mental note of it. Looking to the clock on the wall he spies the time, it was already six thirty and someone needed to wake the kits… plus Gavin and Ray needed to get up as well.   
“Oh, Harry spent the night last night… he’s.” Geoff starts, but the sound of giggling catches his ears; exiting the room he finds Harrison and the kits at the kitchen table dressed, eating breakfast, their lunches being packed into their backpacks, and talking excitedly about this week. “Harry?”  
“Morning Geoff, I noticed the time and Ronald told me that Lexi normally gets the kids up by now so I figured I should… Scar is a deep sleeper, I practically had to shake the whole bed to get her up.” Harrison explains quietly, eyeing the Alpha warily hoping he hadn’t overstepped his boundaries with him. “I..”  
“No it’s cool man, and thanks… Iri and Michael are pretty sick. Guys be ready to go soon, and I’ll drop you off.” Geoff tells the group who was finishing up, and he leaves them in Harrison’s capable hands going back to the bedroom to wake Gavin and Ray who were rutting on each other lightly, filling the air with needy whimpers. “Gav, Ray take it to the shower and make it quick we’re running late.” Geoff orders the pair who nods quickly, and dash off to another bathroom where Iri and Michael weren’t throwing up in. Re-entering the bathroom he finds Iri now dozing on the cold stone shower floor, and Michael leans sleepily on Ryan who was purring softly to him. “Let’s move them back to the bed, and I’ll get a trash can in case they can’t make it.” Geoff tells him as he lifts Michael up, and Ryan scoops up Iri only to feel the woman start to squirm.   
“Ry… Ry put me down, Ry!” Iri nearly shouts when the man touches her, he places her back down on the stone floor quickly, and watches her curl into herself. “Geoff, it hurts.”  
“What hurts?”  
“My skin… and the lights are too bright.” Iri whines feverishly to Geoff who was just coming back from putting Michael on the bed. Upon re-entering the bathroom he flips the light switch to off, and turns on cold water for the woman who was burning up. Nudging her gently towards the water he watches Ryan leave, and comes back with Michael who was crying softly in his arms. Placing him on the floor beside Iri as she shook violently.   
“Geoff… oh… Are they okay?” Harrison’s worried voice asks when he enters the room, he was going to offer to drop the kids off but his words turn to nothingness at the sight of his cousin and her mates. “Iri?”  
“Lexi, go with York… Answer his questions, keep him safe.” Iri orders weakly as the fox detaches willingly, and appears on the man’s shoulder dutifully as a small white dragon.   
“I will Mistress, come on Harry I know the way to the school.” Lexi assures her sick Mistress who coughs sickly under the frigid spray, at this she urges Harrison away from the scene in the bathroom, back downstairs where the kits waited patiently, and where the two lads were nibbling on toast but mostly each other’s necks. “Gav, Ray break it up lest you want to fall into heat earlier.” Lexi snaps as she launches herself into the air, and flaps her wings frantically in their faces causing the pair to split with disappointed scowls. “Kits let’s go, shoes on, and grab your backpacks Uncle Harry is going to drive you today.”  
“Yes Lexi.” The kits replies while grabbing their back packs, and putting their shoes on. Once they were ready he heads out the front door to load up his car which was significantly odd in his mind. After everyone had their seat belts on they start off for the academy that Derrick had bribed her into accepting this job for. It takes maybe thirty minutes, and the kits sing along to the radio station… and it all feels so… so domestic…. so… so nice for lack of a better word. It felt like he was apart of something that wasn’t made for killing, or getting a suitcase, or.. or of questionable moral character. This felt pure, and wholesome… like it felt when he was with Iri, he felt human. And as the the group exit the car he finds himself exiting as well. Scarlett takes his hand happily, and begins leading him through the school entrance. Harrison can’t remember the last time he’d ever been in an elementary school, the walls were covered in bright drawings, inspirational phrases, and murals. The sound of chattering students, and kids greeted Scarlett occasionally as they strolled through the school to her classroom. He’s surprised by the overall silence of Scarlett when normally the child would talk his ear off, but now she just walked silently beside him, and sneaking glances at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. The smile that seems to be on his lips makes her smile as well, and Scarlett isn’t sure why but her chest starts to tingle… not unpleasantly so, but just enough to be noticeable… and she isn’t sure why, but her mind feels at ease when Uncle Harry pulls them to a stop in front of a classroom that held her brothers and sister. They stand there hand in hand, and Harrison just watches the children file into the seats… For just that minute or ten minutes or however long it was Harrison felt his mind shift just slightly... Just enough to fall under the illusion the girl cast over him, most likely unknowingly. It’s at this moment the teacher seems to finally notice their presence, breaking the man from his trance. She walks over with a pleasant smile, and offers Scarlett her hand but Harrison just bulks at this. Why did this woman want to take his daughter from him? She was the last sliver of family he had left, why would she want to take her? Was he a bad man?... No he couldn't be a bad man… could he? Had he become the very thing he sought to defeat... But…but then he remembers, despite her brown hair and slightly defined chin that he, she, and her mother all shared this wasn’t his daughter… this was his niece… his wonderfully optimistic niece who saw the light in even the darkest cloud and.... and she needed to go to school. Looking down to the little girl who is smiling softly at him with an expression that her mother wears wonderfully… Especially when he was telling her something he wasn’t sure about, or when he was mourning his family, or… or Marigold… This was an expression that told him everything was alright, that I care about you… That you deserve happiness, despite the bitter feelings you feel now. That this pain is only temporary, and I’ll help you through it. It was a look of companionship, and platonic love that eased the loneliness he felt in his heart… He ached for something to fill that hole, and Iri’s family did so easily. They just accepted him with open arms, and in less than two months he became part of their already large family… She had made him and Ronald feel something they hadn’t felt in years… and he loved her for it. And hell be damned if Russ was going to ruin this for him, he’d kill the bastard himself if he came after her again like he had Halloween night… She was no saint and neither was he, but they were far better than Russ.  
“Sir? Sir are you okay?” The teacher’s soft voice inquires when she hears the somber sigh come from him. “Scar, is he alright?”  
“Yes, I’m sorry little wolf...I don’t know what came over me, but have a good day at school Scarlett. I might see you tonight.” Harrison apologizes quietly with a dimmed smile to the teacher and her as well. He kneels next to her, and pulls her in for a tight hug. “Have a wonderful day little wolf.”  
“Uncle Harry?”  
“What can I do for you little wolf?”   
“When you smile my chest tingles.”  
“Scar, uh… I think you should talk to your mother about this feeling.”  
“No, not like that… I feel happy when you're happy, or anyone is happy and especially if I can help them become happy.” Scarlett explains with a roll of her eyes causing the man to purse his lips, and hug the girl tighter.   
“Talk to your mother, and I need to go.”  
“I will.” Scarlett promises as she unwraps herself, and let’s the teacher usher her into her seat to start the day’s lesson. Her siblings give her a curious look, but she just shakes her head and gestures to the teacher talking… she’d have to tell them eventually, but not until she figured out what her powers really meant. However, now was the time for learning so she diverted her attention to the topic at hand. 

Harrison 

Almost immediately after leaving the little girl’s presence he feels his normal numbness settle in again, and for once he doesn’t want it to be there… He wants to feel the happiness that Scarlett and her mother gave him… Albeit her mother didn’t do it on purpose, and he doubted her daughter did either from the way she described it. He re-enters his vehicle, starts it up, and then drives back to the house to discover it silent. Heading upstairs he hears the sound of coughing, and the soft shushing of Ryan as they whimpered weakly into his sides.   
“Harry?” Ryan questions in confusion, he had expected the man to disappear after taking the kids to school.  
“Yeah, uh is it cool if I just hang out for awhile? I don’t have anything else to do, and I want to talk to Geoff later.” Harrison inquires sheepishly to the Alpha who shrugs uncaringly.  
“Sure that’s fine with me, but won’t Russ want to talk to you?”  
“No, he’ll probably want to yell at Iri but he’s got nothing for me.”  
“Everyone always wants to yell at me.” Iri remarks somberly in Ryan’s warm side as she shivers slightly causing her Alpha to pull the blanket up tighter around her. Michael makes a needy sound that has Ryan rumbling soothingly, and placing soft kisses on the top of his head lightly.   
“It’s because you break so many rules.” Harrison states with a smile that has Iri grinning as well until she falls into a fit of coughing that shakes her small body.  
“Yorkie, can you get the cough syrup from the bathroom?” Iri asks in a breathy, scratchy voice. Harrison nods quickly as he disappears to get said medicine, and returns with the bottle. Handing it to Ryan who uncaps it he pours an estimated amount into her mouth, and turns to Michael who offers his mouth willingly. After doing the same for him the pair sink down fully into the covers, and each lie on a thigh. “Thanks Yorkie.”  
“No problem, Blue Lacy.” Harrison murmurs as he closes the door softly, and leaves the trio alone. Heading downstairs to clean up the breakfast dishes, it was oddly satisfying to clean up the minor mess, and soon he finds himself sweeping the kitchen floor… Harrison wasn’t really sure why exactly either. He thought it might be because the work provided him a much needed outlet to block out the numbness from before. Sure he could have covered it up with his snarky attitude, but he didn’t want to… He wanted that genuine happiness from before, and once Iri felt better he’d talk to her about it. But for now he would clean, and when he got done with that he’d probably go outside.


	135. His bark is much worse than his bite

3:22 pm

Ryan walked down the stairs to warm up some broth for the sick pair, and notices the lack of Harrison in the house. Shrugging he figured the man finally found something to do, but then he hears the sound of a car pulling up. Looking out the window he sees Harrison’s car on the side of the road and that’s when the kits file out, save for Felicia who had dance practice tonight. He also notices that the kitchen was significantly cleaner than it had been this morning. As they enter the house he finds Scarlett happily sitting on the man’s shoulders and giggling loudly… But what he really notices is the way Harrison beams at the girl… This was the same smile he wore for her mother, or when he and Iri were doing something they probably weren’t supposed to be and got caught… Like sparring vigorously without someone there to break it up in case it got too heated, or drinking at a bar. Though lately it seemed like the last one was the only thing they’d been caught doing, and Ryan silently hoped Iri wasn’t turning into an alcoholic like their eldest Alpha. He was trying to break the man of his habit, but the old fox was giving up a fight on this and Ryan silently wondered if it was more of a coping mechanism than anything else, akin to Michael and Iri’s cutting, Gavin’s desperate sexual appetite, Ray’s need to increase his gamer score, and his own desire to read. Ryan knew he read those books so he could quell the uncertainty in his mind, the uncertainty that led to fear, and many years ago under Godric’s persuading he took up the habit of finding out everything he could about whatever he was unsure of. The wolf had told him that fear was only quelled by knowledge, and knowing thy enemy was only ever to the victors advantage.  
“Hey guys, how was school?” Ryan asks as Scarlett leaps off Harrison’s shoulders to land ungracefully on the couch.   
“It was boring, didn’t learn anything you didn’t already teach us.” Dex remarks with a bored sigh as he and Leo head into the kitchen for snacks. “How’s Momma, and Daddy?”  
“Sick, and very sleepy… and what was the topic?”  
“Multiplication, and comma usage.” Leo answers through a mouthful of peanut butter as Scarlett grabs a bag of celery from the fridge. “Gross Scar.”  
“It’s not gross it’s nutritious… Uncle Harry how long are you staying till?”  
“Not much longer, just till Geoff gets home and I can talk to him.” Harrison lies as he snags a piece of celery, and ruffles the girl’s long wavy locks causing her to squawk indignantly much like her father did. He had no intentions of conversing with Geoff, but right now Iri was on the top of his list for people to talk to today. “Ryan is Iri well enough for a conversation?”  
“No, she… Iri what are you doing up?” Ryan asks in surprise as he watches the woman drag herself down the stairs, and practically fall into Harrison’s arms. “Iri?”  
“I’m… I’m okay, Harry.” Iri starts as she forces her body to hold itself up, trying to ease the worry she smelled radiating off the pair. Her children wore expressions that screamed panic, so she lets a soothing chitter fall from her lips much like she would do when they were babies. The kits visibly relax, she gestures to the backyard, and Harrison offers her an arm as they exit the house. “Such a gentlemen.”  
“No mon dame, il est seulement pour vous.” (No my lady, it is only for you.) Harry states with a smirk, and the woman just rolls her eyes while accompanying the man outside.   
“I’m sure you…. say… that to all the ladies.”  
“Only the ones who matter.” Harrison mutters softly, grimacing at the harsh coughs ravaging her throat, and he feels the light grip on his arm stiffen helping to steady her wavering body. “Have you been taking the medicine?”  
“...I.” Iri starts to stammer only to fall into coughs, her body rocking against Harrison's, and that is when he realizes what she's done.  
"Iri, have you been giving it to Michael?” Harrison asks when he notices how sheepish the woman is, and the way she refuses to meet his eyes. “You know Geoff will be furious.”  
“But Michael will be fine, and that’s all that matters to me.” Iri replies meeting her cousin’s worried eyes with a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, it’s just… just a cough.”  
“I’ll get more from Harold tonight.”  
“You're not staying?” Iri mumbles in confusion, the kits loved having him here and so did she... It wasn't often that they got to hang out with one of her blood relatives.  
“No… Ryan is.”  
“What did he say to you? I’ll fucking… fucking…. fuck.” Iri stutters out angrily only to give up when a fit of coughing envelopes her.   
“It’s not what he said, and I believe I’ve overstayed my welcome anyways.” Harrison answers softly, and Iri doesn’t miss the way his eyes flicker in sadness ever so slightly before returning to his normal lightness. Pulling the man’s chin up with a shaking finger she pulls him down to rest on her chest which smelled faintly of Gavin due to the Crystal Palace hoodie she was wearing. It was the same blue sweater that she wore on their first mission, and for some reason that brought a smile to his lips... But then again she would always find a way to. “....”  
“I have been an orphan for most of my life, and I know what this feels like… I know the pain in your heart, but know that you have me. I won’t abandon you, and I’m damn near impossible to kill, and Harry, you can stay here till the end of time. I don't care what kind of look Ryan gives you.” Iri tells the man sincerely, and kissing his head lovingly before releasing the Alpha who was now wearing a blank expression. However, before she can say more he pulls her into his arms for a nearly crushing hug. “I….I can’t… breathe.”  
“If your love hurts, than mine is suffocating.” Harrison answers quietly, but refusing to release the woman. “Why did it take the fucking worst circumstances for me to find you?”  
“Because life’s an asshole.” Iri responds with a pleasant smile that has the man chuckling and loosening his grip on her lightly, but still holding her close. “So… So Scar’s power?”  
“The ability to provide happiness, she can influence someone’s perception of life to make them see the bright side or cast an illusion if the mind is susceptible to it…. and from what she told me her chest tingles when she does it.” Harrison informs the woman who had woken up just to hear what he had to say about it.  
“Hmm, that’s an interesting combination of mine and Gavin’s powers... Yours too if she can provide illusions… Do you think she can do it with all of the emotions or just happiness?” Iri says quietly from her place on his broad chest.  
“Just happiness for now, but as she grows older I believe she will be able to cast the feeling into others much like you can cast your mind into another’s.” Harrison conjectures as his cousin finally wriggles out of his grip, and lies on the sun warmed cement patio they sat on. “Iri are.”  
“I’m fine, just tired… and sick… So Dex is telepathetic, Leo has visions of decisions based on touch, Fel produces fire that is so cold it burns, and Scar makes people happy… What an odd group.” Iri mumbles softly in thought trying to remember how she got here… Sure she knew how it happened, but what an odd string of events that lead them to here. All connected by two things, a genetic defect and a madman.... Probably not the best place for a relationship to grow, but none the less it did. “Harry are you coming to the wedding?”  
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world… When is it?”  
“Not really sure, but I hope I live long enough to make it to it.”   
“That’s rather dark even for you, and you will… Tch you kick ass Tex there’s no doubt about it.”  
“I… I hope you're right.” Iri trails off in thought as she gazes up at the clear blue sky above her with a tired sigh on her lips. Harrison says nothing choosing to gaze up at the sky as well, wondering what the actual ceremony would look like considering the anomaly of the situation... It would be a sight to see, and his cousin punches him weakly at that thought causing him to chuckle. However, the chuckle stops when his ears catch the sound of the sliding door open, and he turns to see Ryan's tight lipped expression staring at him. Harrison listened to the quiet murmuring of Ronald who uttered something about remembering the smell coming off this man.... And how it belonged to a wolf named Godric who had been a particularly vicious wolf that he had the displeasure of meeting many... many times. Perhaps this was the reason the Alpha didn't really care for his presence.   
“Fawn, it’s time to come back inside. You need to rest, and Geoff is here if you wanted to talk Harrison.” Ryan states as he exits the house to come over to where the pair seemed to be sharing a moment of silence. He wanted to say it felt uneasy, but the pair made it seem surprisingly comfortable. The gent says nothing more choosing to stoop low, and scoop up the sickly woman who didn’t bother arguing with him. “Bambi, you're shaking.”  
“I’m cold Stag.”  
“Well then let’s get you back in bed, snuggled up beside Michael.” Ryan suggests with a smile as he feels the woman relax into his chest, and purr softly when he places a soft kiss on her burning forehead. He carries his mate back inside with Harrison not far behind, and watches the man bypass Geoff who had been waiting casually to talk to the man. Harrison just continues out the front door after giving the kits a wave goodbye, and Iri just sighs in defeat. She'd hoped her words got through to him, but it seems they did naught to dissuade the coyote from his plan of action.  
“Kit, what did he need to talk about?" Geoff asks curiously, Ryan had told him the man had wanted to talk to him but the way he just walked out suggested otherwise.  
“Nothing Geoff, just family stuff.” Iri mumbles with a yawn before Ryan takes this as his cue to head up the stairs with Geoff not far behind, two steaming mugs in his hands. Ryan lies the woman down gently next to Michael who was shivering under the covers. Michael says nothing as he snuggles next to Iri’s body in a desperate attempt to get warm only to feel her body colder than his. “Sorry Michael, I’m the same temp.” Iri mumbles apologetically to the lad who shrugs, and continues clinging to her.   
“Michael, sit up and drink this baby boy… Mmm good boy.” Geoff praises when he does as he’s asked, to keep the mug from spilling Geoff assists the shaking feline in drinking while Ryan does the same for Iri. Once the mugs were empty the pair usher the Omegas back down under the covers, and sit on the side of each of them while running soothing fingers through their hair till they fell back asleep. When they were absolutely positive they were deep asleep the Alphas leave the room, and wander downstairs in search of the rest of the pack. Listening quietly they hear the sound of laughter coming from the basement, and the upset squeaks of Gavin and his daughter. Smiling at the sound they find the group engaged in a game of trivial pursuit that Leo and Fel were dominating with Ray and Dex in a close second leaving Scar and her father in dead last, but the pair seemed content to just play. Ryan notices how happy the pack seemed despite the pair who were very sick upstairs, and he wonders if Gavin was influencing them or if they were just good at making the best of this situation… Though it’s not like it was uncommon for the pair to be sick, but this level of illness was a bit unheard of and Geoff could tell Dex and Leo were worried by the way their lips were chewed to hell. Just like Iri, and Michael when they became worried.   
“Papa will you play with us?” Dex asks when he notices his father’s appearance, and Geoff just nods while sitting beside him and Ray. Ryan joins Scarlet’s team, and helps to bring them up to at least be able to say they tried. Despite the team’s willingness to lose. When it finally comes down to the last few questions, Leo makes a bad call causing Fel to sigh at their upcoming defeat… However, Geoff watches his son snatch the controller from Ray, and quickly choose the wrong answer giving the other two the win. He gave Dex a knowing glance, and couldn’t help the proud smile he wore at his actions… ‘They needed it more.’ Dex whispers into his mind, and Geoff just nuzzles his son lovingly.   
‘Good boy Dexter, good boy.’ Geoff praises, feeling the wave of happiness wash through his son’s mind, and it causes a chuckle to fall lightly from his lips as he held him.   
“Papa what’s for dinner?” Scar inquires, her stomach rumbling hungrily lately they’d noticed an influx in hunger from the kits. Ryan had suggested something about a growth spurt, but Iri simply reminded him that as their powers developed much like their bodies they would need more nourishment. With that thought in mind he glances to his watch, and notices the time read 7:32 pm. “I vote alfredo.”  
“Mmm, that would be top Geoff.” Gavin purrs hungrily while the rest of the pack to nod and make sounds of agreement as well.   
“No rest for the wicked… Kits come help me make a salad.” Geoff says with a tired sigh, and the children happily abandon their game to help the pack Alpha. As the group leaves Ray shifts down, and tackles an unsuspecting Gavin who is suddenly bowled over by an ocelot.   
“X-Ray!”  
“Vav, shift down and let me groom you.” Ray demands, he was getting dangerously close to his heat and his instincts were clawing at him to groom someone. He’d tried to get Felicia to comply, but she had hissed lowly at him and went back to doing her homework before they started the game. So now he turns his attentions to Gavin who was about a week away from his own heat, their scents mingled together casting the house in a rose garden perfume. Geoff had tried spraying neutralizer, but the scent just seemed to linger despite his best efforts to quell it. However, now it seemed to overpower the younger gent sitting beside a mewling man with the jungle cat nuzzling his neck desperately. “Please, it’ll feel so good.”  
“X-Ray sod off.” Gavin snaps, he wasn’t feeling great and the sudden attack from Ray didn’t help him any. Shoving the cat off he retreats into Ryan’s lap, and cuddles in close to his neck with a meek whimper.   
“I’ll protect you from big bad Ray.” Ryan murmurs jokingly with a smirk as Gavin gets closer; he nips at the man’s nose causing him to scowl, and ducks his head down exposing the back of his unmarked neck. Lowering his mouth he begins sucking dark bruises that left the man moaning into his shoulder, and his hips grinding down slightly. Ray seeing the change in dynamic shifts back, and tries to get in on the action but the pair seem to be stuck in their own little world. Huffing quietly Ray stomps upstairs to find Geoff, and the kits diligently working on the meal so as a last resort he heads up to the bedroom to see how the other two were doing. He opens the door quietly, and is immediately struck with the scent of sickness, scowling at the bitter stench he heads to the window to open it. Ray figures fresh air might do the duo some good, and after that he shifts back down to leap on the bed. Landing on the soft surface with no sound he pads over to where the mass of blankets was breathing weakly.   
“Guys?” Ray meows softly, at first he expects to hear no answer, but soon Michael’s head pops up and he opens the covers enough for the jungle cat to worm his way in between them. “How are you feeling?”  
“Sick… If I shift will you groom me?.. Marmar thinks that will make us feel better.” Michael asks sheepishly, he wouldn’t admit how needy that sounded but Marcus was sure it would help so he’d allow it.   
“Of course, Skye you want to get in on this?” Ray inquires his tail flitting happily at the lynx’s proposal. He turns to his mate who merely shakes her head, and curls in on herself tightly. Lexi however, appears on the side of the bed.   
“She’s not healing as well as Todd and I would like… Harry is going to take us to Harold tomorrow for a diagnosis.” Lexi informs the man despite the way the woman whines on the bed. “You are going.”  
“I don’t wanna.” Iri pouts with a muffled whimper as she pulls the blanket over her head in an attempt to hide from her predator.  
“Mistress, do not argue with me.”  
“...” Iri chooses to say nothing in rebuttal, choosing to sigh quietly only to fall into a harsh coughing fit that leaves her gasping and fighting to breathe. Her mates immediately at her side, and Michael helps her to sit up, her shoulders heaving as she fought to catch her breath. However, pushing them away she forces herself to get up and off the bed. Before they can stop her she disappears from the room leaving them alone only the sound of her coughs echoing in the room. Ray makes to go after her, but the needy whimper Michael makes reminds him of his own need. Turning to the man who had shifted down, and was waiting patiently. Michael merely releases relaxed purrs when the ocelot runs his tongue over his red brown speckled fur. Ray lets a soothing rumble come from his chest that has the bobcat fully relaxed, and tail drowsily flitting on the bed his ears lazily twitching at the sounds of the room. The ocelot doesn’t stop grooming him till he’s sure the cat is completely asleep, and that’s when he takes this as his cue to curl around him. Instinct told him it was to protect him, but Flynt said it was to help Marcus relax… Either way Ray didn’t fight the urge, maintaining a comforting purr to assure his mate everything was fine.


	136. Can I?

Meanwhile

Iri managed to stagger into her studio, and find her phone. She has several missed calls from Derrick, two from her Dad, and one from Miles…Though the only one that truly stuck out in her mind was Miles'. Why would Miles call her?... Was he okay? She hoped everything was alright because she was in no mood to go kick Chris’ ass… Assuming he was the problem. Iri takes a seat at her desk, her mind still wondering why Miles could have possibly called, and that’s when it dawns on her. Miles was probably looking for her because he needed the sketches for Thursday, cursing her forgetfulness Iri immediately grabs a pencil, paper, and the script to begin sketching. Reading through the scenes was easy, but for some reason lifting that pencil and dragging it across the paper was torture. It was akin to fighting with no sleep, she could do it sure but it wasn’t pleasant and nowhere as effective as it should have been… Her sketches were mediocre at best. After about a half hour, ten cap erasers, and seven sheets of paper Iri manages to produce one viable sketch, colored and ready to be given to the animators. Placing it to the side Iri just slumps forward to rest her head on the desk, not even bothering to move the colored pencils scattered about. She doesn’t even bother looking back when she hears the door open, choosing to ignore whoever it was in favor of resting. However, the person just walks over their steps light and quick… It wasn’t an adult, and most certainly not Leo because he stomped around like a dinosaur… much like his father.   
“Momma?” Dex’s soft tone inquires as he nudges his mother’s side gently trying to see if she was awake or asleep at her desk… Not an unusual sight, but usually she turned the light off first and the room would be filled with soft snore not her ragged breaths. “Momma are you awake?”  
“Mmhmm… Whatcha need Dexy?” Iri mumbles in response her face still pressed against her arms on the desk, and merely shifting her eyes up to meet his. Though when she does she can see the worry on his face, but she can also see how he’s tried to hide it. “Don’t… I’m fine.”  
“No, you aren’t… Momma you are sick, Papa said dinner is done are you hungry?” Dex asks, and watches his mother shake her head, her eyes closing briefly and if Dex hadn’t heard her talk he’d think she was dead… She looked it, her skin was dangerously pale, eyes lifeless and glossy, her hair looked dingy, and her tail hung limply out of the chair just barely touching the ground. ‘Momma?’  
‘I’m coming Dex, just give me a minute… and get your father please.’ Iri tells the boy mentally as she feels another coughing fit rack her body, she can see her son dash from the room to do as she asked. With each chest rattling cough Iri feels weaker, and weaker barely able to keep breathing that was the reason he was getting Geoff because if she stopped breathing she wanted the gent to be here to resuscitate her. She tries to stay in the seat, but one of the coughs forces her to the ground and Iri coughs so hard she vomits onto a pile of drop cloths… Inspecting it weakly Iri sees specs of red blood mixing with the murky liquid. She just growls inwardly, and let’s her weak body rest beside the puddle still coughing faintly, feeling guilty about the mess she’d just made. It can’t be more than a minute or two before Geoff’s footsteps fill her ears, and the sound of his gasp as well.   
“Iri what are you doing out of bed?”  
“Being dumb.” Iri responds when her coughs finally subside leaving her head aching, and her chest heaving… She figured of all the choices she’s made up until this point were reckless, but this one was purely stupid. What kind of work could she produce in this state?  
“Yeah working like this was idiotic.”  
“Not only that… I… I switched mugs.” Iri admits quietly, not bothering to meet Geoff’s disappointed eyes choosing to stare at the floor.  
“You what?” Geoff snaps as he helps the woman sit up, and he brushes her long red bangs out of her face.   
“I… Michael’s getting better.” Iri offers sheepishly causing Geoff to purse his lips and shake his head at her selflessness. “Ray won’t need to film that Rage Quit.”  
“Iridessa, you are trying my patience.”  
“It’s what I do best.”  
“You probably have pneumonia.” Geoff adds tiredly, he’d send Todd in there later to see if he could heal anymore of the damage, but he doubted the fox could provide much more relief than he already had.  
“I do… It’s pretty bad… I vomited blood.” Iri confirms from the spot she laid on the ground, and used her powers to gather up the soiled drop cloth, pushing it to the corner of the room. Though she almost regretted that because of the way the room started to spin.  
“Wonderful…. Let’s get you back in the shower, you're burning up again.” Geoff says as he lifts the woman up, takes her back to their room, and then to the bathroom connected to it. Turning on the shower he undresses the woman slowly, careful not to touch her too much in case her body was still sensitive like it had been this morning but judging by her murmured purrs he figures the symptom was gone. Urging her into the cool water was however not as easy as it had been this morning, due to the fact that she was not nearly as weak as her behavior suggested. After a solid five minutes of her fighting him, and trying to best to avoid the frigid spray Geoff decides to take her to the bathtub. This time he undresses himself as well, and sits down in the tub with her while the water runs. She tries to fight him, but curling his arms around her tightly the woman is forced to stay. “Shhh, be still.”  
“Papa it’s cold.” Iri whines into his neck, her limbs pressed up tightly against the man in an attempt to flee the frigid water all around them. Geoff says nothing, running a soothing hand through her tail, and trying to ease her arched hips into the water which he might add is fucking freezing.   
“Fucking lucky I love you.” Geoff gripes, and forces her body down further into the rising water despite its protests. Once the water was at his chest, and Iri’s chin from where she laid on him he shuts the faucet off… and coats his body in a thin shield that kept the cold out. It took a lot of focus, but soon he was just able to enjoy sitting in a room temperature tub of water while his lover whimpered from his chest at the cold. After about ten minutes of quiet he feels her try to shift away, but his grip kept her close. “Kit, I will not warn you again. Be still or I’ll get my belt.”  
“...” Part of Iri wanted to struggle again, fight the man, and hopefully escape the icy bath but the other half of her knew this was helping to keep her fever down… Also she kind of wondered if Geoff would truly whip her, and as if he read her thoughts he pulls her chin up so her eyes meet his.  
“I will, and then you’ll be put back in here so just save me the trouble.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri replies softly nuzzling his chest, and doing her best to ignore the cold all around her focusing on the meager warmth Geoff’s body provided her. “I...love you.” Iri chatters out, and Geoff merely kisses her forehead in answer. He reaches for the shampoo, grabs a palmful, and begins to lather up her back enjoying the purrs that ensue. She tries to grind her hips against his in order to get friction, but Geoff stills her right away. “Papa?”  
“Kit, you are far too sick for that.”  
“But.”  
“...” Geoff cuts her off with a glare, and a sharp growl that has her shaking in his arms. Now whether that be from the cold around them, or the sound itself he couldn’t be sure of but she did quit moving her hips. She tries to flick her tail out of his reach, but he just grabs the appendage, and douses it in the water causing her to gasp with her lips immediately on his flesh biting softly. Pulling it up he begins sudsing it up, and if he thought the woman was purring before she was practically moaning at his touches. “... Sensitive?”  
“Papa.” Iri keens desperately in between her nipping, and she can hear the man beneath her sighing softly as he pulls her legs open a bit more. Rubbing his half hard cock against her hot sex was enough to bring him into full arousal, well that and the moans that were falling from her lips… It sounded like she was in heat, but he knew she was just sick. Guiding her hips down slowly he chuckles at her eager little chirps as he enters her inch by inch. Going slow was not generally his or her favorite way to have sex, but now it felt good to just enjoy the feeling. Iri loved to be filled, and Geoff loved how her pussy clamped around his cock hungrily. The pair just sit like that for a few moments before Iri starts to ride him slowly at a pace that somehow seemed to satisfy both of them, and after about fifteen minutes of it he cums deep inside her, tugging her tail roughly to bring her over the edge as well. His knot locks tightly, and he smiles as the panting woman slumps sleepily at his chest, no longer concerned with the cold water.   
“Good girl, a very good girl.” Geoff praises into the woman’s wet hair, and kisses her scalp lightly. Her sopping wet tail drags itself up out of the water, and wraps around his hand that had settled around her waist. Iri says nothing as she reaches for the other hand that was idly stroking her cheek, and she entangles his fingers with hers still refusing to meet his eyes. Raising his hand to her lips she places soft kisses on the back of it; he was going to say something but instead chooses to bite his tongue and let Iri wrap herself around his arm. “I love you.”  
“I am aware.” She replies with a snarky smile that has Geoff chuckling, and nuzzling her with his chin.   
“My sweet, rambunctious Kit.” Geoff murmurs into the side of her head. “How are you doing?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Kit… Kit, don’t play dumb.”  
“Oh.” Iri trails off quietly a weak cough leaves her lips.  
“If… If you don’t.”  
“No, I… just you know things have been so busy, and that seems to have sated it so… so right now it’s not bad...I still.”  
“Show me.” Geoff urges quietly, and even though they were naked and he could see every inch of her skin, Geoff was amazed when the glimmer disappeared revealing three deep cuts. He reaches down to heal them, but the woman grabs his hands tightly. “Iri?”  
“Don’t… I’ll just have to redo it, and.”  
“Why must you continue to do this?”   
“Because if I don’t than I have to bark, and if you won’t let me bark than I must do this… Otherwise, I… It gets antsy, and snappy… It fights for its freedom like I never did.” Iri remarks somberly to her Alpha who just holds her tightly. She didn’t want to cry, and she wouldn’t… she swore she wouldn’t, she’d killed people in cold blood… Cold blooded killers don’t cry, especially not in their mate’s lap like a child… No she wasn’t going to cry so she took a deep breath that turned into sputtering coughs as unwanted tears prick at her eyes. How could Geoff want someone like her? She was broken, damaged, and with absolutely no possibilities of ever being healed… To be declared a Vagabond is a life sentence, and she’d seen the aftermath of the violent disease. The foxes whose mind it ravaged, and left them more animal than person… Many of those people chose to live out their days as foxes, they chose to just succumb to the temptation it gave. The Vagabond called to her on the darkest of nights, when she was still awake due to her insomnia and it persuaded her to leave… to wander the night, and run… To run so far that Iri had to text Geoff with a lie, her condition didn’t force her to be reclusive but it sure as hell didn’t make being friendly easy.   
“Love, are you alright? I can feel your distress from downstairs.” Gavin inquires as he enters the bathroom to find the pair cuddling in the bathtub, and he makes a needy sound in the back of his throat. He wanted to cuddle with Geoff in the bathtub, and from the smell of arousal permeating the air he bet the man was still inside her too. “Geoff!”  
“I was just going to go… He’s all yours Gavi.” Iri mumbles, and stands up too fast for Geoff to stop. She grabs a nearby towel and hurriedly walks into her studio… It’s there she lets the tears finally fall. They were bitter, painful tears that left her eyes puffy and sore, her already dry throat raw, and her body weaker than she’s ever been. Iri allows the pain, regret, and loneliness wash through her like a tidal wave and when it’s gone she feels numb again… She feels nothing, but emptiness and pain… Pain was such a familiar feeling at this point in her life that she almost called it a friend, at this point she could tell you more about pain than she could actual happiness, and for once Iri was completely okay with that. Maybe it was time she just give up on this happiness bullshit, and just accept the pain.   
“Momma?... Momma open the door!” Scarlett insists urgently, she could feel her mother’s unhappiness and she knew she could help. “Momma please!”  
“Okay… Come in Scar.” Iri relents as she drags herself up to a sitting position, and wrapped the towel around herself tighter as her daughter enters the room. Scarlett says nothing more before wrapping her arms around her mother.   
“Momma, I love you.” Scar declares affectionately, practically tackling her mother as her skin tingles so much it makes her feel numb.   
“I love you too Princess.” Iri assures her daughter as she holds her tightly, and kisses the top of her head.   
“Momma, it’s not… Why aren’t you happy?... It works… Uncle Harry was so happy.” Scarlett mutters in disbelief, and watches as her mother just holds her. “Momma, why aren’t you happy?”  
“Scar, some people are just too sad.”  
“No Momma, you're just a telepath and that’s why it’s not working.” Felicia interjects as she enters the room with Leo and Dex not far behind. “Scar’s powers don’t work on Dex or Papa either… Todd told us it’s because telepaths have a natural resistance to status changes.”  
“Mhmm, now shouldn’t you four be in bed?” Iri asks with a smirk that soon turns into coughing, and she has to turn her head to keep the children from being infected.   
“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Dex quips in a smart tone that makes Iri narrow her eyes at the boy’s disrespectful tone. “I’m only kidding Momma.”  
“I know, now go to bed you four.”  
“Hugs?”  
“Always.” Iri promises as the children rush to wrap themselves around her, and purr into her neck seeking comfort now knowing that come tomorrow she may not be there. It was a sad thought, but the kits accepted that their mother was different than most, and sometimes that meant not seeing her for a while… And when she came home she might be covered in blood, or worse. So for now they would cherish this time they had with her, and on the nights when she was gone they’d call upon Lance to bring them dreams of her. The children purr, and coo affectionately till the sound of someone clearing their throat interrupts them. Turning to face the sound they find Ryan standing in the doorway with crossed arms, and pursed lips as though the scene displeased him. “Stag what’s the matter?”  
“Those ones need to be in bed, and you need to come eat dinner. Geoff already fed Michael, and now we’re just waiting on you so we can start the dishwasher.” Ryan explains as he motions for the kits to leave, and Iri to come to him. The group parts with a groan, and the kits file out of the room after giving the gent goodnight kisses leaving just Iri and Ryan alone in the dark studio. “So why did you seduce Geoff?”  
“It wasn’t seduction, I just happened to find his touch arousing… Shouldn’t I take pleasure in my mate’s touch, or would you rather choose to believe that female attraction is just a myth and I’m an excellent actress.” Iri purrs as she saunters over to Ryan who just watches with a smile.   
“You are a riding a thin line, and unlike Geoff I have no problem whipping you before dinner.” Ryan teases his light smile turning deadly, and his lips quirking slightly causing the woman to shiver, pausing in her steps.   
“Oh…. no.” Iri mutters sarcastically in between coughs, only to feel herself dragged into her possessive mate’s arms. She goes to say something, but her coughing fit hadn’t subsided yet. Ryan takes this time to lift the woman up, and carry her to their bedroom. “Ry… Rya.”  
“Shh, just a few… Just to get your ass nice, and red.” Ryan assures the coughing woman who shakes her head, and tries to squirm away but stills when the man growls darkly. He places her down on the bed, and she flips herself over knowing that arguing would only prolong this. Purring at her obedience he decides that his belt wouldn’t be necessary, he starts with undoing the towel she kept wrapped around herself, and once gone he pulls her over his lap. Iri hadn’t realized that he was going to spank her like this… She tries to worm out of his grip, but he holds her tight and listens to her embarrassed whimpers with an uncaring look. “You’ve been misbehaving for the last few days, and this is what you get. Now be still.” Ryan shushes as he starts to pepper her ass with light blows just to get the woman warmed up for his harder hits. The hits weren’t anything Iri couldn’t handle, but the feeling of being dominated was what she truly craved… Or at least her Omega did… And if Iri hadn’t been so drenched in the feeling of it she’d have pondered that thought, but as each hit landed on her ass she felt herself sink deeper and deeper into subspace till she felt nothing that couldn’t be categorized as pleasantly numb. Iri couldn’t tell how long he’d been smacking her ass or what was happening around her, but she could tell her Alpha was moving her. Looking up at him with hazy eyes she sees a warm smile, and gentle eyes staring back at her.   
“Daddy?”  
“Shh Fawn, are you going to be good for me?” Ryan inquires with a stern look, and watches the woman nod against his shoulder. “Excellent, now open your mouth.” Ryan orders as he raises a spoon to her lips, and she takes it easily. After a few more spoonfuls Iri reaches for the cup to feed herself. Ryan however, ignores her wanting hands and continues lifting the spoon to her lips.   
“R.”  
“Shush, let your Stag feed his sick little Fawn…. My frail little Bambi.” Ryan purrs into her scalp, and kisses it softly. Iri says nothing too focused on the food being slowly presented to her, and she wished she could just do this herself, but the happy scents and soothing smiles that radiate from the gent told her he needed this… So she’d let him coddle her, though given how weak she was it wasn’t like her body gave her mind much of a choice. Once the food was gone Iri just snuggles close to the man’s neck as he lifted her up, and placed her under the covers beside Michael who was already sleeping.  
“Ry… Ry, we can’t sleep up here.”  
“Shh, you can because Todd and Lexi are providing us with masks so to speak.” Ryan explains to the woman who just yawns widely, turns over, and wraps her arms around Michael’s torso purring into his back. The gent says nothing choosing to chuckle quietly while wrapping his arms around her torso. As he curled around the woman curling around Michael, he thought silently to himself that the pair didn’t need to know about the sleeping syrup he’d put in their dinners or the cough suppressant either. He laid there with his eyes closed beside his sickly mates until around one in the morning when he realized Gavin, Ray, and Geoff still hadn’t come to bed. Extracting himself from the snoozing pair’s side, he makes his way towards the heat room where the trio were most likely at. Opening the door slowly he finds Ray and Gavin both tied up in various ways, and knotting vibrators whirring loudly in their slick holes, Geoff on the other hand was sitting on several blankets with his laptop on his lap and a scowl on his lips. Ignoring the pair moaning desperately he takes a seat down beside Geoff, and kisses the side of his head. Geoff doesn’t shift his gaze continuing to type, but does make a grunt of hello.  
“Rrr... Rr…” Gavin nearly shouts through his gag, he was trying to say Ryan but the man’s panel gag made it impossible to make more than the sound of the first letter.   
“Gavin, I put the gag on you so you’d stop interrupting conversations… Must I find a different one to better stop your throat from making noise?” Geoff asks tiredly as he glimpses up to the Omega who fell silent instantly. “Why must it always be a threat with you three?.... One day I would love it if you would just do as I ask. I never ask much, I just want to be obeyed!” Geoff finishes with an angry growl that has Gavin shaking in his restraints. Ryan wasn’t sure what was eating at his mate, but it must have been something horrible if he responded like this to Gavin’s talking. They all knew the Brit would talk, and he could talk a person to death if he wanted to, more often than not his constant chattering would bring a pleasant smile to his lips but now it seemed to bring the opposite.   
“Geoffy, what’s the matter?”  
“Don’t fucking call me that Ryan! My name is Geoff, get it right.” Geoff snaps causing Ryan to nod slowly, and offer his pack Alpha a soothing chitter while lying his head on Geoff’s shoulder. “... I’m sorry… It’s just that they’re in heat, the other two are sick, and Dex was being particularly reclusive lately… I don’t know why, but he puts me on edge when he gets like that… At least when Leo’s upset he’ll punch someone, or Scar will sing angry songs, Felicia will dance until her anger is gone, but Dex… Well Dex gets silent, he broods like his mother, and when you least expect it he’ll lash out or burst into tears.” Geoff tells the other with an exasperated tone as he finally looks up from his email; he felt mildly less agitated after explaining his frustration to the gent who listened happily. “But, enough about me how are you doing?”  
“I’m solid, no complaints from my end... Except.” Ryan trails off with a playful smirk that has Geoff cocking an eyebrow at him.  
“Except?”  
“I find myself feeling rather empty lately, and seeing our boys stretched out so wonderfully I can’t help but feel a bit jealous.” Ryan murmurs with a suggestive smile, and takes the camouflage off of his ears. Geoff watches with a grin as the two fluffy appendages make an appearance, and he doesn’t hesitate to stroke them, enjoying the soft rumbles that come from his lover's lips. Putting his laptop aside he nudges Ryan onto his stomach, and pulls his lover’s shorts down. “Alpha.”  
“Yes James?” Geoff inquires, enjoying the whine that falls from his lips at the use of his first name. He doesn’t wait for the Alpha’s answer choosing to push his hips up, and spread his cheeks wide, pressing soft kisses down his back he begins lapping at the man’s puckered entrance.   
“Geoff!” Ryan yips when he feels the man’s slippery tongue enter him, and it is then joined by a finger. At that sound the boys turn their heads back to see Geoff licking Ryan open, and the needy sounds that leave Gavin’s mouth aren’t even comparable to the arousing scent pouring off of Ray. However, the Alphas weren’t fazed in the slightest and continue on with their ministrations. It doesn’t take long for Ryan to open up, and Geoff suspects the man had been wearing a plug for most of the day.  
“James, have you been wearing a plug?” Geoff asks pulling his tongue back, and reaching behind him he finds a tube of lube, chuckles mildly at the rhyme, and then slicks up his cock. Lining up slowly he enjoys the whimpers that fall from the younger gent’s lips savoring the look of dishevelment on his face and the way his hips arch back wantonly at Geoff's line of questioning. “Answer me James.”  
“Yes Geoff, yes I have now will you please put that large cock of yours into me… I don’t believe I can stand anymore teasing.” Ryan pleads his voice laced with desperation that makes the Alpha in Geoff willing to acquiesce in his teasing. He loved to push Ryan’s buttons, but not so much so that Godric needed to come out and start demanding. Geoff’s slicked cock easily finds its way into Ryan, and the sounds of contentment that fall from both their lips leave the boys wanting on the sides.   
“God damn, you are an exquisite piece of ass… I couldn’t, nor will I never find one as refined as you… Nothing compares to the feeling of your silken walls clamping so eagerly around my cock, as if begging me to go deeper.” Geoff praises with a reverent tone that has the younger gent flushing and ducking his head like a bashful schoolgirl.  
“Geoff…” Ryan trails off as the man starts to rock his hips roughly, and hitting the spot inside of him that makes stars dance across his vision. He tries to form words, but his lips refuse him so Geoff merely smirks, and links their minds together. The eldest gent chooses to show him flashes of memories, playing the greatest moments of their lives so far. The first time they met, their first fight which led to both of them ending up in the hospital in need of stitches, him asking Ryan how he felt about joining their pack, the birth of their children, and lastly him proposing to the hesitant Alpha who just smiled brightly and accepted. He knows it’s incredibly sappy, but Geoff was always known to be sentimental at the wrong times. It doesn’t take much more for them to cum, and when they do, Geoff’s knot locking tightly inside him with I love you echoed through his mind in a breathless tone. Ryan wants to grumble about being locked together, or complain about what if the kits come looking, but he just can’t because of the warm feeling he feels in his heart. “I never knew you cared so much.”   
“Hurtful Ry, hurtful.” Geoff pouts as he slaps his ass sharply causing the other to laugh quietly at his reaction. “Now be a good Puppy for Papa, and milk my knot.”  
“.... I’m not calling you Papa, Geoff.” Ryan states in a flat tone that causes the pouting man to continue his expression. “King, don’t pout… it isn’t becoming of thee.”  
“One day I'll get you... But for now, I’ll settle for that.” Geoff mumbles with a lazy smirk as he kisses the back of his lover’s sweaty neck, and scratches his ears lightly. “Such a good hound for your King.”  
“...” Ryan says nothing, but allows the man to have his moment. “Do you feel better King?”  
“I do, and it seems Gavin has learned some manners.” Geoff comments while casting a glance back to the pair of mewling Omegas who have just seemed to accept their fate. “Ry, are you good to help me with them after my knot goes down?”  
“Yeah, but don’t we have to go to work tomorrow?”  
“Uh, one of us has to stay home because now we’ve got two Omegas in heat, and two sick. Burnie actually offered to take the kits for the week, and I think that might be a good choice given the circumstances.” Geoff tells him, and the other Alpha just nods in agreement before trying to tug off. “Hold up Ry, not done yet.” Geoff grimaces, and rocks his hips a few times causing another spurt of cum to fill the gent. “King loves filling his loyal hound.” Geoff purrs while nosing at the scent glands on his neck. “One day I’m going to get you a pretty collar… Like one of those ones Gavin buys, and parade you around the office so everyone will know your mine.”   
“...” Ryan just moans softly while arching back, his limp cock twitching in interest.  
“Ryan, I never knew you were voyeuristic…. Maybe I’ll make good on that then.”   
“Geoff, if you keep talking like that you're going to have put that hand to use.”   
“Mmm I’ll just.” He pulls out. “Introduce you to my Puppy.” Geoff murmurs while helping him up, and walking over to where Gavin laid silently, now resigned to his fate. “How are you doing Gav?”  
‘Geoffffffff!’ Gavin whines so loudly in Geoff’s mind that it has him chuckling. ‘Daddy please, please Daddy, please!’ Gavin begs desperately, and Geoff’s ears prick up at this. He pulls off Gavin’s panel gag, and rubs at his aching jaw.  
“What did you just call me?” Geoff asks with intrigue, undoing his Puppy’s spreader bar, and helping him to straighten himself up enough to be on his hand and knees. “Hmm, what did you say to me?”  
“I...Nothing.” Gavin stutters in embarrassment, ducking his head in shame but Geoff just walks up to the front of him and picks his chin up softly. “It..You..”  
“Shh, you can call me that when you're ready.” Geoff purrs into his lips as he kisses him softly, Gavin wasn't a man who became flustered easily but in that moment he had never felt so insecure; however, Geoff's calming words and touch soothed him immensely.   
“I love you Daddy.” Gavin whispers so quietly into his lover’s lips that Geoff wasn’t quite sure he actually heard it. “Bloody hell that feels weird.”  
“It does, doesn’t it?.. But you’ve never called me that before. Why now Gavvers?”  
“I’m… I’m not quite sure, but.. but Iri and Micoo seem so happy … so relaxed, and I wanted to try it.” Gavin explains meekly, and Geoff just purrs softly into his lips. “Daddy.”  
“Yes my sweet boy?”  
“God, I feel.. I feel absolutely filthy when I say that.”  
“Mmm well you're looking rather filthy right now with your ass cheeks spread, and a begging hole just aching to have Daddy’s knot in it… Would you like that sweet boy? You want Daddy’s knot to stretch you open, is that what my good boy wants?” Geoff purrs seductively as he trails his fingers through Gavin's blondish brown locks, and down his back till he comes to the man’s wanton, wet hole. “Well do you? Answer your Daddy.” Geoff orders his tone taking a strict edge that makes Gavin whimper.   
“I… Ye… Yes.”  
“Yes what?” Geoff pushes, wondering how far Gavin would go with it.  
“Geoff, I… Please.” Gavin mumbles sheepishly.  
“Okay, we’re not ready for that yet… Shh, don’t shake Daddy’s got you… Shh, such a good boy Gavin, such a good boy.” Geoff praises when he notices how the man seems to shake in apprehension at his demanding, and rather than demanding more from his mate he begins lapping at his slick covered hole working the toy out slowly. “Gav, you taste so fresh… Just like wandering through a meadow.” He purrs in between licks, savoring the grassy scent on his tongue and watching his lover’s hole quiver in want. However, before he can comment the sound of grunting catching his ear, and tilting his head to the side he sees Ryan already pounding into Ray roughly. “Gav, you want it soft and slow, or hard and rough?”  
“Rough please Geoff.”  
“Anything for my sweet Puppy.” Geoff purrs as he pulls his mouth away, and lines himself up quickly. “It’s going to be a long night Gav, I hope you're ready for it.”


	137. Decisions Hastily Made

5:42 am

Iri awoke to the sound of Michael coughing, and the feeling of an empty bed. Blinking away the sleep swiftly she wrenches herself, and wipes at her nose only to feel something sticky there. Bringing her fingers back she stumbles towards the bathroom light, a bright crimson covering her fingertips. Wiping it on her naked body because apparently she hadn’t put any clothes after Ryan fed her last night. The fox ignores the blood still dripping from her nose for her sick mate, who was coughing harshly over the toilet.  
“Red, how are you doing?”  
“Not bad, just.. just bad dream and I didn’t want to wake you.” Michael answers tiredly as he runs the back of his hand over his mouth, cleaning the spit from his lips, and casting a worried glance up at his lover. “Iri, your nose is bleeding.”  
“I know, but what was your dream about?” Iri inquires, sitting down beside the tub and taking him into his arms. She strokes his hair soothingly, and smiles at the soft purrs he makes in response.   
“Daphne.”  
“Mmm, that one again… I’m so sorry he did that to you.”  
“I know… She was so brave, and I… I…”  
“Leo is just like her, he’s so brave like her… Our boy would stare down a nuclear missile with nothing more than a disinterested smile.” Iri mumbles to her lover, and shushes his quiet distraught noises. “She would be so proud of you.”  
“How would you know, you’ve never even met her?” Michael snaps bitterly from her chest.   
“I know because I’ve seen your memories of her, but I suppose you are right I don’t truly know her… But I know her well enough to say that she’d be proud of you.” Iri tells him while leaning her head back, her nose was still bleeding and he probably wouldn’t want to scrub blood out of his hair.   
“You're so smart.”  
“Thanks… You're no dummy yourself.” Iri purrs with a mumbled chuckle that causes Michael to lift his head, and meet her tired eyes. Looking up he sees blood trickling down her face, and dripping onto her chest. Reaching for a nearby towel he dabs at the red on her chest, and then holds it up to her nose. “Thanks.”  
“I’m taking you to Harold, come on let’s go.” Michael decides after the blood continues to flow steady like a crimson stream for more than ten minutes, he picks her up easily, and exits the house silently heading into the garage to get his mustang. It was a used black 2008 ford mustang cs with lime green racing stripes, and a black interior that the group had gotten him for his birthday this year in place of his faithful, but dying blue Taurus.   
“Nice car.” Iri mumbles with a smirk as he places her down on the front seat while taking his place in the driver’s seat, and reaching back to find something for her to wear. The car had been her idea, and most of the time the man only used it when it was just the Omegas going somewhere or he got the urge to drive really fast… It wasn’t a practical car, but it made her mate smile and that was all Iri cared about. Plus thanks to her new job it didn’t put them back as much as it could have been… Fuck 15,000 dollars had been nothing to her, and the massive amount she made… She could have bought it new, but Geoff had urged her that the used one was just as nice, and they both knew Michael wouldn’t be able to enjoy it as much as he did if it was new. Geoff had argued that he’d, ‘feel like a girl’ because he wouldn’t ever be able to get her something that nice, but Iri didn’t see it like that. She just knew that he needed a new car, and he loved mustangs. So that was all that really mattered in her mind however, that was no longer here nor there as he passed her a sports bra, and a pair of her running shorts. “Why are my clothes in here?”  
“You left them last time we went to the gym and then had… You know.”  
“Car sex is the best.” Iri remarks with a smile, and a wistful sigh remembering the night they’d broken in this beauty.  
“Fuck yeah it is, but now is not the time.” Michael declares as he starts the car up, and heads in the direction of the labs. About halfway there Michael looks at her and begins to wonder why she was so sick versus him. Before he could actually verbalize his mate opens her mouth letting him know that she’d been listening.  
“Because I gave you the medicine that was supposed to be for me, and Lexi has been fighting that disease since you got it… Despite Todd’s angry lecturing.” Iri mumbles in between coughs, a gush of blood surges forth from her nose, and she clenches the towel there tightly. “Though it’s a… decision I’m slowly coming to regret.”  
“....” Michael doesn’t say anything more choosing to keep his eyes on the road, and his expression blank. Every so often his eyes would dart to the side, and catch Iri trying to hide how sick she was with a weak smile. Iri noticing his demeanor change lays her head on his shoulder, runs her tail over his hand lightly. “What Vixen?” Michael asks with a casual smirk, drawing himself from his dark thoughts.   
“Nothing… I thought you were mad.”  
“Mad? Why would I be mad?”  
“Well it is 6:54 am, and you're driving me to the CIA’s equivalent of a hospital.”  
“Na, I’m just thinking… Though I really wish you wouldn’t have given me your medication.”  
“Eh, love makes a person do stupid stuff.”  
“No… well yes, but you are just reckless.”  
“Aye, that I be.” Iri answers in what he believes to be an Irish accent, but isn’t quite sure. “But I be your reckless Lass.”  
“Mhmm, you know I feel a lot of better.”   
“You should, you’ve got enough antibiotics to cure you of the Black Plague running through your system…. Blood again.” Iri remarks with a sigh after a coughing fit as she pulls back the towel to see the speckles from her mouth. “I don’t feel very well.”  
“Shh, just rest we’re about forty-five minutes out…. Did Geoff make you eat last night?” Michael questions, his tone worried when he notices her grimacing and tears starting to form in her eyes.  
“No, Ry did…. Michael, my head.” Iri starts to cry as the migraine from before starts up again.  
“It’ll be alright Lass, it’ll be better soon.” Michael soothes softly as he watches the woman curl up on herself, and face the window. “So soon baby girl, so very soon.”


	138. Iridessa Burns, Amateur Snake Charmer

About Seven Thirty

Geoff awoke to the feeling of being shook, and a splash of water drenching his face.  
“Ahh!” Geoff shouts in surprise as the icy water sets his body on edge. Jolting up he’s met with the sight of Dexter holding an empty glass, and the other three kits looking at them sheepishly. “Dex?”  
“Sorry Papa, but you guys wouldn’t wake up and we need to get to school.” Dex mumbles apologetically as he wraps his arms around his Papa’s neck, and nuzzles him softly. “I was going to use my powers, but your mind was guarded too well.”   
“It’s…It’s alright, I’m going to change but you guys meet me by the front door.” Geoff states as he unwinds himself from the tight embrace of Gavin, and notices that the other three were still deep asleep even Todd in his mind was still napping. After changing back into his clothes he exits the room, and grabs his keys. The kits waited patiently with their shoes on, and backpacks as well. They head out to the car, and begin the drive to the school. Once they were in the parking lot Geoff notices their lack of lunch boxes. “Guys do you have lunches?”  
“Darn it, I knew I forgot something.” Scarlett curses as she looks down at the ground sadly.   
“Scar it’s alright, why didn’t you wake us up earlier?”  
“We… Well we were going to, but we thought if we waited that one of you would wake up.” Leo says with a shrug as he fiddles with his back pack straps. “You guys are really deep sleepers.”  
“Yeah long night, but anyways here’s some money for lunch… Pappy, and Poppy are going to be picking you up tonight so be good for them… No biting Leo, and Dexter be nice to your siblings. If I hear one bad thing I’ll spank all of you when you get home. Do you understand?” Geoff warns strictly, and the four children nod meekly. “Good, now have a good day at school.”   
“Bye Papa… Love you!” They call out loudly as they exit the car, and head into the school right as the bell begins to chime. After they enter the building Geoff heads home at a leisurely pace, grabbing a few things at the store for Gavin and Ray. As he wanders the aisles he can't’ help but wonder how long they’d been calling him that. Not that he was complaining, it was getting a bit weird to hear his children tack his name onto the title Papa, but now the kits seemed to have given them new titles. Ray was Pops, Gavin was Poppa, Ryan was Rapa he knew that was of Dexter’s doing, Michael was Dad or Daddy, he was Papa of course, and Iri was Mom, Momma, Mama, or any other variation of the word. Upon arriving back at home he places the bags down, and places his keys on the rack only to notice Michael’s gone… Which was uncommon, but Michael did have a habit of leaving his keys in his pocket after he drove. Thinking nothing of it he just hangs his up, and un-bags the food. The task doesn’t take long and it’s a little after nine thirty by the time he finishes, and heads back upstairs to see how his mates were doing. First he stops in the heat room to see if they were still asleep, and they were; from there he heads into the bedroom to see how Michael and Iri were doing. Upon entering the bedroom he finds the bed empty, and the bathroom as well this inspires a certain amount of fear in him that is only exacerbated when he inspects the bed further. He finds a pillow that smelled distinctly of Iri covered in her now drying blood. Grabbing a nearby house phone he dials Michael’s number almost frantically figuring that if Iri was bleeding like that she probably wasn’t still conscious. However, the phone merely rings, and rings, and rings till his lover’s voicemail picks up.  
‘Hey it’s Michael Jones, and.’ Michael’s light voice starts to say only to be cut off mid sentence by another.  
‘And Iridessa Burns.’  
‘Iri get out of my voicemail, anyways leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you… I’m going to get you.’ Michael’s playful tone trails off and Geoff can hear Iri’s bell like laughter in the background. Hanging up the phone he rubs his eyes in frustration.  
“Just another day in paradise with those two.” Geoff grumbles angrily however, it’s merely seconds before the sound of Iri’s phone buzzing goes off, and reaching for it immediately he sees a display of a coyote. “Hello?”  
“Hey Geoff, it’s Harry… Uh Iri told me to call and tell you that she and Michael are at the lab.”  
“What? Why?"  
“Apparently Michael was worried about her, and didn’t want to bother waking you… They’re getting checked out right now, you doing okay?... You sound stressed.”  
“Harry, you don’t know that half of it… But yeah, could you call me, or have them call me when they can.”  
“Will do, Harrison out.” Upon hearing the phone go quiet he places it down on the nightstand, and exits the room to hear Ray’s desperate whining in the hallway.   
“Geoff!” Ray whimpers needily, and Geoff just smiles brightly while taking the feline into his arms.   
“What do you need Sweetheart?” Geoff purrs knowingly, and watches the man grind on his leg.  
“Geoff, do that thing… Please I’m so close.”  
“Oh, and what would that be?” Geoff teases, he knew exactly what Ray wants but teasing him was so much better. Kissing at his lips he trails his hands down his lover’s sides, and gropes his ass roughly.   
“Suck my spots.” Ray whispers sensually into his ear, and pulls back with lust blown eyes.   
“Alright, go get on the bed… I’m going to go check on the other two.” Geoff states, and starts toward the heat room. However, the sound of the doorbell catches his ears, sighing inwardly he heads back downstairs to answer the door.   
“Geoff open this goddamn door before I fucking punch you in the dick!” Fin’s angry voice demands as Geoff opens it.  
“Fin?”  
“Damn right, now where’s my cousin!”  
“He’s upstairs, why?”  
“He told me you hurt him, now I’m going to bloody kill you!” Fin roars as the Beta’s blonde tail fluffs up in anger, and he pins Geoff to the wall by his shirt collar. “Where is he?”  
“Fin?” Gavin’s curious voice inquires as he comes down the stairs naked.  
“Gavin, you shameless Pup.” Geoff mutters with a smirk when he catches a glimpse of the sleepy man, who wore a confused look. “Please, tell him that I wasn’t hurting you.”  
“He wasn’t, Fin what are you on about?”   
“Russ told me that Thames heard from Iri that he was hurting you.”  
“Why would Iri tell Thames that?.. She practically hates the man.” Geoff states, and Fin purses his brow in thinking. “Are you sure it was Russ?”  
“... Well now that you mention it Russ was a bit more affectionate than…. Fireteam Promiscuous.” Fin growls bitterly as he releases Geoff, and hugs the man in apology. “That lot is nothing more than bloody shapeshifting sexual deviants, who get a kick from causing turmoil whenever they get back from deployment. My apologies Geoff, Gav put on some clothes will you… What would my mum say about you answering the door like a common slag?”  
“Oh sod off, I’m not the one who came in and started straggling your fellow.” Gavin squawks angrily as he hides himself behind Geoff.   
“....Fair point, well I’m off to go skin a snake… Have a lovely day.” Fin bids as he exits the house before anyone can ask him what he means. After he is gone Ray is immediately back on Geoff, ignoring Gavin who was already kissing at his neck.   
“Alright you two up in the bedroom, it’s time I take care of my beautiful boys.” 

At the Complex

Iri wasn’t sure what time it was, but she awoke to a triangle faced woman standing over her, the woman’s sleek dark hair giving her the appearance of a cobra. Acting purely on instinct she uses her powers to force her away, and jolts out of the bed her teeth bared in challenge. The woman watching her merely smiles flirtatiously before her dandelion colored eyes shift into snake like slivers, and her teeth shift into thin hypodermic needle like fangs. Flashbacks of Nikolai echo darkly in her mind, but she remains wary of her newfound enemy. Shifting her fingernails into claws, and elongating her incisors to that of her fox counterpart she begins to circle the snake. The snake says nothing to her as they circle silently, two predators eyeing each other with deadly intent and no intention of retreat. They continue their silent actions for maybe two seconds more before Iri dodges her first strike, and it is soon followed by a second and third. Dancing out of the way each of the time Iri prepares for a counter strike, but decides against it choosing to infiltrate her mind instead.  
‘Lex, see what she knows… I’ll keep her busy.’ Iri tells her fox who reciprocates gladly and begins her siege of the mind.   
“So…. whoa!” Iri starts only to be interrupted by a kick aimed at her face. “Can I ask… Shit… What I did… to piss you off… Fuck… Snake-Lady?” Iri mumbles in between strafes and near hits, the snake merely chuckles a hiss, and continues her assault. Flipping backwards, and then somersaulting past her she manages to evade the sharp teeth aimed for her throat. “So we’re not in a talking mood… Okay.” Iri trails off in a high pitched tone as she dodges yet another kick aimed at her body.  
“...” The woman pauses for a moment as though trying to decide something, and that is when Iri feels Lexi break through her wall completely. Using her powers she causes the dark skinned woman to drop to her knees, and slump to the ground. Sifting swiftly through her mind Iri finds that her attacker was Agent Missouri, or Ori to most. She was a senior agent, age 32, originally from a small town in the state she was named after, she has no mates, no family, her real name was Shirley Melrose but she hated it, her King Cobra was named Harley, and her power was shape-shifting. Now armed with this information Iri withdraws herself slowly, and maintains her distance as the woman awakens from her trance with a dazed look. “You…. You're good.”  
“.... Uh, thanks?” Iri mumbles sheepishly as she offers the woman a hand, and she accepts it gladly. Ori, merely smiles wryly at the fox and trails her fingers over the other's delicate tail causing Iri to release a surprised purr.  
“An Omega too by that wonderfully enticing smell, I wouldn’t have believed it possible for an Omega to be so… so.”  
“So what?” Iri asks venomously causing the woman to smirk.  
“So daring…. My name is Ori.”  
“I know, I also know that at the age of seven you were raped by your Uncle and Harley killed him in self-defense, your favorite color is opal, and you fuck most of your team on a daily basis… You also got blackmailed into meeting me by Fireteam Reach. Why?” Iri demands, her powers pinning the woman to a wall and settling tightly around the woman’s throat. “And do not lie to me or I will eviscerate you.”  
“I.” Ori starts, but is cut off by the sound of Iri’s loud coughing and watches the woman fall to her knees gasping. She expected the grip around her throat to loosen, but Iri’s grip remains firm and unyielding. “Harold warned me you were sick.”  
“Agent Texas, what are you doing out of bed!” Otto’s sharp bark asks interrupting the woman’s statement. “Tex, release her this minute.”  
“She… Tried to kill me!” Iri insists in between wet coughs, but drops her reluctantly from the wall. Ori lands with a small oomph, and immediately rubs at her bruised throat. Otto says nothing choosing to glare at Ori until the snake pouts, and strides from the room wearing a disappointed look… as though her toy had been taken away. Once gone Otto turns to Iri, and begins nudging the sick woman back to her bed like the wolf would his pup. After Iri is safely back under the covers, he leaps onto it beside her, and licks at her forehead gently.   
“You still have a fever, and thanks to your indiscretion Michael has contracted a mutated strain of Tuberculosis. However, it seems the medicine that was for you has somehow managed to eradicate it… Well that and Lexi has been tampering with his white blood cells. You are lucky it actually worked Iri.” Otto scolds harshly and watches the fox’s ears turn down in distress. “You, are reckless.”  
“But it… worked.” Iri quips, and the white wolf merely scowls while laying down beside her.  
“Go back to sleep Iri, and when Harold comes back we’ll talk about treatment… I’ll make sure no more snakes disturb you.” Otto urges with another comforting lick to her cheek, and nuzzles the woman’s neck. Iri says nothing choosing to let the blanket of whiteness Otto offered ooze into her mind, and drift under the painlessness it promised.


	139. Making Friends Is Iri's Number One Talent

Field House  
About forty five minutes later

Harrison and the rest of Fireteam Alpha save for Iri who was stuck in the medical wing, now sat in the large field house watching Fireteam Reach run drills against Promiscuous.   
“How’s Tex doing?” Thames inquires as he watches Harrison clean his M4A1 carbine with grenade launcher attachment on the bleachers next to them. Russ was cleaning his AR-15, and occasionally glancing up at the drills happening in front of them.   
“She’ll be okay, just caught a mutated strain of Vermont’s disease… Harold thinks she’ll be fine by Friday probably sooner.” Harrison answers casually paying close attention to the slide, and making sure it fit back in his gun properly. “Fin, what did you need to do this morning?”  
“Nothing, just a misunderstanding.” Fin replies with a fair amount of sheepishness, and casting his gaze to the fight before them. Agent New Mexico, and Agent Nevada were currently engaged in hand to hand while their team watched from the sides. “You know how Promiscuous likes to play.”  
“We do… Puppy what did they do to you this time?” Russ asks, his gaze turning sharp and his scent filled with worry. The team loved to play cruel jokes on the gullible Beta who, as Montana likes to say is just so much fun to deceive. They were a team of deceivers, and Fin was a very easy man to deceive… He stood no chance against the expert lies these snakes concocted.   
“Just teasing, nothing I couldn’t handle Russ… Thanks for the concern though.”  
“My pleasure Pup, now I don’t know about you boys but I could go for a meal… Harrison you coming?” Russ says as his Betas nod in agreement while he puts the last piece of his weapon back together.  
“No, I’m not hungry… I’m going to see how this fight ends.” Harrison tells his Team Leader with a fair amount of disinterest; he could care less about the pair battling for supremacy instead he was locked in a conversation with Marcus who was guiding Michael to this area. The feline arrives in less than a minute after his team leaves, and all eyes fall upon him… Most agents recognized other agents by smell given that they were all either Alpha or Beta so when the sweet scent of Omega fills the room it peaks most their interests. “Hey Michael.”   
“Harry, why are they staring at me like that?” Michael asks as he finds himself being stared at in varying degrees of sexual interest; it made him feel very, very vulnerable and Marcus in his fear began condensing the air around them causing it to crackle dangerously with electricity.  
“Not many Omegas in this place, and today… You smell particularly fertile, stick close to me I’ll keep them off you.” Harrison answers with a smirk, after sniffing him lightly.  
“Great… Fucking horny ass Army men and women… and I smell fuckable.” Michael curses grouchily as he settles beside Harrison on the bleachers. “Did you call Geoff?”  
“Yeah, he’s worried but nothing more so than usual… You should call him.” Harrison mumbles while tweaking the scope, and looking through it. Michael just nods while pulling out his phone, and texting the man quickly. Geoff doesn’t reply right away, and Michael just sighs while casting his gaze back up to find several men and women giving varying degrees of seductive stares. Some of them were merely casual smiles with the offer hidden behind it, but when he met a man’s dark green lust filled look who was licking his lips and making a suggestive motion with his hips. He could feel the blush on his cheeks, and Harrison just chuckled softly while putting a protective arm around him.   
“I wish Iri was here.”  
“Why? Do you need my cousin to protect your virgin hole from their wandering eyes?” Harrison taunts and watches the bashful man scowl at him.  
“No, Iri gets hot when she gets possessive and these fuckers would have her scorching by the way they stare… Like do they just expect me to bend over and present?”  
“Well not really, but it would make wrapping my knot around your cock much easier.” A voice smoother than honey purrs as a tall dark haired woman saunters up, and sits a few bleachers below him. “I bet that cock of yours gives such a lovely stretch.” She murmurs while inching up, and trailing her hands over his thighs playfully. “I’m sure Harrison won’t mind sharing you, Sweetheart… I’ll be real gentle.”  
“Ark, he’s not mine.”  
“Oh then you're available pretty boy, you smell delightful Sweetheart… And your thighs are positively enticing.” Ark praises cutting the man off before he could warn her effectively. Her hands gripping Michael’s pale thighs tightly, and trailing kisses up the stunned Omegas calves, nipping at his knees playfully.   
“Get. Off. My. Mate.” Iri growls viciously as she enters the field house with a fire in her eyes, and her tail erect in anger. “You fucking bitch.” Iri snaps as she wrenches the surprised woman up with her powers and tosses her across the field house roughly; before the woman can even begin to understand who she pissed off, or what’s going on. She lets her slide down the wall for maybe a minute before picking her back up and slamming her repeatedly into the ground catching the eyes of all of them, making sure that they understood what was happening… This man was hers, and no one touched what was hers. Iri then brings the broken woman to her face, and clocks her right in the jaw before tossing her back across the room. Once done she turns to see Michael staring at her with a bright smile, and his puffy red lips bitten in arousal. The fox wastes no time in settling beside him on the bleachers, grips his hair tightly, tilts his head back slightly, and kisses him possessively. “Mine.”  
“Fucking yours.” Michael declares with surety as he purrs in her oppressive grip, and she releases him happily. The feline didn’t like possessive Alphas, but he did love his possessive Omega… There was something taboo about her behavior and it drove him wild. He lifts her into his lap, and she curls into him with a smile. Michael takes her tail and rests it between them, running his hand through the red fur soothingly. “How are you feeling?”  
“Not contagious… that’s why I kissed you. Harold woke me up like ten minutes ago to give me some injection that killed the bulk of the virus, and now we’re just waiting for the symptoms to go… But the real question is who was that bitch and why was she touching my Michael?” Iri questions, emphasis on the my as her eyes shift to Harrison who still tweaked his gun idly.   
“She was Agent Arkansas, my second in command, and who the fuck are you?” A gruff man growls with a voice that reminded Iri of Geoff when he used his accent in the bedroom, or with his mother sometimes when she visited. The newcomer stands at the base of the bleachers wearing a glare that if Iri scared easily would have had her shaking, but seeing as she didn’t scare easily it just set her on edge. Standing up to meet the tall man’s stare she growls in challenge, and pushes his chest roughly. Said man makes a growl of his own before schooling his expression to just show his teeth.  
“Back the fuck off, and tell your bitch not to touch what isn’t hers.” Iri snarls, completely unafraid and unwilling to back down… Though ever since that shot Harold gave her she was feeling pretty confident. Harrison watches her display with a certain amount of surprise, and silently makes note to never fuck with her mates… ever… like ever. Not that he ever would, but this display was more than enough threat to ward him off. But really he knew that was the point of it, merely a presentation to prove herself an agent not to be fucked with. “Now get the fuck out of my face, and take care of your slut.” Iri finishes, and watches the Alpha just snarl in response however he does back off. Once gone she heads back to Michael’s lap and snuggles up again.   
“I love you… So fucking much right now.” Michael murmurs while nuzzling her neck affectionately, and Iri just purrs lightly in response. “Marcus has never been so in love either.”  
“You are my Knight, and this Lass does not share… except with our pack.” Iri adds with a chuckle as Michael pulls her in for another kiss. “Now what was happening before I showed up?”  
“Just drills… Mexico against Nevada, Nevada won as usual.” Harrison answers quietly while placing his weapon aside and finally looking up for longer than half a minute. “I’m not sure who's up next… But Alabama is pissed at you.”  
“I don’t care, no one touches my Omega.”  
“You know Lass keep talking like that, and Geoff might get jealous.”   
“Let him, I know how to take care of our Papa.” Iri purrs into his chest with a sleepy yawn, and at that sound Michael resumes stroking her tail lightly.   
“Go back to sleep Lass.”  
“Mmk, you keep him safe Harry.”  
“My pleasure Iri.” Harrison bids as he watches his cousin fall asleep quickly in her mate’s lap while Michael makes soft soothing rumbles in his chest. From there the field house fell back into a calm quiet as the drills continued, and Harrison wondered if Wyvern was watching… he wondered if the general was satisfied with the group of killers he owned… They had each sold their soul to this man for varying reasons, and most gave it willingly… They were slaves to a man who believed his motives were for the good of a country, but what about the world? Though Harrison doubted the man cared about the world… He doubted that thought very much.


	140. To Build and To Break, Sheorn's Speciality

Derrick  
About three hours later

Derrick was striding quickly to the field house, his eyes were dark at the information Wyvern had given him. It was as though his worst fear had come true, and the information Iri had given him was true. Nikolai was doing what they were doing except he was taking their minds in the process, he was creating mindless soldiers who only knew to obey… And Wyvern, well Wyvern seemed envious of the thought and Derrick didn’t like that. As handler to all of these people he would not allow Wyvern to turn them into mindless beasts intent on killing whatever they were ordered to. He would see to it that these people remained just that… people, not turned into the animals they could become. And as he entered the field house he saw a gathering of soldiers not as competitors, but as allies. Wyvern couldn’t, and wouldn’t ever appreciate these people for their beings, or as themselves, no he would only appreciate them for their skills. However, shoving the negative thoughts aside he smiles warmly at Agent S.C., and Agent N.C. when they come over to embrace him.   
“How’s my favorite pair of Colocolo cats?” Derrick asks as the twins hug him tightly. He’s known these two since they were six, and runaways from an orphanage who tried to separate them. The details were sketchy, and Derrick hadn’t questioned them at the time just choosing to accept them into his program with open arms. While he may look the age of 35 he was much closer to the age of 109; he’d lost count after fifty and had no real desire to continue knowing his age. “Hmm? How are you feeling?”  
“Pretty good Uncle Derrick, thanks to Fireteam Alpha we’re still alive… It’s a good thing they showed up too because those guys were going to kill us.” S.C says as she pulls back and casts a glance over to where Iri sat with Michael on the bleachers. “Ver, told me she is the one who actually came up with the plan that saved us.”  
“Yeah, and I’d believe it after the beating she gave Ark earlier… Uncle Derr she fucking obliterated her.” N.C pipes up as he pulls back and begins to fiddle with his longish brown locks. Ever since he was a kid, Derrick had watched him play with them… And he supposed it was because his power was to change it’s density. Not a very useful one, but he made up for it in his knowledge of explosives. “I’m talking like Ver had to heal the brain damage she gave her when she got done with her.”  
“Is Ark okay?”   
“Yeah, the damage was easily healed and it was as though she knew who was able to heal what.” S.C. answers quietly watching her brother fiddle with his hair. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for him to do, and she was able to cut things. Her skin when she concentrated could take an edge sharper than any scalpel, and harder than a diamond. Far more useful than her brother’s power, but she was sort of a klutz, which led to it’s own set of problems so together they weren’t all that great of an asset.   
“Kori, and Kara she did… I watched her make that choice, and I also watched her companion decide to prompt Agent Indiana and myself to come heal Ark… She knew exactly what she was doing.” Vermont states as he and Kentucky wander over. Kentucky wearing her usual scowl, and Vermont his inquisitive smile; if there was ever a story of opposites attracting it was these two. Kentucky’s platinum blonde hair to contrast vividly with Vermont’s pure black, they were each other’s Yin and Yang, and together the pair worked beautifully together. Derrick couldn’t have been happier for the pair of mated Alphas, looking around curiously he catches a glimpse of Utah conversing with a fuming Alabama who seemed upset. “Oh he’s just pissed because Texas handed Ark her ass before he could even blink.”  
“Mmm, what did she do?”  
“Touched the Omega holding her… And then when confronted she threatened Alabama.” Kentucky answers plainly, picking at a still healing scab on her arm until Vermont pulls her hands away. “Ver let’s go outside for a bit.”  
“Sure thing Lover.”  
“Don’t call me that.”  
“But you love me don’t you? So that makes you my lover.” Ver argues as the pair exit leaving Derrick alone with the twins again.  
“I suggest you two don’t do anything to provoke her.”  
“Wasn’t planning on it, so Uncle where do we rank on Wyvern’s scale?” Kori inquires as he pulls his hand from his hair, and picks at the dirt under his nails. “Any change?”  
“... You guys know I love you, but.”  
“But we suck.”  
“Like a whore desperate for money.”  
“Not what I was going to say, but good imagery… And besides with a little more training, and hard work I’m sure you’ll get better.” Derrick assures the twenty eight year olds who wear looks of disbelief. “You will.”  
“No we won’t, Uncle Derr we’re not good at this… We… We were wondering how much longer till our contract is up.” Kori asks sheepishly as he gives his Uncle a serious look... They had been talking about this more and more often, and honestly it was time they got out of it before they couldn't. “Kara, and I have been looking into colleges and I know we’re sorta old for it but.”  
“Guys you have two more years, that contract lasts till your thirty and there’s no way to weasel you out of this one… I’m sorry.”  
“No, it’s fine.. Thanks for clearing that up Uncle Derr… Come on Kori, let’s go see what Utah is up to.” Kara urges quietly as she tugs her disheartened brother towards Utah. After his niece and nephew were gone he heads over to where Harrison, Michael, and Iri now awake were sitting.   
“Hey Derr, how’s the weather?” Iri asks casually while rubbing her nose against Michael’s. “Also before you yell at me she deserved it.”  
“I’m not here to yell at you, I just came to see how you were healing.” Derrick inquires tiredly as he takes a seat, and lifts her chin up to inspect the color in her eyes. “You foxes are all the same, as long as your eyes are bright and your tails are flitting then you're fine.”  
“Ah brilliant deduction Dr. Sheorn, now will you kindly release my chin.” Iri jests as the man pulls back and turns to face the fight happening on the floor. “Derr, what’s eating you?”  
“Nothing, just been buried under a pile of paperwork… How’s the kits?”  
“Very good, they’re at the top of their class… Fucking smart little bastards… Outsmarted Ryan in a game of chess for privileges to his Physics books.” Iri answers with a smirk. “Oh Dex wanted me to ask you how old you really are, I told him thirty six but he simply shook his head and said you were lying.”  
“He’s…”  
“Do not lie to me.” Iri states her eyes narrowing dangerously and her powers causing the air in his lungs to thicken. He looks to Harrison for help, but the man merely wears the same expression. “I have never lied to you, so do me the same courtesy.”  
“I don’t actually know my real age, it’s somewhere around 109 I think… My power is reduced aging, similar to Russ but I’m not able to transfer my power nor am I able to regenerate. I just get older slower.” Derrick explains and Iri just nods curtly, her son had said something eerie about death surrounding him like a cloud… But it was held back by something. “Dex is perceptive to see that.”  
“He is, but what I want to know is why you’ve never told me Derrick?... I’ve been working with you for ten years, and you never thought that was interesting information to know.” Harrison asks with clear disdain, and Derrick just sighs at him. “Oh right, I’m on a need to know basis aren’t I?”  
“York it’s not.”  
“Whatever Derrick, Iri let’s go get something to eat.” Harrison snaps as he gestures for his cousin and her mate to follow him leaving Derrick alone on the bleachers watching the pair of seductors try to seduce each other. Missouri and Montana were top agents, and usually he loved to watch his… well he didn’t want to say children, but at this point he felt like they were. Considering most of them he knew at the age of ten or younger, sure he’d met a few around the age of sixteen but most he knew since they were children…. And that was his game. He was supposed to come into these broken kid’s lives, be a father figure, and coax them into the military. Once they signed the contract he dropped the act, and became the handler he was. Sure he was still friendly, but when he wanted something done there was no, no. You do what I tell you, when I tell you… Or at least that was how he used to be, Wyvern told him he was getting soft in his old age particularly on a meek little Omega from Texas. Derrick had tried to deny it, but Wyvern was right something about watching that woman sign her life away at the age of twenty five left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. This woman had a life, mates, kids, another job, and he came in offering the financially floundering woman a way out…. In short, he was an awful human being… And that was one of the reasons Alaska left him. She had learned what his real job was, and she’d been one of those he’d tricked into signing their lives over. It had been about three years since the divorce, and that’s a lot of time for personal reflection.  
“Derrick…. Derr…. Hey Derrick!” The sound of Iri’s voice draws him from his negative thoughts and he shakes his head slightly before meeting her eyes. She had felt his thoughts, and felt a nagging sense of guilt from Lexi. “You aren’t a bad man, you just made a bad decision.” Iri offers as she sits down beside the man, who still looked misty eyed. “Did I ever tell you that Erik offered to make me forget my old life?”  
“No, you don’t really talk much about Erik.”  
“He offered to make me forget everything I knew so he could rebuild me into the mate he wanted.”  
“What?”  
“He did, and I never knew how he was going to do it especially because my powers are of the mind and his are not… So it had to be chemical, and on that very first mission the third consecutive day of torture Nikolai offered me the same thing. Both of these terrible men offered me an out to end all of my suffering, but I didn’t take it… Not because the pain wasn’t great enough, or because I’m such an amazing woman. I didn’t take it because I wouldn’t be the person I am without all of that suffering… Kody used to tell me every time I fell, and skinned a knee or started to cry that pain builds character. He told me that the more pain a person felt the stronger their character, and he’s right… Without suffering through those horrible tragedies, I wouldn’t be the self-sacrificing, self-righteous, asshole I am today.” Iri explains with a soft smile as she lays her head on his shoulder with her tail in her hands.   
“Iri, that’s a beautiful speech but what does that have to do with me being an awful person?”  
“You caused all of these people unimaginable pain correct? You’ve had their parents assassinated, loved ones crippled, and you’ve even caused a few of these children to be beaten by their guardians till they ran away. You built their character, albeit in a horrible, awful way but you helped to build it. And for better or worse raised individuals who understand that pain is a necessary evil that you can either wallow in, or accept and become stronger. They became stronger, what will you become?” Iri clarifies in a profound tone that has Derrick looking down at the woman in unabashed wonder. “I know, I surprise myself sometimes.”  
“I love you.” Derrick suddenly declares causing the already silent field house to become even quieter at his words, the operatives turn to face them with curious eyes. “You are positively amazing in every sense of the word, and I… I’m very glad I never had the displeasure of ruining your life.”   
“It’s always the foxes.” A nearby Agent Florida mumbles with a roll of his gray eyes as he looks up from his Iphone briefly.  
“Uh Derr, you don’t love me.” Iri says with a soft smile as she untangles her tail from his fingers, and stands up. “You love someone like me.”  
“No, I love you.”  
“What did you just say?” Michael’s angry voice asks as he enters the room his powers causing the air to crackle with electricity. “Because you had better not fucking said I love you.”   
“No, it’s true.”  
“Fucking Gavin was goddamn right! You’ve been giving this fucker hope!”  
“Now Red, I don’t give anyone hope let alone this guy.”  
“Iri get over here we’re going home so I can touch you no one else!... Fucking handsy ass Agents.” Michael grumbles as he snatches her hand, and drags her from the room to his car.   
“Michael?” Iri mutters hesitantly once they were in the safety of his vehicle.  
“What Vixen?” Michael asks with a playful smile that let’s her know he was fucking with her. “I had to show those assholes who you belonged to.”  
“You… I… You're fucking diabolical.” Iri mumbles while leaning over to kiss him. “But my.”  
“Harold gave me them while you were speeching it up.”  
“I was not speeching it up.”  
“Really?... You were speaking for a large amount of time, sounds like a speech to me.” Michael quips and Iri just rolls her eyes while nipping roughly at his neck.   
“Whatever, now you can either fuck me now, or wait until we get home but either way that’s going to happen in this car regardless.”  
“Why in this car?”  
“Because this car is a fucking panty dropper: sleek, powerful, purrs like you… It’s fucking hot.” Iri comments in between rough kisses, and Michael merely rolls his eyes while pushing her into the back.   
“So did you just buy this car so we could have sex in it?” Michael inquires while using a claw to shred the material on her hips, and chest. She doesn’t answer choosing to bite her lip, and buck up into his claw. Taking the hint he starts at his mating scar on her wrist, and trails over her pale flesh leaving a barely bleeding line that stops at the scar from Gavin on her hip. Pulling her wrist to his mouth he bites the flesh hard, but not hard enough to break skin and listens to the desperate sounds she makes, from there he kisses the scar lightly and then gives little kitten like laps over the line, tracing it all the way to her hip. Looking up from his spot on her hip all he can see are lust blown eyes, and her lips parted as she panted in desperation. “Look at you Vixen, so wet and wanting.”  
“Michael, please.” Iri begs her tone heavy, and her body arching up grinding on his crotch ever so slightly, taking the hint Michael pulls off his shorts, and lines himself up, sinking in with a pleasurable groan. Once in fully he waits for a moment, about to say something snarky but suddenly he feels an amazing tingle at the base of his spin that makes him purr in delight. Iri who had wrapped her legs around him noticed the appearance of the appendage almost immediately. Taking advantage she uses her powers to caress it like she would his cock, and the man has to brace himself on the side of the car at the sudden onslaught of sensual delight. “Sensitive... When did you get this?”  
“To… Today, god Iri stop or I’ll cum.”  
“What’s to say I don’t want that?”  
“You want me to just cum in you without moving?” Michael counters with a small rock of his hips that has the woman arching up for more. “That’s what I thought.” Lowering his mouth to her exposed nipples he takes one between his teeth, and begins suckling lightly. Tweaking the other with his hand, and still rocking his hips. Iri let’s her hands wander to his head, and cradles his head slightly on her chest playing with his auburn hair till moans fall from his lips. After he could stand the feeling no more he pulls off with a smirk, and begins thrusting in earnest till she can say no other word than his name, whispered like a reverent prayer on her crimson lips. Right before he finishes Michael grips her hips tight enough to leave the bruises she loved, and forces his hips into her roughly. Iri’s near scream of pleasure has Michael chuckling as he slowly rocks his hips to work her through another less intense orgasm, keeping it up till they were both utterly and thoroughly spent with the sound of purring radiating from the back seat.   
“Derr… should say he… loves me more often.” Iri remarks with a sleepy smirk that has Michael chuckling lowly, and pulling out to cuddle the woman in his arms. She could feel semen dripping out of her, and smiles the feeling knowing that a bath would be in order when they got home. “My virile, Kitten.”  
“Virile?”  
“Means fertile… with a large load to give. It truly is a shame you didn’t have a knot, I’d catch every time.” Iri mumbles softly into his neck as the man smiles at her. “I’d have a whole litter of just little orange, tabby kittens.”  
“Mmm, you’d like that wouldn’t you? Get nice and heavy with kittens, we’d have so many Geoff would have to get a bigger house.” Michael purrs quietly causing the woman to chuckle.   
“He’d be so mad…. Besides Leo has enough siblings.”  
“True… And raising those four is no cake walk.”  
“No it is not, Ry’s going to be mad at me when we get home.”  
“Geoff’s going to be furious with me.”  
“We… We could go to the apartment.”  
“Iridessa, you are a very, very naughty vixen… But I like how you think.” Michael murmurs with a smile, and nudges the woman to the front seat. “If they call we’ll say date night.”  
“If we’re not too busy fucking the shit out of each other.”  
“God I love you.”  
“Damn right now drive, and I’ll suck.” Iri commands as he takes his place in the driver’s seat, and lowers her head over his lap. She starts just by taking his spent cock in her mouth, and laying there until they get onto the highway where she begins to suck in earnest.


	141. Pick Up the Phone, and For the Love of God Answer My Texts

About Halfway to the Apartment

Michael had been positively milked dry after Iri’s sucking, and when she finally pulled off with a satisfied pop licking the white off her lips he almost contemplated pulling over… He bet he could produce another load just for her. However, before that thought can continue the sound of his phone going off interrupts it and the pair hesitate to answer. They knew their Alphas were probably worried, but Michael had texted them earlier and told them everything was fine. But for some reason Geoff and Ryan kept on calling, which was easy to ignore given that he was driving and she was sucking, but now it was not so easy. The phone had been ringing at fifteen minute intervals that were now extremely distracting, and in an attempt to silence his phone he put it on vibrate but that only seemed to make it worse.   
“Iri?” Michael says as he glances from the road to her to find the woman stroking her tail lazily.  
“Hmm?” She mumbles back, and that’s when Michael lowers the phone to rest in between her bare thighs, it was at that moment it started to buzz vibrantly again. “What are you doing?” Iri inquires with raised eyebrows as the phone begins to vibrate against her nether region.   
“Can you get off on that?”  
“On what?”  
“That, if you… I bet you could.” Michael bets as he holds it on her pussy’s lips, and catches the soft moan that falls from her other lips. “I bet if you try really hard you can get off on them calling.”  
“And if I win?”  
“Then I’ll pull over, and fuck you till you can’t see straight on the hood.” Michael promises, and Iri just quirks her eyebrow in challenge. “But you can’t move it.”  
“Don’t… don’t need.” Iri starts, but is cut off by a pleasurable moan that has Michael smirking. Reaching behind herself with her free hand she begins to stroke her tail’s base. “I… I can do… God dammit!” Iri curses when it dies out, and the only thing she feels is metal pressed against her.  
“One more try, otherwise deals off.”  
“Fine.” And sure enough fifteen minutes later the phone starts to buzz, and Iri manages to send herself over the edge. Neither of them notice that her finger had slipped, and the call was answered, Michael was too busy pulling over and tossing off his shirt. 

Geoff

He had been calling since ten thirty and neither of them had picked up or called him back. Geoff had recieved a text from Michael but he wanted to hear his voice, call him demanding but how hard was it really to answer a god damn phone. Though his shitty move was slightly improving when Michael finally took one of his calls.  
“Hey Douches whe.” Geoff starts, though stops when he hears low moaning. At first he thought it was pained, but then Iri gave one of her signature high pitched mews, and Michael was grunting softly….. As though…. ‘Those fuckers!’ he thinks bitterly to himself. Gritting his teeth in anger he hears the sound of rocking, and flesh slapping against flesh and it sets him on edge… a very, very short edge that wouldn’t take much to push him off of. Growling lowly into the phone he turns to see Ryan cocking his head at him in confusion as he pulls back from eating the gent’s cum out of Gavin who was mewling happily into the comforter underneath him. Geoff however, pulls his phone back from his ear, and puts it on speaker before Ryan’s confusion turns to an anger similar to his own.   
“Are they fucking right now?”  
“It would sound so.”  
“Do you think they can hear us?”  
“No, otherwise I doubt the line would still be on…. Judging by the sounds of their breathing I’d say their close, hold this Ray and I’ll be right back.” Geoff says while handing the phone to Ray, and dashing from the room. He comes back in a matter of minutes with a small whistle that both of the wolf hybrids scowl at. Ryan immediately grabs a pillow for his, and Gavin’s ears. Ray however, just puts his fingers in his own ears with a tired sigh as Geoff blows really, really hard.

Michael and Iri

The sound that suddenly filled the car was piercing, and painful causing the pair to still in their actions; trying frantically to find the source of the dreaded noise. It was absolutely horrible on Michael’s new ears, and his tail only seemed to be as frantic as he was. Searching swiftly Michael grabs his phone thinking they may have hit a button or something; he sees the screen brighten up with the word Geoff, and a call timer that read ten minutes.   
“Are you fuckers listening now!” Geoff’s angry tone fills the line, and the pair visibly sink into their seats as though Geoff were there to yell at them. “Answer me god dammit!”  
“Yes Papa.”  
“Uh huh Daddy.”  
“Good, get your asses home now!... And I don’t mean in three hours, or by the time the sunsets. I mean now!” Geoff snarls through the phone, and Michael chances a look to Iri whose once perky ears were now flattened to her skull in shame and fear. He also notices how his own slender tail wrapped itself around his waist tightly, and that’s when he realizes how long his tail actually was. It was much longer than his bobcat's tail, and more cat like in nature… Maybe he’d ask Geoff about that later when he wasn’t so mad…. Or maybe they’d just ignore him altogether. Maybe it was time for Geoff and Ryan to focus on the other two, sure they had a weird disease that made the Alphas think they needed to be constantly monitored, but that didn’t mean they should ignore Ray and Gavin… Michael couldn’t be sure if the pair felt that way because they seemed content, but he was sure that some extra time alone with the gents couldn’t hurt. So that is why he makes an executive decision… One that would probably end up okay…. Or at least he hoped it would.   
“Bye Geoff.”  
“Bye? What do. Michael don’t.” Geoff starts, but his voice is cut off by the end button and Michael turns to his somber mate.   
“We’re going to the apartment, going to shower.. maybe some sex in there if you are so inclined, and then we’re going to go dancing.” Michael declares suddenly, and Iri just stares at him like he’s crazy. “What’s the worst he can do? Fire me?”  
“.... You make a lovely point, but… are we being cruel?”  
“Nope, they’ve got Ray and Gav to take care of… I think it’s time we have some fun, and those two get some attention... Iri will my tail always move on its own?” Michael says while gesturing to the appendage flicking excitedly, and Iri just nods with a smirk. “But yours is still.”  
“Many, many years of practice.”  
“Fair enough, alright let’s go.”  
“After you Knight…. well that and you're driving.” Iri counters with a smirk before coughing quietly into her elbow. She makes note that whatever Harold gave her was definitely working because the cough was barely above a whisper, and no longer did her chest feel like it was being sat on by an elephant when she tried to breathe.   
“You sound way fucking better than you did this morning.” Michael comments, and Iri just nods in agreement. “That’s the power of my dick.”  
“What?” Iri asks, quirking an eyebrow at him in confusion.   
“Well you’ve been sucking my cock for like an hour now, and I’m just saying you sound a lot better.”  
“Michael, it was probably Harold’s injection that he gave me.”  
“Nope.”  
“Red, I can almost say with like ninety-nine point nine nine nine nine percent assurance that your dick has nothing to do with this….Unless.” Iri trails off quietly putting on a serious face that draws Michael’s eyes immediately. She starts rambling softly, and muttering sciency sounding stuff for about ten minutes before turning to him.   
“What?” Michael asks impatiently, he didn’t think she was playing with him… Or at least the seriousness in her expression told him she wasn’t.   
“Are you a unicorn?” Iri states with sincerity, before just losing her shit and falling into a bout of giggles. Michael however, just wears a confused expression and looks back to the road in thinking, trying to connect the dots on this one. It’s maybe five minutes before Michael gives up and turns to his mate for explanation. “A unicorn’s horn was thought to be a panacea and could cure anything it touched…. So do you get it now… Like your dick is.”  
“No, I get it. It just wasn’t that funny.” Michael mumbles, and watches Iri just shrug with a sigh.  
“I suppose they don’t pay me to be funny like you.”   
“Mmm no they pay you to make pretty drawings, and kill people.”  
“Only some people.”  
“And that is why you can afford to buy me fancy cars just for sex, our kids can do any sport they wish, and Geoff no longer stresses over the budget for the month.” Michael purrs with no small amount of affection as she lays her head on his shoulder, and fiddles with his tail. “I still can’t believe you bought this car just for sex.”  
“Not purely for sex, I… I just saw how much you loved the one in GTA, and.”  
“Wait you watch our Let’s Plays?” Michael asks incredulously, he’d never once seen the woman actually sit down to watch one or ever comment on a single thing they did at the office… He just assumed she didn’t have time for one, or wasn’t interested.  
“Of course I do… Unless you don’t want me to, then I don’t.”  
“No, fuck yeah I want you to but… I.. I well you… Why don’t you ever talk about them then?”  
“I don’t know, I guess it never comes up in conversation… Or at least I don’t bring it up. Would you like me to?” Iri asks the feline whose tail now curls around her hand tightly in affection. “Also I figured you guys are just as dumb at home as you are at work, so it’s not like I really need to comment on it twice.” Iri teases with a smirk, and the cat just beams at her. “Michael that would be like me not letting you see my artwork.”  
“...Well…”  
“Alright I show you most of it, or if you asked I’d let you see it… Hell you could walk into my studio and I wouldn’t care. Being mates is more than just sex, it’s about loving a person in all their aspects… Even the goofy, angry internet ones.” Iri tells him nuzzling the man’s shoulder with a loving smile. “I especially enjoyed the Techno Kitten Rage Quit you did… I never thought such fluffy animals could provoke a man so much.”  
“Distracting little bastards.” Michael grumbles with a fake fire as they pull into the parking lot of the apartment, and were now faced with an interesting challenge. “Iri, you have no clothes in here, and I clawed the others off you… Um, I’m not sure how you.”  
“Red, just give me your shirt.”  
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait and I can grab something?”  
“Na, and besides the longer we linger the more likely Geoff will come hunt us down.”  
“You make us sound like fugitives.”   
“Red, you know it’s true especially after the way you hung up on him… there’s going to be hell to pay, but fuck we’re already here may as well keep going.” Iri says as she dons his shirt and the pair exit the car, after doing a brief survey of the parking lot they discover it empty so very swiftly they enter the building. She begins walking up the stairs with Michael not far behind her. They make it up about two flights of stairs before he suddenly scoops her up with a squeak falling from her surprised lips, which are soon covered by his smirking ones.   
“I wouldn’t be a true knight if I didn’t carry my damsel to safety.”  
“Mhmm, you’d be a shitty knight if you didn't.”  
“Also that shirt isn’t as long as I’d like it to be.” Michael mumbles subtly giving the top of her head a little kiss, and nipping at her ears. He watches in amusement as they swivel, and flatten to get away from him while her tail bats his leg happily. They make it to their apartment quickly, and from there it was a flurry of activity…. All of which did not include sex because Iri didn’t want to mess up her hair.  
“Typical girl.” Marcus says under his breath as he appears on the bed beside Lexi who was pouncing the pillows. Lexi who was playing doesn’t even notice the appearance of the Marcus who jumps onto her back, but only ends up phasing through her corporeal form. The fox merely looks down to find the bobcat smirking up at her, and she shifts to be in the same density as him. Once there the pair begin wrestling and rolling around the bed phasing through pillows as they go, and eventually falling off the bed with Lexi pinning Marcus by the neck. Both huffing quietly, and Lexi nips at his shoulder softly causing the feline to purr in submission. So as the fox nuzzles she was never expecting the counter of her being kicked off, and then pinned roughly.  
“Hey, I already won!” Lexi huffs angrily with a pout, her tail no longer waving playfully.   
“And now you’ve lost….. Present Alexia, and I’ll give you your consolation prize.” Marcus offers, and the fox looks like she might argue but decides not to. Pushing the bobcat off she pulls his tail with her teeth, and then darts off to the other room with him not far behind leaving Michael alone in the room as he skimmed through his closet…. He had come to realize that most of his clothing was now at Geoff’s leaving him with very few options. Michael could either go fully decked out with a sport coat and a pair of black pants, or he could be a bit more casual with a black vest, rolled up sky blue button up, and his black jeans… Yeah he was definitely feeling the more casual look as he dressed quickly, and checked himself out in the full length mirror in his room…  
“I’d fuck you.” Iri states with a smirk, wrapping her arms around him from behind, and slipping her fingers into the jeans tight front pockets. “It’d be classy though. I’d take you to Perry’s, get you a thick piece of meat so I could nibble on yours later.”  
“You are absolutely obscene Iri, absolutely fucking obscene.” Michael mutters with a shake of his head, and a blush on his cheeks, turning his head to the side he leans down slightly to meet her smirking lips.  
“Mmm Geoff’s not the only one who knows how to take care of you, baby boy.” Iri purrs, a seductive smile on her lips and her hands traveling down to the front of his tight black jeans. “No underwear?... Living dangerously I see.”  
“That, and I couldn’t fucking squeeze into these without them bunching uncomfortably.” Michael breathes out in a moan as Iri’s hands start to caress his hardening member lightly. She says nothing choosing to cluck her tongue in mock disappointment, and urges him to bend over the bed. Using her powers she tugs the denim off roughly, and pushes the back of his shirt up to reveal his tail wrapped around his waist tightly. Iri places soft kisses around the base of the appendage, smiling at the mewls her mate makes into the mattress.   
“Baby boy, look at all this slick, and I haven’t even gotten started yet. Tell me, how does it feel when I do this?” Iri teases as she bites the tip of his tail, and inserts a finger directly onto his prostate. She revels in the cry Michael releases, and smirks at the mess he made on the bed. “Red are.”  
“No… No talking...Be quiet.”  
“....” Iri stays silent respecting her mate’s wishes as his breathing relaxes back into a normal state. Nuzzling his back lovingly she snags a bit of the comforter to wipe off the slick, and pulls up his jeans slowly being careful to tuck him back in safely making extra sure not to get him caught on the zipper. “Michael, are you okay?”  
“Mhmm, god damn that was amazing… Is that what having a tail will always feel like?”  
“For the first few days, but during heat it will always be that sensitive… Why do you think I always puts a cock ring around the base?” Iri questions with a wry smile while moving away from the bed to head through the bathroom to her bedroom looking over her shoulder she finds that Michael was following as well. “I don’t think you're a full blooded bobcat.”   
“Really? Why not?” Michael inquires, watching Iri stand in front of her closet with a perplexed look.   
“One because Leo is a lion…. Bobcat plus fox does not equal lion, but I’m not sure what really does.” Iri answers still staring at her closet, and sifting through the dresses on the rack. “Michael what are you feeling, slutty whore or needy Omega?” She says while holding up a crimson dress with black lacy black accents around her bust and hips that he was pretty sure was lingerie… or was supposed to be worn that way. It tied around the neck and in the middle of her back in thin spaghetti straps leaving most of her back side exposed; its short ruffled skirt barely fell to the upper middle of her thigh, and the neckline on this dress promoted her bust almost obscenely. The next choice was more of a glorified royal blue bikini by the way the sides were scooped out, and two pieces of cloth were tethered together down her middle. Both of these dresses were incredibly short, and both made his mind itch to grab hold of her tightly and never let go.   
“Iri, both of those make me incredibly uncomfortable… Why do you even have clothing like that?” Michael asks as he points to the red one, it made him feel a bit less like he was going out with a stripper, and more of a seductress… It fit the vixen part of her heritage perfectly.  
“I..Uh… You know..”  
“Seriously Iri why do you have these kind of outfits?”  
“I was adventurous once… Okay a lot… I like to dance alright.” Iri mumbles quickly looking down at her feet, slipping on the crimson dress, using her powers to tie the straps into several bows down her back that ended just above the base of her tail, and she pulls a pair of matching black lace heels that she tied up and around to her calves. She used to feel bashful going out like this, but now she felt fine… Plus teasing dumb Alphas was kinda fun, and the way Michael would hold onto her hips when they started dancing was what she craved. “How do I look?”  
“Like a whore, but when did you even go dancing… We’ve literally been in a relationship for like seven years.” Michael states, and the woman just fiddles with her long, wavy red hair parted to the side for the last time before looking at him.  
“Not every night after Serah’s death was spent in the corner of a room sobbing, staring blankly at a wall trying to perceive what kind of mother kills her own child, meeting Otto so he could numb the pain so thoroughly I didn’t remember who I was, or teaching fencing lessons to under appreciated youths. Some nights were me going to a club, picking fights with handsy Alphas who didn’t understand I came here for the music, getting my ass kicked after making some smart ass comment, and limping home to hide in my studio till I could heal my wounds or at least cover them with makeup.” Iri explains briskly, her tone sharp as she gives Michael a dark look while brushing a loose bang out of her face. “Some nights I beat up bodybuilders just to prove to myself I wasn’t weak… Depression does strange things to a person’s mind, and I am no exception.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah, it’s not something I really like to talk about so can we just go?”  
“Uh, yeah… Just let me grab my wallet.” Michael mumbles quickly as they head into the front room. “You know maybe… maybe you should talk about it.” Michael says quietly, taking her arm after they exit out the door, and she locks it with a single thought.  
“Talk about what Red?” Iri inquires her brow furrowing, but the faraway look he gives her makes her realize what he meant. “Oh that?... No, I’d rather not.”  
“I’m just… I… You know forget I mentioned it.”  
“Michael, it’s not… I did talk about it.”  
“You just didn’t talk about it with us.”  
“.... no… no I guess I didn’t.”  
“Oh.” Michael mutters, and the woman just lays her head on his shoulder as they continue down to the front of the building.   
“I never talked about it with you guys because all of you have your stories, and this is mine… You just happen to be a part of mine, and it isn’t that I don’t want to tell you. It just hurts, and reminds me that the last memory she has of me is her father and I fighting to the death….And my… She.” Iri starts to stutter out as the flashbacks of the day begin, the horrific anger accompanied by it. “I.. Michael.”  
“Shh, I got you, I’m sorry I brought it up… Shh it’s alright. I’m here Vixen, and I’m never leaving.” Michael assures the woman whose breathing had begun to fluctuate “Iri, just breathe it’s over and you're okay… We’re okay.”  
“.... We’re… We’re okay.” Iri stammers back as she wills the terror back down into its cage, and loosens her death grip on Michael’s arm. Once free he wraps his arm around her waist as they resume their walk down the steps. It was about two stairs from the bottom that she somehow managed to slip from his grasp. She tumbles forward, and straight into the arms of a waiting Geoff…. a really, really, really, furious Geoff. “Ge… Geoff.”  
“Mhmm, now tell me where are you two going? Why did you think it was okay to leave this morning without telling someone? And what are you wearing Iri? You look like a slut.” Geoff questions as he grips their upper arms tightly, and begins towing them outside. “... A hot slut, but that’s not the point.”  
“Geoff we’re adults, and you don’t own us… We can go wherever we want when we want.” Michael states defiantly while wrenching his arm free, and his tail curls possessively around Iri’s tail. “We thought.”  
“What is that?” Geoff inquires worriedly as the anger dissolves and is replaced by worry, turning around swiftly to inspect the new appendage. “Why the fuck do you have a tail? You didn’t have this yesterday, or this morning.”  
“I… Why does it matter?” Michael mumbles sheepishly, suddenly feeling rather ashamed at the Alpha’s surprised reaction. “Iri said it was cute.”  
“It is my Knight, and if he can’t see that then we’ll find someone who does.” Iri growls while tugging him from Geoff’s inspection, and out the door. “It matches the color of your hair, and it’s fucking adorable.”  
“Yeah?”  
“Yes, and Geoff is just in shock… I’m sure Ry will love it, and you know Gavvi will… He loves playing with mine, and now he can play with yours.”   
“Will you two wait?” Geoff’s angry tone grumbles, interrupting their conversation. “And I never said it wasn’t cute you just stormed off before I could, now tell me how did you get that tail?” Geoff inquires, pulling the pair to sit on each of his knees on a nearby bench. Nuzzling his face into their sides despite the way they squirmed away.   
“Harold injected me with some kind of drug, and about five minutes later I was screaming in pain falling to my knees… When Otto had numbed me enough to stop the screaming, I felt something weird, and furry flopping around on the back of my thighs. And bam! I have a tail… it’s a happy little thing though Daddy, watch.” Michael explains to Geoff as Iri finally squirms free allowing him to occupy the man’s entire lap. The elder man watches with a small smile as his lover’s tail flick, and twitch to a melody no one else heard. “As for your other question we’re going out tonight.”  
“Out? Don’t you want to come home, and help us with the other’s heat?” Geoff asks softly, his Omegas were a close knit group and when they went through heat they usually liked to spend it with each other. “Guys?”  
“I… Geoff we love you, but we think you two are neglecting Gavin and Ray.” Michael states when he notices Iri’s hesitation. “I know we’re sick, but we don’t need all the attention you're giving us.”  
“Neglecting?... Tch those two literally just yelled at me for not finding you two earlier… No baby boy we aren’t neglecting them, but if… If you really are going out than go, I won’t stop you. Just make sure you come home tonight.” Geoff acquiesces while wearing an understanding smile, and teasing Michael’s tail with light touches.   
“Really?” Iri asks warily.  
“Really… Just don’t do anything stupid.” Geoff assures, and watches at the pair’s eyes light up in excitement.  
“Thanks Papa, see you later.” Iri bids with a quick peck to his lips, and then Michael takes her by the hand to his car. The man watches the car disappear out of the parking lot before he shifts his shape, and pulls out his cell phone feeling mildly awful for what he'd just done.   
“Alright Ark, we’re square.” Hampshire reports solemnly.   
“Good work Shire, teach that mated bitch a thing or two about our line of work.” Ark mutters through the phone, and Hampshire didn’t need to be there to know the pleased smirk she was wearing.   
“Oh, and I was never part of this.” Shire states, he didn’t know Tex very well but he knew that when she realized their deception there would be hell to pay, and he didn’t want his name attached in any way to this. He saw what she’d done to Ark just for touching her mate, he didn’t need to know what this did to her.  
“Of course not.” Ark replies wearing a triumphant smile that Hampshire knew the conniving woman wore, he’d known her long enough to know that much.


	142. But I?... You said?... What?

Iri and Michael

It was around midnight when the pair finally pull back into the garage, and both were wearing pleasant smiles. Exiting the car Iri feels Michael wrap his arms around her waist before placing soft kisses on her slightly sweaty neck, and nudging her towards the door that led to the house.   
“Mm, Red I can’t wait to see the look on Gav’s face when he sees your tail… I bet he won’t stop touching it.” Iri purrs with a smirk, and the feline merely rolls his eyes while opening the door. They shut it softly behind them, but before they can take off their shoes a hand pins both of them to the wall behind them by their throats, nothing too tight but tight enough to portray anger.   
“Where have you two been?” Geoff growls, his tone low and dangerous it was enough to terrify the confused Omegas who begin to stutter with their tails tucked between their legs. “Answer me!” Geoff demands as he and Ryan tighten their grips.  
“We… We were dancing, Geoff you… you said we could go.”  
“I said none of that in fact I remember you hanging up on me!”   
“But Geoff, we… you.” Iri starts, but a mouth is soon clamped over hers and confused stutters are traded for forceful kisses. Opening her mouth fully she allows the Gent entrance, and whines when he pulls himself back. She goes to follow his lips, but soon a slap is felt on her cheek causing her to whimper softly.  
“You look like a whore, and now I’m going to treat you like one…. On your knees.” Geoff commands, and Iri just rebukes his words. “Now.”  
“Geoff, you have to bel.” Michael starts only to be silenced by Ryan’s mouth on his giving it a similar treatment as Iri’s got. Pulling back Ryan grabs roughly at the tail now wrapped around his leg, and listens to Michael moan lowly.   
“Where did you get this?”  
“Lab… Weird medicine.”  
“I see you can tell me about it later... On your knees, let’s put that mouth of yours to work.” Ryan orders in a manner that was a bit less forceful than Geoff's, but still causes shivers down Michael's spine.  
“Let go of me!” Iri screeches frantically with tears in her eyes when Geoff tries to pull her down, and she wastes no time in pushing the gent off of her. Kicking Ryan in the back she grabs Michael’s hand and they flee back out the door, but before they can make it out Geoff uses his powers to pin her up against a wall. It’s at that moment Iri loses her sense of control, she throws Geoff off of her, and Ryan away from Michael sending both Alphas crashing roughly into the washer. They both make grunts of surprise as Iri pins them with her own hands. “I will not be touched like that! And you will not any of us like that! Ever!” Iri growls bitterly as she releases the men who sink to the floor, their eyes much calmer than before. “I am not your pet, not your toy, and not your bitch! I am nothing to you!” Iri finishes as she rips the ring off her finger, and chucks it at him tears in her eyes as she fled the house. Leaving the men in shock, and Geoff holding the slim golden ring, shining dully in his hands.   
“Geoff, Ryan, what were you two thinking?” Gavin’s bewildered tone questions as he and Ray enter the room wearing looks of horror at their Alphas’ action. “Are you two bloody insane? What did..you... “ Gavin starts to yell, but the man suddenly begins to waver trying to use the door frame for support but ends up falling back into Ray’s waiting arms.   
“Gav? Vav!” Ray says worriedly as he shakes his lover gently, nuzzling his cheek frantically.  
“Gavi?” Michael mutters as he pulls the man’s from Ray’s arms, and carries him to a nearby couch. He sits down with the man in his lap, and starts rocking him slowly trying to get him to wake up. “Gavi please wake up, Gav please.”  
“Let me… Let me see him.”  
“Don’t touch him!” Michael snaps as he snarls when Geoff tries to touch him. Their bodies covered in electricity that crackles blue around them, and shocks Geoff when he reaches to touch him. “Don’t touch a fucking Hair on his head, you lying bastard! Alphas always do this, they always do this.” Michael shouts bitterly tears trailing from his eyes as he rocked Gavin slowly. “Wake up Gavi, wake up please.”  
“... Micoo, Micoo why are you crying?” Gavin inquires his eyes hazy with confusion, and his mind reeling. ”Did I pass out?”  
“Yeah, are you okay?.. You feeling alright?” Michael frets nuzzling his love, and trying his best to soothe his frazzled tail lashing about.   
“Mhmm, I was having a horrid dream and then I heard you and… where’s Iri at?” Gavin murmurs as Michael continues snuggling him close, tears in his eyes. “Boi, why are you crying? Lance says your emotions are all over the place…. Hmm what’s got you so frazzled?” Gavin asks his tone light as he shifts around so he can hold the man who is dressed quite well for a Friday night. “Did you go out tonight?”  
“Yeah, we went dancing… How’s your heat?”  
“Better now that you're here, my head feels fuzzy still… Oh… Geoffrey!” Gavin scolds angrily as he finally works through the dregs of his confusion, and turns to the Alpha giving him a worried look.  
“Gav what happened to you?” Geoff asks as he inches over only to feel a wave of distress wash through his body, leaving him in a saddened state.   
“You are an idiot, and so are you for following his lead! Come on Michael let’s go upstairs, Ray call Iri, and you two… You two just bugger off… You better hope she’s okay Geoff or I’m skinning you alive.” Gavin commands as he ushers the other two upstairs while the Alphas remain there.   
“Why… Why would we do that?” Ryan scowls as he stands up, and looks to Geoff who is still staring at the ring in his glistening in the pale light of the laundry room’s light bulb. He didn't feel right, in fact he felt fucking horrible, and judging by the fading color of Geoff's cheeks he didn't feel so hot either. “Geoff?”  
“I… I don’t know, but I don’t… I feel weird.” Geoff states as he holds his head in confusion, it felt like he was wading through mud, and his body ached in pain. “Ry?”  
“Ge.” Ryan chokes out before he drops to the ground, and Geoff soon follows suit.


	143. How to deal with a bully

Iri  
Hours later

She had her heels in her hand, her purse slung around her side, and her makeup trailing down her face leaving tracks of black. Iri doesn’t bother pulling out her phone, choosing to send Lexi as her message courier to find Harrison. She didn’t care that her hair looked gross, or her throat hurt from crying, or that she had puked twice from the anxiety attacks she had. All Iri cared about right now was getting as far away from him as possible, and on the side of the highway headed north east she was sure to get that. By the time she heads her destination her feet are cut up and bloody her mind only focused on the safety the lab provided her. Maybe she’d take Derrick up on his love… No, she hadn’t sunk that far down, she wouldn’t slink to his level, or at least the level his words described her at. As she stumbled along a pair of bright headlights shone behind her, casting her shadow in front of her…. But she didn’t care anymore, she didn’t give a damn about whoever it was even as hands usher her to the car. She can hear words, but she can’t make them out as a sense of loneliness falls over her. Iri didn’t feel much until she’s lead into a room, and urged onto a bed. A man that smelled familiar rested in front of her, and she could hear a foreign sounding man whispering fearful words to another man who just settled on her other side. She didn’t look back to see who it was choosing to just settle into the comforting scent in front of her. Her eyes closed, but the feeling of consciousness never fades leaving her in a state of unrest. It isn’t until the men around her fall asleep hours later that she works herself free, and begins to wander. Iri wanders through the halls on light feet that leave no sound in her wake, and she wanders till her path takes her to Erik’s old room… The room where she spent the worst four months of her life in, the room that was the reason she had to kill her daughter, the room that led her to doubt Geoff’s love, and the room that now held a sleeping Arkansas. Opening the door silently she enters it to find the woman sleeping fitfully in the arms of Alabama; Iri wastes no time in easing the sleeping woman from the bed, and then leaves the room silently hearing Alabama mumble sleepily before turning back over. Taking the woman she stalks into the field house with one purpose in mind, to fight her. In her hours of resting she sent Lexi to the house to find out the status of Michael only for her to report that Geoff and Ryan had been poisoned by a venomous snake. Iri didn’t need many guesses to figure out who had poisoned her mates, and who had forced their hand into rage. See in all of that loneliness and blankness she began to contemplate her mates’ strange actions, and no amount of missed phone calls would ever make them act like that especially not Ryan…. Never Ryan, so it must have been her fault, Todd had told Lexi the truth of Geoff’s whereabouts, and how the man she kissed wasn’t him… So now that led to this moment, she tosses Arkansas onto the cold mats, and watches as she awakes with a start.  
“Al… You.” Ark says her tone dark and spiteful as she looks down on the woman dressed in an obscene manner. “Unless, you’ve come to apologize.”  
“Mhmm, Ark… I just… I’ve never met an Alpha like you.” Iri purrs her tone taking a seductive edge as her tail sways lazily like her hips as she saunters over to the woman. Ark seems to take the bait easily, and Iri smiles inwardly at the woman’s stupidity. “Your scent is intoxicating.”  
“As is yours, but Sweetheart if you wanted to talk then why didn’t you just ask.” Ark inquires, her hands resting on the woman’s slim hips and dragging them onto her own, grinding them ever so slightly on hers. “Though as far as scents go, yours is much more sensually than mine... Aw listen to that purr, I bet you're just looking for an Alpha to play with you. Hmm is that what you need little Omega?”  
“Yes Alpha, please I need you.”  
“Mmm I bet you do, poor Omega just needs a knot huh?”  
“Yes Mistress.” Iri whines to the woman who was lapping this up like a kitten did their mother’s milk. Ark wastes no time in pinning her to a wall with her hands above her head, and working a knee between her thighs claiming her lips with furious kisses. Iri was nearly overwhelmed by her passion, and almost forgets her plan when Ark slips a finger into her heated sex. “Mistress.”  
“Shhhh, I’m just testing the waters… I want to make sure my feisty little rodeo princess is nice, and wet for me.” Ark murmurs to the tight woman, whose eyes roll back into her head at the pleasure. “Christ it’s like you’ve never been touched down here, tell me do these so called mates of yours ever fuck you?... Perhaps if they did you might be a bit friendlier.” Ark teases with a come hither motion that has the woman keening. “Now that’s a sound I could get used to.”  
“But, that’s not what I’m here for… I have a proposition for you.”  
“Oh, really? What is it?” Ark asks with a smile keeping her fingers pistoning in and out at a rapid pace that leaves her nearly breathless. “Tell me.”  
“A fight, a fair fight…. You win, I’ll let you fuck me. I win then… then you leave me and my squad alone.” Iri proposes, in between gasps of pleasure that leave her body aching for more.   
“Mhmm no, how about I fuck you and then you come play with Alabama and I?.. He’s such a tender man despite his bulk.”  
“No, take my offer or… fuck!... Or nothing.”   
“Huuuhhh, very well… meet me in the middle.” Ark agrees with a sigh, she’d been hoping this Omega would be a bit more receptive after her teasing but she didn't appear to be, but no matter kicking her ass would merely be part of the fun... She could beat her into submission, and then lick her wounds all better, yeah that was a thought that definitely made Ark's Alpha purr needily. The pair meet in the middle, a quiet stare down that would only last seconds before Iri began her assault. Arkansas was not all prepared for the woman’s attack, and she had expected it to be lessened by their activities but it seemed to only fuel her ferocity. The fight is over in merely minutes, ending with Arkansas lying pinned to the ground with many of her bones shattered, most of which reside in her hands. “I.. I concede.”  
“Good, now don’t ever touch my mates, or my squad again and do not mess with me again… I can tell a fake from the real thing, also tell Shire that if he comes near me again I’ll cut off his dick.” Iri snarls bitterly, leaving the woman to pick herself up, and heads back to her squad’s room. Upon entering she finds Thames and Harrison on her bed, Fin and Russ sharing the Alpha’s so Iri heads to Harrison’s empty one in the far corner more than happy to settle down onto the oaky pillow by herself.

Geoff and Ryan  
Next Morning

The gents awoke to the frantic shaking of Gavin, Ray, and a feline Michael practically oozing worry.   
“Geoff, Geoff wake up! Oh bloody Hell I didn’t mean what I said last night… Please just be alive.” Gavin begs as he continues shaking the man while Michael licks at his face with his sandpaper tongue. They watch as Geoff awakes with a groan, holding his head, he picks up Michael, and sits up to see Ryan coming out of a similar haze.   
“What’s wrong Kitten?” Geoff asks softly as he strokes the frazzled cat. “What… Why are we on the floor?”  
“Daddy, you and Ryan choked Iri and I, then Gavin passed out, and then we went upstairs. We found you guys like that this morning.” Michael explains softly, nuzzling Geoff’s chest warmly. He smelled better than he had last night, and had Michael not been so flustered he would have noticed the lingering bitter smell on his body.   
“We did what?” Ryan states incredulously as he pulls from Ray’s arms. “I don’t remember any of that… I don’t remember last… I really don’t remember much now that I think about it.”  
“Yeah, it’s real hazy for me… I don’t even remember you two coming home last night…. Where’s Iri?”  
“Well… she… Geoff look in your hand.” Ray says sheepishly, and Geoff merely cocks his hand but does as he asks. What he finds instantly causes his face to fall, and his heart to clench. “Geoff, you were… she was so scared, and angry, and.”  
“What happened?” Geoff asks, and Ray beckons for him to look. Upon searching through he finds memories from last night, and the horrified looks on Ray and Gavin’s faces when they see his and Ryan’s actions. “I… We… Ray you know we would never.”  
“And yet we did… Godric, do you remember that letter we received from the IRS last night?” Todd inquires as he appears beside them.  
“I do Toddarion, but what would that have to do with anything?”  
“I was merely gauging the time frame we can remember…. After the letter what happened?”  
“We made dinner, and then played with our pretty boys, but not after calling those two who we overheard having sex… and then we went… we went for a walk to calm down.” Godric trails off as his looks to Todd who looks to the others. “And then we met with Fin.”  
“Fin?” Gavin interjects in confusion, and the gents just nod. “What did he want?”  
“Well he didn’t say much, but then he…”  
“Your cousin kept touching our hands… It was really fucking weird.” Geoff tells Gavin who purses his lips at this.   
“Fin is a hugger, not a hand holder… Do you remember the top of his left ear?” Gavin asks, and Geoff just rubs his chin in thinking while stroking Michael softly.   
“Yeah it was just a pointed ear like yours when you shift.”  
“No, his ear has a scar from where he and I got into a fight as kids. He has a notch in his left ear, apparently it stayed when he presented because it was there last time I saw him.” Gavin explains, and the gents instantly tense. “I… I don’t think that was Fin.”  
“...Call Iri, call her now!” Ryan says scrambling up and dashing for his phone, she had warned them about this that someone might attempt to get to her using them. They’d been incredibly lucky that they hadn’t been affected by it, or it was because Iri was incredibly careful. She maintained absolute silence on missions, and even in her mind she was silent so on the off chance someone made it in they found nothing… But somehow they’d discovered their address, though all it would have taken is following Harrison or perhaps Russ had something to do with this. The Alphas both knew of his disdain for their mate, and they wouldn’t be surprised if he put someone up to this. With the phone in hand he dials her number, and listens to it ring and ring and ring. “Iri, please, please God I’m begging you to call me back.”

Ten Minutes later

“Ryan what’s happened? Is everyone alright?” Iri inquires as her tone fills her Alpha’s ears. “Stag, is everything okay?”  
“Bambi, I’m so glad you called… Oh Bambi I’m so sorry for our behavior.”  
“Ry, don’t bother I already took care of it…. She was nothing more than a bully.” Iri states cutting the man off curtly, her tone was indifferent and it concerned Ryan immensely. “I have a mission tonight so I have to go.”  
“Iri?”  
“Yes James?”  
“I love you. Geoff loves you, the boys love you, and the kits love you… Don’t push us away because of something we couldn’t control.”  
“You didn’t even try.” Iri mutters through what he knows are tears as the phone clicks off leaving him in silence.   
“Is she coming home soon?” Gavin asks with a hopeful smile, and they watch the man just shake his head in no. “Oh, well what about tonight then?”  
“Gav, she… I... She needs some space.” Ryan mumbles quietly, and the others just nods slowly in understanding. “I’m sure she’ll come home soon though.”  
“Come on guys I’ll make breakfast.” Geoff says in an attempt to distract the Omegas from the reality of their actions.


	144. I should have known

Four Days Later

The pack still hadn’t seen or heard from Iri, and it was safe to say they were worried. Miles had asked where she was after receiving her artwork in a manila envelope, but not actually seeing her. Her pack had lied, and said she was still sick but in truth they hadn’t seen her either. Burnie had become even more worried when he called her phone, and received no response at all… So he decided it was time to find out the truth behind his daughter’s whereabouts considering the kits were becoming worried, and that brought him to now. After cornering two of her mates in their office, and Joel locking the door behind them they begin their questioning.  
“Where is she?”  
“Uh, her office maybe?” Geoff suggests, knowing that it was a lie but he didn’t have the truth to provide him with.  
“Don’t lie to me Geoffrey.”  
“Burnie if she isn’t there then it’s news to us, and if you find her then let me know.”  
“Geoff, I know that she hasn’t been here for the last week. Miles told me so.” Burnie states, and watches Geoff close his eyes in frustration. “Now tell me where she is.”  
“Burnie we don’t know.” Michael admits quietly, turning from his computer to face the man. “We haven’t seen her either, and last Ryan heard she was on a mission.”  
“On a mission? Why would she be on a mission?” Joel asks his eyebrows furrowing.   
“Well. Uh… Geoff?”  
“Michael meant an artistic mission, she does it sometimes when she needs inspiration… She takes like a week vacation and goes into nature.” Geoff tries hoping they’ll believe him, but the look of doubt the Alphas wear matching looks of disbelief. “Or not.”  
“Explain now, or I am going to fire you.”  
“I don’t think you could.”  
“Try me Ramsey… Just fucking try me.”  
Two hours later

“You let my daughter sign her life away!” Burnie nearly screams in anger at Geoff as he grabs his shirt’s collar and slams him against the wall. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”  
“Burns I wasn’t even there when she made the deal! I couldn’t have stopped it if I wanted to she’s sick, and I.”  
“You are a fucking low life you know that? God Geoff, I can’t believe you… We’re keeping the kids till she comes back; if you come for them I’ll call the police, and I’m sure it won’t take but one story from Dex about how you nearly beat her to death to have you thrown in a cell.” Burnie growls threatening as he releases Geoff, and they exit the office with a scowl on their lips. Geoff didn’t have a comeback for that, but he did pick up a framed pack photo and throw it against a nearby wall. He also picks up his controller, and hurls it watching as the plastic pieces mingle with the broken glass on the floor.  
“Daddy?” Michael mumbles sheepishly and watches as his Alpha’s rage instantly dissolves into a calming smile. “He can’t do that can he?”  
“No baby boy, and I won’t let him. But it may be best if we find Iri before we get the kits, you know how they worry when she’s gone.” Geoff assures Michael who sighs in relief in his arms. “Burnie is just pissed, but Joel would never allow him to take them away from us.”   
“Geoff are you sure?”  
“I am, and I don’t think Dex would ever tell the police that.”  
“No… No Dex would, but he’d have to be mad.”  
“Yeah, you're right he’d totally fuck you over.”  
“Just like his mother, the love is there it’s just covered by an overwhelming sense of disdain.”  
“It’s not disdain Geoffrey, rather distrust.” Iri mutters as she enters the room with a tired look on her face. She carried her green backpack over her shoulder, and offered them a weak smile.   
“Kit?” Geoff mumbles in disbelief he goes to hug the woman, but she shies back.   
“I… I need to offer you an apology for my behavior.”  
“No, you.”  
“I do because it was incredibly disrespectful, and I have had a little time to reflect… I should have never threw my ring at you, and if you're willing I’d love to have it back.” Iri says in a very mature manner as she looks to Geoff with hopeful eyes. “I am sorry for what I did, and we should have picked up the phone when you called, that was purely irresponsible and childish.”  
“Kit, are you okay?” Geoff inquires as he pulls the ring from his pocket and hands it to her; he’d been keeping it close for when she came home and he could apologize.  
“Thanks, and I should have known they would do something like that… I acted purely out of aggression, and haste.” Iri tells the man who just nods, and she smiles weakly at him trying to ease his suspicion. “So what have I missed?”  
“Kit, are you sure you're okay?” Geoff says worriedly, not that he didn’t enjoy being talked to like an adult but this just didn’t seem right… He felt like she had gone through something traumatic, or horrendous and all he wanted to do was hold her till she went back to normal. “Tell Papa what’s wrong.”  
“Geoff, I’m fine and I’d appreciate if you called me by my name from now on.” Iri states politely as she picks her bag back up, and heads towards the door. “I’ll see you at home okay? I have some work to do.”  
“Okay, Iri… You should call Burnie though, he’s really upset.”  
“About what, were the kits bad?”  
“No… You just need to talk to him.”  
“Okay, I’ll go do it right now.” Iri says while continuing back out the door, and into her office. Once there Iri shifts down to her real form because she was most definitely not the real Iri. This was Lexi, and the real Iri was lying in a coma back at the Lab healing herself. Their last mission had gone so wrong so fast, and Iri being the self sacrificing woman she was had immediately saved all of them save for herself… Their Vagabond had been what saved her from total extinction, and even now Lexi could feel the creature lurking beneath the surface ready to take over her mind if need be. The creature had snarled dangerously earlier at the thought of bending over to please an Alpha, but now it seemed to relax a bit, choosing to submerge itself back down into the depths of their shared mind. After their defeat, and Iri’s injuries Lexi had taken her form to help soothe their packs frantic minds. ‘Thames what are they feeling?’ Lexi asks the fossa who was lurking in the rafters, gauging the situation in an effort to help the woman maintain her cover.   
‘They are wary… They are worried about her, Geoff wants to hold you until you tell him what’s troubling you.’ Thames answers back and works his way down, unseen he slips into the open office door. “Lexi, if you don’t act more like Iri than this isn’t going to work. Has your mistress ever been that polite in her life?”  
“... Well.”  
“She hasn’t, Iri is a spitfire. She doesn’t give a fuck about your opinion and do you think she would have apologized for Geoff’s behavior?” Thames growls angrily, the fox shakes her head sheepishly. “Exactly, now be her.”  
“And for the record my Mistress does care about your opinion, she just doesn’t show it…. Since she was a kid expressing herself has always been hard, don’t be a dick.” Lexi scolds with a glare, Iri was far from the heartless bitch he made her sound like… She was a caring person once you got through her tough exterior.  
“Oh… Well, you know what I meant.”  
“Yeah, but… Thames, I don’t know how to act like her especially around Geoff.”  
“Then just avoid him.”  
“I can’t avoid my mates, and most of all Todd will know who I really am. Hell he knows when Iri gets a paper cut, he’ll know I’m not her.” Lexi argues, and the fossa hybrid purses his lips and shifts back to lift the fox up to his face. “Thames put me down.”  
“If your Mistress can save us from an entire platoon of Nikolai’s creatures while Russ drags the rest of our wounded squad including myself into a chopper, you can sure as hell be her for a week or two.” Thames tells the vixen who stares at him with understanding eyes. “Now come on, just be Iri.”  
“I… I’ll try.”  
“That’s a good place to start, do you mind if I hang out in here?”  
“Not at all Thamesy, but how are you doing?”  
“I’m just a bit light headed from all of the running around, and using my powers but I’ll be okay after a meal or two.” Thames answers while putting the fox down, and watches her levitate things onto the floor around her. He then watches her begin drawing images on the papers, and shading them lightly in pastel colors. They were of a young girl with what appeared to be shotguns on her wrists fighting a man in a bowler hat on a train. It made him wonder if wrists shotguns would be applicable, and with that on his mind he leaps onto the desk. He switches on the lamp, and proceeds to fall asleep in the warm light. 

Several hours later

Lexi eventually finished the work, and shifts into the shape of Iri to deliver them. Casting a glance at the table upon returning she finds the fossa lounging lazily, his entire body covering the desk, and long tail threatening to knock off the woman’s stuff. Sighing through her nose she lifts the feline, who nuzzles her appreciatively and purrs into her neck.   
“Shh, I’m just dropping the rest of these off and I’ll take you to the lab.” Lexi soothes, allowing the cat to curl up tightly and fall back asleep in her arms. It takes but a minute to drop the rest of them off, and heads outside the building. She shifts into a large dragon with the cat in hand, and starts the flight back to the lab.

Geoff’s house

Michael had gotten the kits despite their grandfathers displeasure, and now they were eating dinner patiently awaiting the arrival of their mother who had promised to come home tonight. The eldest gent had told Ray, Gavin, and Ryan what had happened and it was safe to say the men were in mild disbelief, their mate was never that rational, never that polite… It was almost Iri… Gavin had made that pun, and he was pretty proud of it. Geoff and the others though had merely glared at the Omega who now pouted somberly as they cleaned up the kitchen.   
“Ry, it… I…”  
“Geoff, you want to believe it is her, but the fact of the matter that doesn’t sound anything like her. Iri never apologizes like that, her apologies usually come with some sort of sexual act… Godric says it sounds more like Lexi.” Ryan comments quietly as he places spoons in the dishwasher’s silverware holder. “In fact it sounds just like Lexi.”  
“But it was Iri, I saw her.” Michael argues, his eyes filled with confusion.  
“Michael, her powers allow Lexi to shift into anything as long as she can see a clear image in her mind, and I can’t think of a clearer image than her Mistress.” Todd states as he appears on Geoff’s head causing the man to scoff at him. “The more that you.” However before he can continue that thought the front door swings open softly, and the kits shout Momma happily. Putting their cleaning aside they enter the room to find Iri picking up Felicia, and Dex staring at his mother in clear confusion. His confusion soon turns to a wary growl when she reaches for him.  
“Where is Momma?” Dex demands as he casts a look to Iri who freezes, and the fathers freeze as well. “You are not my mother, where is she?”  
“Dexy, what are.”  
“Lexi, where is Momma?” Dex says rephrasing his question in a dark tone causing Scarlett and Leo to look at her warily, while Felicia just rolls her eyes at them. She had spent many nights with Lexi shifted into her mother’s form to know when it was her and not her actual mother.  
“Dex, stop growling it’s just Lexi… Is Momma okay?” Felicia asks, and Lexi just sighs before placing the girl down and shifting into her small feathered dragon form. Scarlett at this point reaches for her, and curls her close to her heart causing the dragon to nuzzle her neck.   
“Your mother had to stay late, and she asked me to tell you that.” Lexi lies, and hopes they believe it. Leo just scoffs, and Lexi turns to him silently wondering if he knew.   
“Momma is a way better liar than you… And Champ says you decided that after she was in a..” Leo trails off, and they watch how the dragon visibly deflates at his discovery of the truth. “You decided it after she…”  
“After she what?” Geoff inquires worriedly, concern clear on all of the adults’ faces.   
“Our mission didn’t go as planned, and everyone is alive… But she is just a bit.”  
“Daddy she’s in a coma…. A choice she made to save them when they were attacked.” Leo explains sullenly, looking to his father with worry and then to Geoff who wore a similar look of concern.   
“A coma.” Geoff mutters quietly, looking to his mates and children… Who were looking to him for something, they always needed something for him, and Geoff can’t this time. He can’t deal with it tonight, so he does what foxes are known for. Geoff shifts fast, and wrenches the sliding door open before dashing off into the night.   
“Papa?” Dex nearly whispers as he watches his father disappear into the night. “Papa!” Dex shouts as he dashes for the door, but Ryan picks him up quickly. The boy thrashes about in his sort of father’s arms, and doesn’t stop until a numbness forces him to. Once his movements were weak and uncoordinated Ryan cradles the boy in his arms, and begins rocking him in a soothing manner.   
“Shh Dex, shh.” Ryan hushes as the rest of the men do similar things to the others, scooping them up as Gavin casts a numbness over the remaining kits, and that’s when they ascend the stairs. Taking them to the master bedroom after laying them down Gavin, and Ray lay them down as well Gavin sure to keep them under. From there Michael and Ryan head outside to see if they can track the gent.


	145. Not Good Enough

Several hours later

Ryan and Michael are forced to give up as the night wears thin, and no sign of Geoff is found. So heading back with heavy hearts they find Gavin and Ray waiting with hopeful smiles only to see the pair shake their heads in no.   
“He’ll be back soon.” Gavin assures helpfully using his powers to promote a little bit of optimism in each of them, mostly Ryan who seemed to be particularly downtrodden.   
“Foxes always come home.” Ryan mumbles after a moment or two of just somber silence before he allows Gavin to aid his mood and shift it into a brighter one.   
“You sound like Mistress.” Lexi comments, unfurling herself from around Gavin’s neck and landing on Ryan’s hair. “And Harold tells me she will be well by the end of tomorrow.”  
“Well that’s good….How did this happen?”  
“She opted to be the distraction, while Russ dragged the other two to the evac vehicle…. Iri was incredibly brave, and skilled but there was simply too many…. And those… those creatures don’t stop until they’re beheaded.” Lexi explains quietly, projecting the image of the soulless people attacking them. Their eyes filled with nothing as Iri desperately worked to keep them occupied while Russ and Harrison in the background were trying their best to keep Thames and Fin safe as they lied crumpled in a heap by their feet. It was working well until evac wasn’t coming, and Harrison was beat down leaving just Iri and Russ active. From there Iri had made the gutsy decision to have Russ commandeer the nearest chopper as she continued fighting the horde. The chopper had taken far longer than she had anticipated, and by the time it was ready she had been swarmed. Lexi at that point turned into a giant black dragon, and used her tail to sweep them away so she could toss her into the open bay door and then snap back into her mind as Russ took off. It had gone so bad so fast, and none of them had ever anticipated that. “It was a mess, and she’s incredibly lucky I was able to stabilize her and the others… Vermont believes Wyvern knew, and is merely testing them.”  
“Who is Wyvern? We keep hearing the name, but I’ve never seen the man.” Ryan asks and Lexi seems to curl closer to Gavin’s neck. “Lex?”  
“We’ve never met the man either, but we feel him…Ver tells us he has plans for us.” Lexi mumbles quietly. “But, no one is quite sure what.”  
“Hey don’t worry about it Lex, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you're here, and she’s going to be okay.” Gavin states, unwrapping the dragon who winds itself around his forearm with a smile and her tail flicking.   
“So Michael, how’s the tail?” Lexi inquires, and the feline just smiles playfully. “I take it you're enjoying it.”  
“Mhmm, our fierce little Cub loves having his tail pulled.” Ryan purrs into his lover’s ear with a smile, tugging lightly, and causing him to jolt his hips into Alpha’s side. “Someone likes that don’t they?”  
“Aww look who got a new nickname… Now we can go back to calling Ray, Kitten.” Gav comments with a smirk as they watch Michael rut lightly against Ryan.  
“I will always be the original Kitten.” Ray states with a smirk causing the others to chuckle quietly, and it’s at that moment the Vagabond tugs Lexi’s mind. Unwinding from Gavin she spreads her wings, and goes to dart through the window however, Ray puts up a wall of flames to stop her.   
“Talk to us Lex.” Michael says as he plucks the dragon from the air.   
“I… I wish I could, but… Where’s Geoff?” Lexi inquires, changing the subject quickly as the Vagabond raises it’s head again. She could feel something urgent, and the creature was insistent about leaving. Iri and Lexi had come to see it as evil, as something that wanted nothing more than to take over their mind, but it had been the reason they lived. It was odd to think that their already crowded mind was becoming increasingly more cramped, and Lexi often wondered how long it would take before Iri began her descent into insanity… Or if they could even become insane, would the Vagabond stop the unraveling of their mind like it had their body?   
‘You need to return to your mistress before he comes.’ A voice mutters inside of Lexi’s mind. ‘Go, now.’ It commands and Lexi didn’t even have to wonder who it was, this was the Vagabond, and whoever he was didn’t sound friendly. So before the others could stop her she fades back into Iri’s mind.


	146. Is it worth it?

Iri’s Mind

She had been laying on the bed, and watching the back of her eyelids for some time now. Sure she knew she should have be relaxing, and focusing on healing her body but that was absolutely boring. So here she sat in the vast forest of thoughts, giant oaks towering all around her as though she was truly in the waking world though in reality she knew it was merely a construct of her mind as her body rested in the real world. In this new found free time she was taking a few moments of it to reflect, and wonder if this was truly the worst possible outcome. Was her life truly as awful as she’d come to see it of late, or perhaps she was merely lucky in the sense that it was somewhat exhilarating. Not many people got to experience these unique circumstances, and even fewer lived long enough to reflect on them. However, before that thought can finish she hears the sound of a door opening, and despite her inability to move, or open her eyes she could still hear. As the door open and shuts the sound of familiar footsteps fills her ears, and soon Geoff’s voice begins to talk. She can feel his rough calloused hands on the side of her cheek, and one settles soothingly on her thigh, rubbing in a circular pattern with the occasional outcrop. Iri had noticed that for whatever reason Geoff would always do this when she was sick or anyone wasn’t feeling well. It was a sign of comfort in his eyes, and she wondered why he chose the sun.   
“We should really stop meeting like this… And you should really stop this, perhaps your father was right. Maybe Burns is right to hate me.” Geoff mutters as he watches his lover lie bruised up and unconscious on the bed. Iri knows it was stupid, she knows it was reckless, but regardless she overrides her body’s natural defense mechanism and pulls herself to the land of the living.   
“My Dad…. Just...pissy.” Iri chokes out with a sore throat in an attempt to assuage the man's distraught mood, her eyes blinking slowly as she tries to sit up. Geoff grimaces at the way her normally dark blue irises are now gray in pain with a blood red background most likely due to the woman’s recent fight. “Love… you.”  
“Iri?... Iri why are you awake? Go back to sleep Kit, lay down.” Geoff urges trying to put the woman under the covers, but she shakes her head. “Baby, you need to rest.”  
“You… too.” Iri bids her Alpha who softens his gaze, and smiles softly though it turns into a worried look as she shifts onto her side with a grimace. “Sorry...Lex….Told you…. Right?”  
“Iri, please stop talking and go to sleep.” Geoff begs weakly, it killed him to see her like this especially when he didn’t need the comforting she thought he did. He was a big boy, and in fact she looked like she needed it more than he did.  
“Geoff, she isn’t going to go to sleep until you tell her that I relayed her apology, and you come lay down in the bed with her.” Lexi answers as she suddenly appears on the end of the bed. “Also why did you bolt earlier?”  
“It's not important, and I will but you need to sleep… Also I should be begging you for forgiveness not the other way around.” Geoff states causing the injured woman to scoff, only for it to turn into a cough that rattles the woman’s battered ribs. “Shh, go to sleep baby girl.” Geoff murmurs as he slides in beside her, and she immediately pulls herself to lay on his chest. Humming deeply in his chest he listens with a soft smile as the woman falls asleep quickly on him. Lexi watches with a smile as her mistress and her mate slowly drift off into slumber, and once they are under for sure she begins searching for the he the Vagabond was referring to. However much to her surprise the he, she was referring to was merely Agent Alabama sparring in gym. The fox enters warily, and watches as the man flicks his eyes up to meet hers.   
“What do you want?” Alabama asks spitefully as he stops punching the bag to stare the fox down.   
“I’m sorry, I’ll just be.”  
“Wait, you don’t have to go.” Alabama interjects, it wasn’t as though this creature didn’t have a right to be here. She belonged just as much as he did. Lexi says nothing choosing to sit on the mat beside the man, watching him punch before asking her question.  
“Why would Agent Arkansas try such a thing? Why would she purposely mess with mates?” Lexi suddenly asks the man who turns away, and punches the bag a few times. “Why would she desire to hurt my Mistress? We did naught to her, and naught to deserve that.”  
“And she did? Tell me is that how a person in your state says hello?” Alabama counters only to hear the fox growl darkly at him.   
“You know nothing of us!”  
“You're right, and I honestly don’t care. I care about my team, and the woman you two put in a coma!” Alabama shouts angrily at her, and the fox merely cocks her head in confusion while backing away a few feet.   
“I… We didn’t put her in a coma.”  
“Of course you did!”  
“No, Alabama we didn’t…. She had a few broken bones, but nothing more.” Lexi clarifies causing the other to stop completely, and cast a confused look at him. “We just wanted to get her to leave us alone, nothing more. Though I must apologize for the first time, whatever Harold gave us in that shot sort of muddled our minds.”  
“So you didn’t do this?”  
“No, we did not at least not to that extent.” Lexi states, and the man just purses his lips in thinking before turning back to the bag. She watches him kick, and pummel it for a few moments before he turns back to her.   
“If you didn’t do it then who did?”  
“Isn’t that the million dollar question.” Agent Florida comments as he enters the room with a curious look on his lips. His salt and pepper hair standing out in contrast to his lighter skin tone, and his gray eyes watching the pair carefully. “Are you two going to fight?”  
“No, unlike my Mistress I am not nearly as confrontational… at least physically.” Lexi states and the gray eyed individual just smirks. “But for the record she had no right to do what she did… She could have gotten Hampshire killed if I hadn’t talked sense into her.” She states and at this the men just nod in understanding.  
“Fair enough, but even so she should have never reacted like that.”  
“You. Know. Nothing.”  
“Even.”  
“Will you two knock it off, so I can figure out who tried to kill Arkansas.” Florida growls as he grabs the fox by the scruff who just rolls her eyes.   
“It was probably Wyvern in an attempt to turn them against her. He’s had her eye on her since Erik sent him her file, and a single agent is very easy to coerce at least in theory… Also he’s been hoping to draw out her parents, everyone knows those two still hold a special place in his heart. It’s always the foxes.” Ori comments as she enters the room to spy the fox in Florida’s arms, and instantly she snatches the fluffy animal. “Harley, and I must commend you two on your excellent ability to break through our illusions. No one has ever been that quick… besides York when he’s angry.”  
“Thank you, that is very kind of you to say but what was with the attack the other morning?” Lexi inquires and the snake woman just shrugs.   
“It’s what we do with all new Agents. It’s not meant to be mean we just want to know how they’re going to rank on the board.” Florida says casually as he gives Ori a smile in greeting. “Besides it was either her, or Arkansas and well… we all saw how well that worked out.”  
“Mmmm yes, that was practically murder.” Alabama comments bitterly under his breath still perturbed by the whole situation.  
“We knew what we were doing, and I prompted the necessary healers to help her afterwards... It's not as though we are heartless.” Lexi answers with a straight face as she leaps from the woman’s arms to on top of a treadmill’s display. “And what is?”  
“The board is a ranking system that Wyvern imposed on us about three years ago. It was a little while before he split us up into teams, and then began ranking those teams… Honestly I think he just likes to categorize us, he’s always been an organized man.” Florida explains to the fox who nods in understanding as the man continues his story. “We used to just be a few, but soon he desired to have at least one agent from each of the states, and then he wanted to see among us who was the best.. After that he wanted to see who was the best in a team, and then it was categorizing us into the best amongst us in combat. Which led to us being separated into certain types, and utilized from there.”  
“What brought upon the change?” Lexi inquires quietly.  
“No one really knows, not even Derrick but it changed, and now we’re more effective for it I suppose.” Alabama states and the other two nod in agreement. “If anything it’s brought us closer together, and since we’re emotionally connected there is more of a desire to protect one another.”  
“He gave you a reason to follow his orders, he gave you an incentive.” Lexi clarifies, and the agents just stare at her in thinking. “He gave you a reason to fear his wrath, especially if your friends are in danger… Or mates in some cases. Plus he has allowed you to mate within your team which only promotes stronger ties to each other, and eventually offspring.”  
“...He...She’s right…. Why didn’t any of us think of that?” Ori murmurs after several minutes of silence.  
“Sometimes it takes a newcomer with fresh eyes to understand the gravity of a situation.” Lexi says with a smile, her tail flitting about happily. “But the real question is what do you plan on doing about it?”  
“Well not much we can… Can we?” Ori asks as she looks to Alabama and Florida who sigh and shake their heads.   
“We’re under contract, and.”  
“And what? If you three are scared of a little slip of paper then maybe you shouldn’t even be here in the first place.” Iri interjects in a sharp tone as she limps in using a pair of crutches, she didn’t think she had any broken bones but they were definitely strained. “For killers you three are kind of bitches.”  
“Fuck off Texas, and I’m still pissed about what you did to Ark.”  
“Honestly she deserved it especially when she offered to pimp me out to you as though she had a right to my body. Tell me is that how all Omegas are treated in your state, or is it just the pretty ones?” Iri counters, and Alabama just raises his hackles at her. “Oh bite me, I wasn’t scared before and I am not now so go suck a dick.”  
“I must say you are incredibly confrontational for a severely wounded woman.” Ori comments with a smile as she wraps her arms around the woman’s waist, and snuggles into her neck. “And this scent… Mmm you are such an enticing creature.”  
“Alright, let go of her and Iri get your ass back in bed.” Geoff growls as he enters the gym wearing an angry look that has Iri rolling her eyes.   
“Geoffrey, I’m fine.” Iri declares her tone strict, and unwavering despite how her posture did.  
“No, now come on.” Geoff snaps as he scoops the sighing woman up while the other woman pouts sadly. “Also why is everyone touching you?”  
“Because she smells fantastic, and we don’t get to smell that often.” Florida states helpfully, despite the growl he receives from Geoff. “I would get used to it Mr. Ramsey, there’s fifty horny agents and only one sweet smelling Omega who bends over quite a lot.”  
“Iridessa!” Geoff snaps, and the woman just rolls her eyes again. “What have I told you about teasing American Soldiers?”  
“Nothing…. Oh wait, unless you are referencing yourself?”  
“No, I meant regular soldiers.”  
“But I am a soldier, so it’d be like teasing myself and I do that all the time.” Iri quips, but the remark has Geoff continuing his growl. “Alright, whatever, and I was not bending over that much that guy is just ignorant.”  
“Mhmm coming from the lady parading in her underwear.” Florida counters with a smirk as he watches the woman scramble for words only to fall silent in her mate’s arms. “That’s what I thought.”  
“I have told you time and time again about putting clothes because you look like a whore when you don’t.” Geoff scolds to the silent woman, now pouting in his arms. “Now let’s go back to bed.”  
“Very well, I just came for Lex anyways.” Iri mutters causing the fox to look up, and fade back into her Mistress’ mind. The pair disappear leaving the trio alone to ponder her words.   
“You know she’s right… It’s literally just a piece of paper.” Ori states as the trio share looks of hesitance. None of them even notices when a single man steps into the room wearing a disappointed look.   
“Now Missouri, I’ve given you everything you could have ever wanted and this is how you repay me… Awfully ungrateful in my opinion.” A smooth voice that causes all three of them to freeze, and face the red eyed man. “If you were me, you would be pretty perturbed… maybe even angry to hear about the treason you three are talking about.”  
“Director Wyvern, we… we were merely.” Ori starts only to feel herself pinned to a wall by her throat, the other two agents just watching in fear.   
“No, I know what you were doing and I want to know who do you think you are? I own you, and I can choose to get rid of you whenever I want to… Or perhaps I should start with your team?” Wyvern conjectures aloud causing the the woman to shake her head vigorously.  
“Leave them alone!” Ori shouts quickly, still struggling to pull the man’s arm from around her throat. “They didn’t do.”  
“Oh, I know but this indiscretion can’t go unpunished.”  
“Wyvern, please.” Florida starts when the man’s hand begins to trail over his captive’s breasts. “It, was.”  
“Shut up Florida before I give you a reason to.”   
“Yes Sir.” Florida remarks, his eyes shifting away from his crimson gaze and Alabama nudges him towards the door.   
“Good boys, now run along while I teach this one a lesson about starting revolutions.” Wyvern says in a tone that has the men shivering in fear, and Ori shaking openly in his grip, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. The men practically sprint back to their room hoping that the rest of their team was alright, and they were.  
“Al, we should.’  
“No, all that matters is that our team is okay. Ori got herself into this one, and she can get herself out.” Alabama states sharply interrupting his healer before he takes his place in Arkansas’ bed, and watches Florida reluctantly accept his order. “Don’t talk to Alpha at all, I don’t want to incur his wrath.”  
“Al, she’s in danger you know that?”  
“Worry about us, not them… That’s always been the rule, and that’s how it’ll stay.” Alabama says with a finality that has the healer nodding, and turning over to face Colorado who had already curled around him. Florida just smirks when he hears the soft little purrs start to emulate from the younger man… well actually his son, it was a long story but after a one night stand, eighteen years later he discovered his son was in the same unit as him… and it had been the awkwardest meeting ever, especially because he was very angry at him. Plus there was like eighteen years worth of child support he owed the kid; ironically the lack of money had been the reason he’d joined about ten years ago. They both shared the ability to change the direction of motion of anything moving or not, but Florida alone was the one to inherit the ability to heal sickness. Along with some powers they shared the same salt and pepper hair giving the twenty eight year old an older look; plus they both were jaguars with little ears lurking beneath their hair. It was odd to have a son, especially a clingy one who practically tackled him every time he saw him… But Florida loved him, and it was the best accident of his life so far. Perhaps Alabama was right, perhaps it would be best to just take care of themselves like they always had; it was safer that way even if that meant other’s might suffer...But his son wouldn’t suffer, and his team wouldn’t either so who cared about the wily fox proposing rebellion? Who cared that she was right? Who cared that an innocent agent was probably getting raped because they refused to stand up for her? Who… Aw fuck he cared. So doing something he’ll probably regret Florida shakes his son awake, and Connecticut as well. The sleepy pair follow him despite the confusion they feel.  
“Dad, what… where are we going?” Colorado asks in a daze.   
“Colin we’re going to help a woman in danger.”  
“Whose order?” Connecticut asks as they round a corner only to find a naked Missouri crying slumped up against the wall, her arms bleeding profusely, and her foot bent the wrong way.  
“Ori?” Colorado mumbles as he rushes to her side. “Ori who did this?”  
“Don’t be stupid! You know damn well who did it, and you didn’t even stop him… You just let him!” Ori declares bitterly as she hisses at the men who approach her. “Get Indiana, and Shire will you Colin?” Ori asks taking a softer tone with the younger jaguar, she knew he wouldn’t have stood for what his father did but it was done now and there was no point in dragging the kid into it.   
“Okay Ori.” Colorado says as he disappears off to find the requested agents.  
“What did you expect?” Florida asks as his son leaves, and it’s just them three. “I wasn’t going.”  
“Tex was right about Fireteam Reach, nothing but selfish cowards.” Ori spits as she drags herself up, hissing at the two men who reach to help her. “I don’t need your team’s help.”   
“Ori!” Indy shouts worriedly as she rushes to aid her fellow Agent. “Who did this to you?”  
“Indy, Shire, just help me to my room please?” Ori asks trying to ease the immense amount of concern on Indy’s face. “I’ll be fine after you patch me up Indy.”  
“We’ll get you right as rain, in an hour or two.” Indy assures the woman tucking her dark hair behind her ear as Shire lifts up his team leader. The trio disappears back to their rooms leaving Florida, Connecticut, and Colorado standing behind in silence though Colorado was tucked under his father’s arm.   
“I’m going back to bed, thanks for including me in… whatever this was.” Connecticut remarks in a bored tone after several long minutes, leaving the other two still standing there. Florida wearing a perplexed look, and Colorado just an optimistic grin till it turns into a yawn that drags Florida from his thoughts.  
“Come on Colin time for bed.”  
“Okay Dad.”


	147. Don't Ask Questions Just Do As You're Told

In the Morning

Iri awoke to the feeling of being lifted out of the bed, and taken somewhere. She doesn’t bother fighting it until the light suddenly disappears casting a dark glow over the world.  
“What… Where are we going Geoff?”  
“Not Geoff, and it’s Florida. We met last night.”   
“Get the fuck off me!” Iri shouts as she scrambles from his arms, and shifts swiftly; she takes off through the forest. When had they gone outside, how long had this guy had her, and where was Geoff? However, before any of those questions could even begin contemplation her feet, which had been running forward were suddenly carrying back towards the man called Florida. “What?”  
“I control the direction of motion, you can keep running or we can talk; your choice.” Florida says as he watches the woman attempts to flee until she eventually tuckers herself out. “Done yet?”  
“No… I got one more trick.”   
“Okay enough you two, I’m Nebraska but you can call me Raz.” A man wearing a polite grin and ball cap with the red socks logo on mutters tiredly as he steps out from behind a tree.“I am the Specialist for Fireteam Defiance, we.”  
“Your team causes insurrections, and are known for the petty squabbles you start amongst yourselves. Raziel, I must say your mind is frighteningly empty for a man so full of arguments.” Iri interjects and the man just smirks. “Named after an archangel known for mysticism yet all you do is heal bone fractures.”  
“I like her already, you would fit unbelievably well in on my team… But anyways, I’m here because you are looking to start a rebellion and Wyvern doesn’t bother with me much since I’m near the bottom of the list.” Raz states, pulling his hat off before ruffling his dark hair a second of two, and then placing his cap back on. “Florida, you do realize she’s top ten and he’ll be all over her.”  
“Top ten? She’s been on like three missions.”  
“And she’s been outstanding on each one… Now boys tell me what are we doing out here, hmm?” Wyvern’s curious voice inquires as he descends from the sky as a Peregrine Falcon, his shift is seamless, and Iri stares at the man who forced her to a team. He was the reason she no longer worked by herself, and he was the Alpha, General who ran this entire program. His red eyes were piercing as they met her dark blue, but she stared at him unafraid; her posture rigid and her lips pulled back in a silent snarl. However looking to her right and left she saw the other two staring down at the floor in submission. Why were these grown men so frightened by one single hawk? What was his power, and why did they fear it so much? “Agent Texas it’s good to see you out of bed, and I must commend you on your last mission; it was quite impressive the way you held them off, it is a shame your team wasn’t as capable as you.”  
“My team is plenty capable Director Wyvern, and what are you doing out here?” Iri fires back venomously, she watches as the man just chuckles before flicking his unsettling crimson eyes towards the men beside her. She watches from the corner of her eyes as they drop to the floor each holding their chests in pain. Iri reacts on instinct as she casts out her power to protect the two. Wyvern notices her defiance immediately and turns to her but she creates a thick barrier that the man had no hope of breaking through; it was a barrier that she developed during her depression to keep everyone out including Lexi. So she stood her ground, facing the man with unwavering courage that she wondered where she got it from it was like Gavin amplifying her powers.  
“My aren’t you just incredible… But I don’t need to answer your questions especially since you're working for me. Florida, Nebraska leave.” Wyvern orders and the pair shift quickly before dashing off to the main compound. “Now Agent Texas, I must ask you a question.”  
“What do you want Director?” Iri grits out through her shut muzzle as the man scoops her up quickly.   
“What did Erik do to you?... How did you become such a powerful creature?” Wyvern inquires as his hands trail through her red fur as she struggles in his tight grip. She tries to twist out of his grip only to find it tighten, and eventually she just gives in. “Are you finished?”  
“I don’t understand what you expect of me?” Iri mutters, and he just chuckles quietly.   
“Erik was a dear colleague of mine, we worked for years on a serum that erased an Apex’s mind and replace it with a mind whose only desire is to please… It would make running this program much easier, but I believe you’ve already encountered this serum.”  
“Director the mind is not something to be toyed with, and I will not help you toy with it. And I most certainly will not be bullied into helping you, so release me or kill me.”  
“Oh sweet Texas how naive you are… I will release you, but remember this talk will you. And perhaps you should think about who keeps your children in school, your mates in a comfortable lifestyle, and stops your mind from aching… Never forget that I am the one who does all those things for you, and I can easily stop.” Wyvern murmurs with a dark unforgiving undertone that leaves Iri’s unwavering courage slightly cracked as she dashes from his presence to the safety of the compound. She flees down the halls to her room where her mate lies sleeping fitfully on the bed, his snore echoing slightly off the walls. Sighing inwardly she wastes no time in slipping in, shifting back, shutting the door, and curling into his chest.   
“Kit… Mmm Kit, why are you shaking?” Geoff mumbles sleepily as he kisses the top of her head, pulling her close to him. “Are you cold baby girl?”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri lies, nuzzling closer and smiling when he wraps his arms around her while pulling the covers up around them tightly.   
“All better, now get some sleep Kit.” Geoff murmurs into her hair, and falls back asleep with his lover breathing softly beside him.

Noon

Iri awakes to the feeling of Geoff’s lips on her neck, and his hands wandering down her sides to rest teasingly on her hips. His lips soon travel from his mark on her neck to meet her lips in a soft kiss.   
“Morning Papa.”  
“Mhmm… Closer to noon baby doll.” Geoff whispers in between kisses, and watches as the woman glares at him. “I know, I know you don’t like being called that.”  
“No it’s not that… it’s nothing actually. We should really go home, there’s no point in spending more time here than necessary.” Iri tells him with a sense of seriousness.   
“Uh, sure… Is there something.”  
“Geoff, let’s go.” Iri interrupts, getting up quickly and dragging him up with her. “I have to talk to the kits when we get home.”   
“Sure Iri, but what’s.”  
“Geoff, stop with the questions and let’s go.” Iri orders strictly and Geoff just sighs softly before following the woman out. However, before they can make it out the sound of a man clearing his throat fills their ears. Geoff goes to stop, but Iri tugs him to keep walking at a brisk pace beside her. ‘Geoff, don’t turn around, don’t acknowledge, just keep walking.’ Iri murmurs in his mind quietly, urging him to keep his pace matched with hers.   
‘Iri what’s.’  
“Agent Texas where are you going?” Alabama asks causing Iri to stop in her tracks, and finally turn around to meet the man who was following her along with all of his squad even Arkansas.   
“I don’t need to tell you.”  
“Texas, Florida and I.”  
“No, I will not help you… Leave me alone, and just follow your orders. Keep your team safe, and watch your backs, Wyvern is playing a dangerous game and you are sure to lose if you try to fight him.” Iri warns as she shifts down, and Geoff does as well before the pair dash off into the forest.   
“Al, I told you she.”  
“Florida, I wanted to know what Wyvern told her… And I really want to know why he told her.”  
“Well it doesn’t seem like you're going to get your answer, so can we go back?” Ark asks as she grimaces with each step until Colorado lifts her off her feet easily. “Thanks Colin.”  
“No problem Ark, but I think she’s right Al; we aren’t going to get anymore answers this way… maybe we could try Derrick?” Colorado suggests helpfully causing the rest of the group to nod in silent agreement.   
Iri 

They were halfway home when she felt herself tackled by Geoff, and pinned to the dusty ground nipping playfully at her ears.   
“Geoffrey what are you doing?”  
“I’m asserting my dominance, do you feel dominated yet?” Geoff inquires with his tail batting the air happily, and his lips curled into a smirk.   
“I’m feeling something, but it’s not dominated.”  
“Aww Kit why so grumpy?”  
“Because… Well… Why did Lexi tell me my fathers wanted to talk to me?” Iri asks changing the subject completely and watches as Geoff guiltily slinks off of her to continue walking. “Geoff?”  
“I… he...You.”  
“Geoff what did you do?”  
“I may have told him.” Geoff mutters sheepishly, he wasn’t scared of Iri but she’d just gotten home and he really hoped she wouldn’t run away again.   
“No, no, you didn’t.. Geoff please tell me you didn’t?” Iri pleads sadly, and she watches her lover shake his head. “It’s official… I’m officially done.”  
“Done?”  
“Done trying to communicate my life with you, you are incapable of keeping even the most basic of secrets and now those two could be in danger… Next time you rant about me not talking to you, I want you to remember this, remember what you did.” Iri states, and Geoff just bulks at this. “You, have made your bed now lie in it.”  
“Excuse me? All I did was tell your father that you were sick, and you signed your life away as a consultant to the CIA. I didn’t tell them you were killing for a living.” Geoff clarifies, and watches as the woman’s body relaxes a bit. “And would you really just cut me out that easily?”  
“Why not? You were the man who convinced my parents to leave, which ended up in their deaths but not really because they’re still alive somewhere… You were the reason I was orphaned.”  
“I never intended.”  
“No, but it happened and I have had to deal with the aftermath… I.. Lexi wasn’t wrong when she said it was not disdain, but rather mistrust. I love you Geoffrey, I truly do but I do not trust you as far as I can throw you… I’m sorry, but it will take many years for that trust to be rebuilt.” Iri tells him, and the gent just sighs somberly.   
“It’s nice to hear that you love me.”  
“Of course I love you, I just wish you hadn’t deceived me for so long.”   
“Me too, but I don’t think you could have handled the truth if I had told you it.” Geoff remarks, and Iri just snorts with a roll of her eyes. “I’m being honest, do you think you could have honestly dealt with that kind of revelation?”  
“...No, but it didn’t give you a right to hide it from me.”  
“I never hid it, you just never asked.”  
“Spoken like a true fox.”  
“Shut up, and catch up.” Geoff mumbles with a roll of his eyes, glad to have the conversation back on the lighter side. “So what did you need to talk to the kits about?”  
“I wanted to see if Leo can use his powers to see what Wyvern is planning.”  
“You met Wyvern?”  
“Yes, and he is about as pleasant as Erik was… In fact he said they were friends, and the man touched me like him.. The way he ran his hand through my fur with the very same possessive undertone.” Iri murmurs with a shiver, and Geoff watches her shake her fur out before lining herself back up with him, and continuing to talk. “I was wondering if Champion can see what he has decided about me; if not it’s no big deal, but if so that would provide great insight.” Iri explains as the pair continue trotting south east towards the town of Austin, it would take them a bit longer but not more than an hour or two.


	148. Prey to Predator and Back

An Hour later

Geoff says nothing as he watches his mate keep pace alongside him, and can’t help but wonder what she was thinking about given the circumstances. Also he couldn't help but wonder why she always seemed to have a part in such nasty circumstances... Why couldn't she just run a Pottery Barn, or something docile like that?  
“Geoff if you have a question just ask it.” Iri says with a smirk as she pounces on the man only to feel herself bucked off quickly. “Old fox still has some fight in him don’t he?”  
“Mhmm, more than enough for a little one like you.” Geoff taunts as he tackles her to the ground, and nips at her neck till the woman shifts back. He shifts as well, and begins grinding his hips on hers in a slow teasing manner that has Iri whining beneath him.   
“Geoff come on.”  
“Shh, and you will take what I give you do you understand?” Geoff states in a dark tone that holds far more promise than Iri was prepared for. “Now I’m going to turn you over, pull your panties down, and spank you till you remember who is the Alpha here.” He explains slowly to the woman who just grumbles under her breath, and cants her hips up with her tail held high. Since the woman clearly didn’t say no he does just that, and starts off by rubbing her ass lightly listening with a smile to the tiny purrs she makes at each touch. The first hit causes Iri to gasp in surprise, and the second has a similar effect by the twelfth hit her mouth is slack, moans dripping out like the slick was from between her thighs. “Are you going to be good? Hmm, show me what it means to be an Omega?” Geoff prods gently, and he expects the woman to get up but she just lies there on his lap, nuzzling his crotch affectionately. “Kit, are you alright?”  
“Papa… Papa, take me to bed.” Iri murmurs into his lap, and Geoff just nods in understanding quite aware of the fact that she was more than ready to go judging by smell alone. Lifting the woman up easily he finishes the rest of the twenty minute walk in silence with Iri making content sounds on his chest, and her eyelids fluttering sleepily. Entering the house quietly he finds it empty save for Gavin who was napping on the couch as a wolf, and that causes Geoff to growl softly. He knew that Gavin only did that to piss him off because Gavin knew that wolf hair was particularly hard to clean up, plus the couch would smell like dog now until he brought out the special vacuum attachments to clean it. “Gavi come cuddle with us.” Iri bids from Geoff’s arms and the wolf immediately wakes up with his tail wagging happily.   
“Of course Love, the rest of the kits will be home soon.” Gavin says eagerly as he leaps off the couch, and shifts back to take her from the gent’s arms. “Still so light, Nutrition Nazi has not been doing his job.”  
“I have so, she’s just really good at ignoring me.” Ryan answers as he appears with Felicia by the back door. The girl leaps at her mother the minute she sees her, and Iri pulls herself from Gavin’s arms to catch her.   
“How’s my sweet little Snowflake?”  
“Much better now that you're here… Momma I’ve missed you so much, and watch what I can do.” Felicia gushes excitedly as she holds her palms up, and a tiny little crystalline ice doe that leaps between her hands before coming to rest on her left hand and melts away. In her right hand a small ferret like creature called a marten in the same crystalline texture sits on it’s hind legs while giving a wink before melting away like the doe had.  
“Fel, that is amazing! How did you do that?” Iri beams proudly, and watches her daughter nearly keel over at her mother’s pride. Fel could barely speak, and if she’d had a tail her father would have bet it would have been wagging.  
“Momma, it took me forever but I did it with the help of Ferah and Frey.” Felicia starts before clamping her lips shut and staring at the floor guiltily, unable to meet any of the adult’s eyes. “I forgot to tell you.”  
“Fel, can you shift for me?” Iri asks curiously causing her daughter to become fearful. She had a theory and judging by the girl’s powers she bet she was right. “No, Momma just has an idea and I haven’t seen you shift in a long time Snowflake, wouldn’t want me to forget would we?” Iri assures her daughter who goes back to hesitantly smiling as her mother places her on the ground. Once on the ground Felicia shifts down to the shape of a small practically white Dorcas Gazelle fawn that causes all of the adults to gasp. As if their shock wasn’t great enough the fawn then shifts into the shape of a white faced marten, she then leaps into her mother’s surprised arms, and then wraps around her neck lazily like Lexi would do. Iri’s thought had been completely and utterly wrong, and the fact that her daughter had to non predatory animals was a bit jarring. “Fel, do the voices talk to you?”  
“Of course Momma, Ferah and Frey love to argue… The bicker worse than Dex and Papa do.” Felicia states while the others just stare in shock. “Momma?”  
“Felicia does it hurt when you do that?”  
“No Momma, should it?”  
“No, I.. Snowflake, I’ve just never met someone who can do that… You are very unique.”  
“I know, just like you.” Felicia says and Iri just nods the men still shocked by what happened.   
“How about I read you a story?” Iri suggests quietly, trying to distract the girl from the male’s shock.  
“Can I pick it out?” The little blonde asks hopefully and Iri just nods as she dashes up the stairs to pick out a book.   
“Geoff, what does that mean?”  
“I… I have no idea. We’re called Apex Predators, and she is neither… Both of those animals are prey, Iri that can’t be good.” Geoff explains worriedly. “This may explain why she has such lonesome tendencies versus the other three.”  
“But Leo is a pack animal, and he’s her twin.”   
“Fraternal, and he’s a lion… We don’t have lion blood in us Geoff, no one here has lion in them.” Gavin adds, and the group just purse their lips in thinking. “We should of had one at a time.”  
“The journals said nothing about this Gav, I.”  
“Momma are you coming?”  
“Yes Fel give me one second… Tell no one, and I mean no one. Not even Burnie and Joel, especially not my team… I will ask Harold about it, next time I see him but otherwise no one will know. Hell it’ll be a hypothetical with Harold.” Iri warns strictly before padding up the stairs with Felicia chattering happily at her mother the whole way. Leaving the rest of the group to silently wonder in the living room. It can’t be more than five minutes before Gavin starts chittering at them.   
“Geoff, what if it was a deficiency during pregnancy? What if she didn’t get the right nutrition and now Felicia is prey?” Gavin asks worriedly, but the man just shakes his head.  
“No Gav, this is something genetic and… and I think it might have been our fault.” Geoff conjectures as he looks to the Brit who looked crestfallen. “I think this is why pack children are far less common because what if the genes mix together in such a way that one of the children becomes prey?.. I mean let’s face it Fel has always been the odd one out unless she was plastered to Leo’s side.”  
“Geoffrey what are you inferring about my daughter?” Ryan says, his tone taking a dangerous undertone that causes the eldest gent to hold up his hands in a calming manner.   
“No Ryan, I merely meant you can tell she is far different than the others. I never said it was bad just different, you’ve noticed how each of the children take distinctly after each of us somehow.” Geoff assures his mate who just continues to stare at him with narrow eyes. “Michael and Leo both share that same quick temper, Gavin and Scarlett their endless curiosity, and.”  
“Dex and you both share the same secretive tendencies.” Ryan interjects and Geoff scowls, but shakes his head in agreement. “But Iri has most of those same qualities so how can you say that Felicia isn’t the same?”  
“Because Iri doesn’t shift into prey, isolate herself from predators purposely, or fear us.” Geoff counters, and at first Ryan rebukes his words with a growl but.. but Geoff did have a point, while Iri did isolate herself it was usually for some reason not just because she wanted to. Felicia on the other hand enjoyed being alone, and especially away from the other children; Ryan would be lying if he said it didn’t worry him, but he just brushed it off figured it was just a phase… but this was clearly not a phase. Though the truly frightening part was that when he, Scarlett, or Gavin shifted she would practically flee from them to the safety of the kit’s shared room, Leo’s side, or another adult. “Ryan?”  
“I… She…. My Morning Glory is just fine, and to say otherwise is just ignorant!” Ryan declares bitterly as he storms up the stairs to find Iri playing with the small spotted fawn as a fox. The pair were jumping about, before Felicia settles down on her bed, and Iri leaps up behind her nuzzling her affectionately. Ryan shifts down quietly and enters the room as a large blonde wolf, he expects the fawn to flee but instead she stays steadfast, her gaze meeting her father’s with an unwavering courage. He could tell she was frightened by his wolf form, but she quelled that natural fear. “Fel?”  
“Yes Rapa?” Fel answers making sure to keep her voice strong, and free of fear. Ferah, her doe was incredibly fearful of their father, but Frey was not. The Marten had little apprehension when it came to the others, but Ferah would turn tail and hide… She was a fretful deer as well.  
“When did you stop shifting into a kitten?”  
“Stop?... Rapa I still can and I think it’s an oncilla, but there is no voice for that one only Ferah and Frey.” Felicia explains softly to her father who sighs in mild relief. “Rapa, I’m still a predator though I prefer these two forms, but these two have a tendency to fear your forms…They always think you're going to eat me.”  
“Snowflake can you show us your oncilla one please?” Iri asks and her daughter just nods her fawn head before her form takes that of a small ocelot looking feline, it looked just like Ray only house cat sized. Felicia as the feline leaps onto her father’s back and begins nibbling on his ears causing the wolf to chuckle softly. “Geoff was wrong then.”  
“Good, he didn’t need to be right.”  
“Momma, why can I shift into other forms while the others cannot?”  
“Fel, I truly have no idea but I think Leo has a similar gift though he is not aware of it yet… Can he turn into a fawn as well?”  
“Yes Momma, though he’s only done it once when we went to the zoo with Nana and Pawpaw in a bathroom… He was really freaked out, and told me never to tell the others.”  
“So they are still twins… When are Leo and the others getting.” Iri starts only to hear the sound of the front door opening and the group entering with bags of groceries. “Leo!”   
“Yeah Momma?” Leo answers as he dashes up the stairs to find her, Fel, and Ryan smiling at him in a soothing manner which instantly caused Champion to flood their mind with suspicion. “What?”  
“Show me your forms little lion.” Iri bids gently causing her boy to tilt his head in confusion, and she just narrows her eyes at him. The boy sighing softly does as he is told and they watch as he turns into a lion cub. “Now the other two.”  
“I only have one more, not like Fel she has three.” Leo states trying to deflect, but his mother just rolls her eyes at him and they watch Fel just purse her lips at him in annoyance.   
“I know about your sister, I want to see yours.”  
“Yes Momma.” Leo mumbles softly, he’d been hoping to distract his mother with his sister but it seems that wasn’t going to work this time. So with a sigh, he shifts into his deer form which was the exact same as his sisters but he had tiny little nubs where antlers would grow on his head.   
“Leo that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Iri praises the fawn who’s fluffy little tail starts flapping happily as she dashes out of the room. “Fel can you shift too, and stand by your brother.” The girl does as she’s told and Ryan can’t help the smile he wears, it was so damn adorable. When Iri reappears she holds the hand of a bewildered Michael and the rest of the group not far behind.   
“Leo?” Michael mutters and the baby stag just nods his head. “My son is a deer.”  
“No part deer, Red they can both shift at least twice, and in Fel’s case a third time… Fel turns into an Oncilla which is just like Ray’s Ocelot form but much smaller, and a marten as well. I think Leo can turn into a Marten as well, but he just isn’t aware of it. While I was at the facility I remember reading about how some predator’s forms only make themselves none after a certain number of years especially in a time of need. I don’t know why they’re genetically different, but they’re still the same given their fraternal twin connection.” Iri explains to all of them as the fawns just nuzzle their fathers lovingly.   
“Leo, you make an awesome deer.”  
“Thanks Dad, and Gillen says he’s excited to finally be free… Also that he’s a Stag not a deer.” Leo beams as he shifts into a lion and tackles his father’s stomach, then uses his claws to climb up to his chest before Michael pulls him free. “Now that Momma is home can we go to the park after dinner?”  
“Why couldn’t you go after dinner when I was gone?”  
“Because Papa was worried that it was too dark, and someone might snatch us.” Dex answers as he walks over to his mother and she picks him up. “Though someone could still snatch us with you here, it’s just less likely I guess.”  
“I think it’s because when Momma is home no one messes with us, especially not the creepy men down the street.”  
“Creepy men down the street?” The adults echo worriedly and Dex just nods quickly.   
“They always ask if we want to come to their house and play with their puppies… I’ve looked inside their minds, they don’t have any puppies, and their thoughts are… Momma they want to touch us.” Dex mumbles softly as he clings closer to his mother’s neck, and the others just lie calmly against their fathers’ chests.   
“Dex do not lie to me about that sort of thing, and do not test me. You and I both know that those men down the street are dog breeders… Dexter, who am I?”  
“Iridessa Burns, my mother.” Dex says, but Iri just shakes her head. “Mom.”  
“No, Lexi is your mother and your father is Todd but you're Vexissus…. Your his fox aren’t you?”  
“We’ve been wondering how long it would take before one of you noticed, and I can’t say I’m surprised it was you Iridessa… You’ve always been far more keen than Geoffrey over there.”  
“Vexissus, you will not take that tone with my companion.” Todd scolds as he appears in front of them wearing a scowl.  
“Of course not father, I wouldn’t want to upset the man now would I?”  
“Vexi, be polite.” Lexi snaps strictly while appearing before them in her fox form, and watches as the youngest fox meets her on the ground with his tail wagging while Dex yawns sleepily. The younger fox which was pure black with his tail, feet, and ears tipped white happily nuzzled into his mother’s side. “Apologize to both of them Vexi.”  
“I am terribly sorry for the trouble my language has caused.” Vexissus apologizes in a tone that reminded them fully of Todd, but his causal body language made them think of Lexi. “Oh and just so you are aware we do actually deal with death Geoff, hence the coloring and I am both telepathic as well as able to split us but I am unable to change forms… Though we can only sense when it’s near someone, like with Derrick it surrounds him in a cloud but isn’t able to touch him.”   
“How are you so aware of these things Vex?” Iri inquires and the young fox just shrugs before nuzzling closer to Lexi who just smiles and begins bathing him. “Dex, how much of your behavior has actually been yours versus his?”  
“Oh, not much I sorta took over a while back… it was around the time I wanted to know what Felicia’s powers were.”  
“So you didn’t actually do that Dex?” Iri asks and her son just shakes his head.   
“I tried to warn him, and I told him that someone might get hurt but he didn’t care… He’s the curiosity.” Dex states darkly and Vexissus just smirks from his spot on the floor. “He’s the mistrust, and he’s the asshole in my head.”  
“Ouch, that hurts Dexy… and I’m not that bad… It’s just natural fox instinct to be wary of everyone and everything… Mother knows what I mean.” Vex says defensively from Lexi’s side, and Dex just glares at him.  
“Do not contend with my son for control Vexissus, or I will step in on his behalf.. And I can assure you that you will not like that. You two are a team not a dictatorship.” Iri states in a sharp tone that has Vex nodding respectively. “It may take time, but I need you to understand that.”  
“Yes Momma.” Dex murmurs with another yawn in her neck. “He’s exhausting.”  
“Come on then Dexy time to lay down.” Iri says with a smile as she carries her son from the room leaving Lexi with Vexi, and the others. Once in the master bedroom she places him in the sheets, and curls him close to her chest listening with a smile as the boy’s breath evens out into calm breaths.   
“Momma sing me a song?”  
“Sure thing Griff.” Iri purrs with a grin as she thinks of a song and when it finally comes to her she begins humming the soft melody. “Heart beats fast, colors and promises, how to be brave? How can I love when I'm afraid to fall? But watching you stand alone, all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow.” She sings lovingly, and her son nuzzles closer. “One step closer… I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more.”   
“Time stands still, beauty in all she is. I will be brave I will not let anything take away what's standing in front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this.” Geoff adds as he settles on the other side of Dex, and can’t help but beam when the child turns over to nuzzle in his chest. The gent sighs happily as his son falls asleep swiftly. ‘Iri, Iri he never does this!’ Geoff nearly shouts excitedly at his mate who just rolls her eyes.  
‘It’s not Dex who mistrusts you, it’s Vex… He has father issues I sense.’ Iri answers back in a calm tone, snuggling closer to Dex and closing her eyes for a nap. ‘We’re having sex tonight like hot, kinky sex… Sex that will make me unable to walk tomorrow, and the day after that too.’ Iri declares in the man’s mind. ‘Like I want you five to destroy me.’  
‘I look forward to it.’ Geoff mutters back, choosing to rest as well knowing it was going to be a long night.


	149. You Can't Fight Fate even As a Fox

Several hours later

Iri awoke and immediately tugged Geoff up with her to shower, noticing Dex sleeping soundly in the middle of the mattress with Vex and Lex snuggled up at the foot of it.   
“Geoff, we should have known that Dex wouldn’t do something like that… I can’t believe we were so quick.” Iri trails off in disappointment, of course their son wouldn’t do something like that to his sibling he cared for them as though he was their actual pack leader.   
“Iri, no one could have guessed that Vexissus would show up so soon.” Geoff tells her as they step into the warm spray. “I thought for sure we could make it to middle school before any of this happened.”  
“Didn’t even make it through elementary.” Iri comments with a sigh, and leans back against the glass part of the shower. “And what’s the deal with Vex, why is he so.”  
“Vexing?” Geoff taunts with a smirk as Iri just glares at him with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.  
“Don’t mock me Geoff, and if Vex is the reason for Dex’s change of character then it would make sense why he admires Ryan so much… Or perhaps he modeled his behavior after Godric.” Iri conjectures and Geoff just shrugs. “I should have let you look in his head.”  
“Iri, baby doll you didn’t know.”  
“Stop.”  
“Sorry, but it’s true. You didn’t know, so don’t bother worrying about it. I’m just glad we figured that out now.” Geoff says as he grabs a bottle of shampoo and starts to lather his hair while Iri rubs his body with a soapy wash cloth paying careful attention to his hips. “Baby girl, what are you doing?”  
“Just getting you ready… and clean.” Iri purrs with a hand that starts stroking in long, teasing motions. “Can’t have a filthy man like you defiling me.”  
“Miss, you might want to be careful with them words of yours… Filthy men like me tend to be easily angered.” Geoff growls in his southern accent, and smiles when she presses her hips flush with his as her hands began stroking faster. “Mhmm now there’s a good girl, a bit faster Sweetheart.”  
“Yes Mister.”  
“You can call me Papa.”  
“Of course I can.” Iri mumbles with a smirk and a roll of her eyes, however Geoff just flips them around so she’s pinned against the glass with her throat bared.   
“Try that again Miss.”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri mutters with a playful smile that has the other nuzzling her neck.  
“Now that’s a sweet girl, why don’t you spread them thighs just a bit for your Papa?” Geoff encourages as he uses his knee to part her thighs, and smirks when she tries to fight him by pressing them closely together. “Just to clarify, you want it rough right?”  
“Yeah Geoff.” Iri assures the man who wastes no time in forcing her against the wall, and pinning her hands above her head. The kisses that were once playful are now bruising, and biting at her jugular. “Papa, please.”  
“Please what?” Geoff inquires as his hands wander down to rest on her hips as he lines himself up, and sinks in before she can say anything else. Iri chokes out a gasp in between moans that he rips from her throat with his rough thrusts. “Come on use your words Darling.” Geoff taunts as he uses his powers to create an unseen force prodding at her second hole.   
“Ge… Geoff!” Iri yelps when the second force sheathes itself in her. The force begins to move in and out at a slow pace as though trying to open her up despite the way she tried squirm away.  
“Shh, you know you’ll love this in a minute… just have to loosen you up a bit.”   
“Papa… Papa!”  
“I want you to hush, and take it like a good little slut… I said hush!” Geoff snaps as he puts a hand over her mouth, but connecting them mentally just in case she really wanted out. Though he doubted she would even bother asking him to stop, she’d probably just toss him out of her. He smiles at the muffled sounds of pleasure coming from underneath his hand, and very slowly he removes it, allowing it to settle back on her hips keeping them pinned to the shower wall. “See what did I tell you?”  
“Yes Papa.” Iri gasps in reply, but her tone was a bit off and she wondered if Geoff noticed that.  
“Iri, are you okay?”  
“Geoff, I’m fine…. Ri… Right there!” Iri yelps again, and it’s at this Geoff pulls back very unconvinced with her charade. “Geoff?”  
“Iri, I can tell the difference between pain and pleasure, and you are just in pain.” Geoff states as he picks up a bottle of shampoo, squirts some onto his hand, and begins massaging it into her scalp as the woman stares at the floor. “If it hurts why don’t you ask me to stop?”  
“.....” Iri doesn’t say anything choosing to close her eyes, and let him wash her hair.  
“Why won’t you just talk to me?”   
“Because I don’t know how to.” Iri mumbles softly lifting her eyes to meet his. She expected his blue to be sharp in anger, but all she saw was a light comforting blue… A pitiful blue, and she didn’t need that… She didn’t need his pity, and that’s when her eyes turn dark, shifting into a steely gray. “Don’t look at me like that!”  
“Like what? I’m just looking at you like I would anyone else I care about! I love you, do you not understand that? Iri, je t’aime! Je t’aime...Bébé, ne comprenez-vous pas que?” (Iri I love you... Baby, can't you see that?) Geoff tries, and Iri just turns away. “Look at me!”  
“... Just leave me alone.”  
“No, now look at me.” Geoff declares as he pulls her face up despite her attempts to squirm away from him. “We have four beautiful children together, two of which are on their ways to being nationally recognized, and the other two which are pretty good soccer players. Now talk to me.”  
“What do our children’s accomplishments have to do with anything?” Iri asks as she buries her face in his chest, and the man just shrugs.  
“I have no clue, I just needed something to catch you off guard before you could storm off.” Geoff mumbles and Iri just shakes her head while letting out a tiny chuckle.   
“I… I don’t understand how to tell you, and I… it infuriates me, so I run from it.” Iri tells him, trying her best not to just clam up, and give up. “This is hard for me, and… and I love you, but.”  
“But this is hard, and it scares you.” Geoff finishes watching his lover stumble over her last syllable. “It doesn't need to scare you baby girl, you can tell me anything.”  
“I’m not scared.”  
“Of course not, you're big, bad momma fox… Nothing scares you.” Geoff exaggerates with a roll of his eyes that has her punching his stomach. “Ow!.. Bad girl… you're such a naughty little girl.”  
“Am I now?.. So what are you going to do about it exactly?”  
“Nothing, I figure it will catch up with you eventually.”   
“Hmm you're no fun Old Man, but I suppose it’s time we get out of here.” Iri resigns as she rinses herself clean and then steps out with Geoff a few steps behind. Upon exiting the bathroom Iri feels her hand grabbed and her body spun till her lips are pressed flush against her eldest lover’s lips. After a few soft kisses he twirls her out, and then pulls her back to begin waltzing around the bedroom.  
“Still no fun?” Geoff asks casually despite his inner feelings of glee, he’d been practicing since she left last week with Ray who had been dancing like that since middle school… He said his parents were really into ballroom dancing, and despite their resistance he and his sister still had to participate in it. Though to be fair it worked out for the best as he twirled their lover and then picked up the tempo till he was tangoing with the woman.   
“Geoff, how… When did you learn how to do this?”  
“When you left, Ray offered to teach me.”  
“Oh yeah… I remember him telling me those stories.”   
“Mhmm, he’s very helpful in fact he’s a way better teacher than Derrick.”  
“Actually, I think… Nevermind, but why did you learn to dance?”  
“Because it’s important to you, and so we could do more of this. I must say it’s kind of relaxing just you in my arms, twirling around... Todd says my blood pressure is going down.” Geoff comments and Iri just shakes her head in no.  
“I’m actually using my powers to influence your body into slowing your heartbeats, and thus reducing the amounts of pumps your heart needs to keep the blood coursing through your body.” Iri explains with a smiles as his lover twirls out and then back into his arms.   
“Will you stop, for once just stop trying to help everyone else.”  
“Can’t… I just need to.”  
“Like me, Mama… It hurts when I don’t, and I can.” Scar’s quiet voice states as she jumps up on the bed to settle by Dex who was sleepily rubbing his eyes on the pillows.   
“It hurts?” Iri asks as she turns to face the girl with concern. “How bad Princess?”  
“Not too bad, but enough to make me ache to help… Especially when I’m with you.”  
“Me?” Iri says in confusion. “Princess, what do you mean?”  
“Every time you lie, or fight off Lance I can feel the unhappiness it brings and it pains me to witness it… To feel it, but it’s not your fault… Mama don’t be sad, it really doesn’t hurt that much it’s like a poke nothing more.” Scarlett explains hurriedly as she watches her mother’s face fall into despair. “Mama?”  
“Momma?” Dex tries as he makes his way over to where she had settled on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands.   
“Iridessa?” Vexissus questions as he too lifts his head from where it was buried in his vixen mother’s side, Lexi too had looked up but she had a nagging feeling that her mistress was going to be okay. It takes merely a moment before Iri looks up and takes her daughter into her arms with a hesitant look.   
“Show me what you can do Princess.” Iri states hesitantly, and for once in her entire life she lets down her barriers, the thick walls that had permanently surrounded her consciousness. For the very first time in seven years Geoff entered her mind easily, and saw the damage that resided there. The immense amount of scarring brought on by fear and self loathing, the dreams long forgotten buried in the back, and a few happy memories lingering throughout.   
“Kit... “  
“Mama, do you feel that?” Scarlett asks as she begins casting a glimmer in her mind, but for some reason she still can’t do it as well as she had for others. It was like her mind was simply unwilling to accept anything that wasn’t the truth. So Scar is forced to give up after ten minutes of her ruthlessly trying to coerce her mother’s mind into an illusion of happiness. “Mama?”  
“Princess it doesn’t work on me… I’m sorry.” Iri mutters apologetically as she raises her barriers back up and Geoff is immediately kicked out of her mind in a sharp manner. “As for what you saw Geoff… It’s not that bad.”   
“It’s pretty awful Momma.” Dex mumbles quietly, and Iri just sighs.   
“... Fair enough, but Scar can you do that to everyone but me?”  
“Yes except for Papa, Daddy, and Dex… Even Lance will succumb to me.”   
“Hmm, I wonder if it just doesn’t work on Telepaths.” Geoff suggests, and Iri just shakes her head; she had a nagging feeling she already knew the answer but just didn’t want to admit it.  
“Possibly, but I doubt it… I think it’s something else.” Vex contributes as he leaps onto the bed to curl up on Dex’s lap, snuggling close to him.   
“No.” Iri states with a shake of her head, she didn’t want it to be true.  
“Oh yes… It didn’t just come from one parent.” Vex answers with a smirk, as though he took pleasure in telling them this which he sorta did. Sure it hurt to watch his mother’s mistress gasp in fear, and even his master’s father shake his head in no. But this was far too important to remain hidden anymore especially if Dex was to become fully recognized in his powers. “Think about it Geoff… Who invoked Todd to save you in Kuwait? Todd isn’t that fast, he never has been, you're a Vagabond… It’s not a curse like you treat it as, it’s merely a gift. A vicious gift sometimes, but for the most part it’s quite useful and has saved your life many times. Tell me do you think Erik truly kept you around because you were friends or lovers?” Vex inquires in a tone that set Geoff on edge, it was malicious and scared Dex but Vex stood his ground unafraid of the man.  
“How do you know this?” Geoff snaps, his tone volatile and his lips drawn into a snarl. “Tell me!”  
“It happened when you were sick many years ago, and your body was deciding whether or not to accept the Vagabond… You rejected it for the most part, it didn’t find you a favorable host, and that is why your tail disappeared. As for how I know this, well I am associated with death and on that day a Vagabond was forced to move on to a new host. The gene still lived inside you it just became dormant, allowing for it to only show in great times of need.” Vex explains as he feels Dex start to shake. “But don’t worry, we’ve already accepted it for the most part… Like Iri did.”  
“Me?”  
“You.”  
“I don’t remember ever checking that box.”  
“It’s more about will to live, and desire to be free… Vagabonds reside in foxes whose hearts are akin to their own.” Vex tells the woman who just nods with a sigh. “Hearts that aren’t meant to be tamed.”  
“Oh…” Iri mumbles softly, and even Lexi stares at the black fox with a contemplative look. They understood the feeling he was talking about, but it didn’t meant they wanted it to be true.  
“Hearts that are meant to be wild, to taste the morning dew, to bask in the sun, to… to be free.” Vex mutters as he stands up and nuzzles the woman who sits staring at her companion, who stares back at her. “Also you aren’t even an Omega.”  
“What?” Iri says in disbelief. “That’s impossible, I have heats!”  
“So do female foxes, don’t you find it odd that you can survive just fine without Geoff or Ryan without losing your mind like Gavin and Ray?.. And Michael too.”  
“No… But the Agents.”  
“They don’t know the difference and probably never will, it’s a secret many don’t understand so the others don’t even experience what you do.”  
“Why are you telling me this?”  
“So you can understand who you are, and why your body fights you so much. You are an Alpha, but your fox is an Omega just like Michael is an Alpha but his feline is an Omega.” Vex states plainly, it’s at that point Iri stands up, and exits the room swiftly. She picks up pace till she’s sprinting and her steps take her through the front door, and to the street where Lexi shifts into a horse and the pair gallop away. Her mind reeling painfully and her hands were shaking violently, the tremors soon shatter her entire resolve and send her crashing to the ground where Lexi shifts into a tiny dragon laying beside her. Unable to maintain another form due to the shaking, and the mental break down her mistress was experiencing.  
“Mistress, we’re… what are we?” Lexi questions as Iri slowly stops shaking, and comes to her senses.  
“I… I don’t… I don’t know Lex.” Iri answers truthfully with a sigh as she sits up, and heals the minor scrapes coating her body despite the headache that lurks in the back of her mind. Pushing the pain down she lifts the dragon up, and begins walking towards the setting sun, no real destination in mind.   
‘Alphas don’t run from their problems.’ A voice that Iri doesn’t recognize says, and it’s at this point Lexi growls inwardly at it. ‘I am not to be feared youngling, I am a gift from our ancestors.’  
“Why?” Iri asks tiredly, why did everything always happen to her? Why couldn’t she for once not be the center of the world’s problems? In fact she’d be super stoked to just for once be a supporting character in this story she called life.  
‘Because you show great promise, and if you allow me I will absorb into you. We will become one, and my urges will no longer drive your actions as they do now. I will lend you my knowledge, and aide you in anyway possible.’ It says in a tone that Iri could only describe as soothing as they tread through the dim lit forest, ignoring the way sticks stab at their toes in favor of the conversation taking place mentally. ‘If you wish to survive the encroaching storm I suggest you allow it, you will die without my help.’  
“Oh really?” Iri mutters in disbelief as she steps around a trap, she had always wondered who set these damn things. “If this storm is encroaching why haven’t I been able to see it?”  
‘Iridescent Skye, you know your name is a reference to the sunrise Kody found you during. While the name Daphne Artemis is a reference to a hope your parents had during your birth. Do you know the story of the nymph named Daphne in Greek Mythology?’ It explains and Iri just nods her head, she knew the story of Daphne and how in her attempt to remain free from Apollo’s lust her father Peneus turned her into a laurel tree.  
“I am aware of the nymphs sacrifice in order to remain pure, but I also know that she lost her battle because Apollo just used her wood to create lyres, quivers, and the crown upon his head… She didn’t win in the end, and he basically just used her body for his own objects of desire.” Iri points out, and the Vagabond just sighs with a smirk.   
‘Well then let’s not end up like her...I have decades worth of knowledge just waiting to be utilized.’   
“Fine… I accept you.” Iri states after several long minutes of silence, it’s not like she had much to lose at this point. Her sanity had long abandoned her, and the constant tugging at her consciousness would be the end of her if it continued like this. Iri had watched the trials, read the lab reports, and she understood that the harder she fought her Vagabond the worse off she was. Perhaps this was the answer to at least some of her problems, certainly not all of them, but if this would end the constant nagging she was sure she could deal with the rest of the world’s problems. So with little hesitance she drops her barriers to allow the creature full access to her mind, and immediately the feeling of agony tears through her mind. It burns painfully through every memory, feeling, and physical experience she’s ever had leaving her a screaming mess on the sandy forest floor; her face streaked with tears as her body seized rapidly. Iri can’t ever remember feeling a pain like this, a pain so searing, so jarring that it left her lying in a dazed state on the ground unable to do anything but feel its horrible sensation. She felt the Vagabond’s being merging with her own, and her own body shifting to its fox state before rapidly shifting back.   
‘It is done.’ It whispers softly, a cool, soothing sensation working to ease the burning in her mind before numbing her thoughts completely allowing her to drift into a state of restful unconsciousness.


	150. I think it's time we met

Geoff

He saw her leave, hell who wouldn't have left after hearing that especially from the predator inside of their son’s mind… Knowing little bastard, however as he rushes from the house the sound of pained screaming reaches his ears and that’s when he takes off at a sprint. Dashing through the woods he comes to the scene of Iri dropping to the ground, and her body starting to convulse wildly before settling down. Shifting back and forth once before completely falling still, he leans down to check her breathing, and finds that she is still breathing a bit shallow but alive. Her face bore an expression of peacefulness that he hadn’t seen on her in years.  
“I hate Vexissus.” Geoff grumbles as he lifts his fiance up off the cold forest floor.   
“I must say my son is a bit of a handful, feisty like his mother.”  
“Oh joy.” Geoff mumbles with a deadpan tone.  
“Mhmm, don’t be so pessimistic Geoffrey… It’s kind of interesting to think that two of our mates are not really Omegas but Alphas stuck in Omegas’ bodies.” Todd says pleasantly as he trots beside Geoff on the forest floor.  
“That explains the aggression towards us when we try to touch the other two when they’re about to go into heat… We’re encroaching… I never thought I’d say that.”  
“Life is full of nevers, that’s why it’s best not to say them.” Todd states happily, his bubbly attitude a tad bit infectious as Geoff casts a smirk at the new father. “Do you think my son likes to read?”  
“Can he even read?”  
“I’m not sure, perhaps I could teach him.” Todd answers as they enter the back yard with Iri hanging limply against Geoff’s chest, her breathing slow and even. Sliding the door open carefully, and careful not to catch her tail in the door he reenters the house to find the kits immediately waiting, along with many animals. “Kits, what is this?”  
“We were just worried about her, and I believe this may be entirely my fault.” Vex states apologetically as he Champ, Sol, Frey, and Ferah step up. “I hadn’t realized how close the Vagabond had been to merging, I should have been a bit more conscious of it.”  
“Vex, you didn’t cause this, didn’t help it but you didn’t cause it. She’s been feeling weak for awhile now, and I don’t think she’s eaten either… But the apology is appreciated. Shouldn’t your wolf be here too Scar?” Geoff asks and the girl just shrugs. “You do have a wolf don’t you?”  
“Yeah Dash is kinda shy, and he doesn’t really like Vex.”  
“He?”  
“Yup Dashford is my wolf, and he showed up when Uncle Harry took us to school the other day. He says he’s very happy to have found a person as kind as me, and that he’s very glad he isn’t stuck in Dex’s head… No offense Dex.” Scar explains to the confused Alpha who just sighs in defeat.   
“None taken, I don’t want to be stuck with him either.” Dex answers with a playful glare to Vex who pounces on him, and begins nibbling on Dex’s ear causing the boy to giggle loudly.   
“Ouch, that would hurt my feelings if I had any.” Vex fires back, and just leaves his companion to look at his mother in his father’s arms. “The merge was successful, and she should be waking up soon.”  
“Geoff, I’m hungry.” Michael interjects as he enters the room, his tail swinging lowly, and his lips bitten in arousal.   
“Cub, you are a grown ass man make yourself a sandwich.”  
“Very well, I guess I’ll just go see if Ryan will make me something to eat.” Michael says with a disappointed look, and that’s when Geoff realizes what he meant by hungry. “Leo, did you do your homework?”  
“I did Dad, Champ helped me with it.”  
“Uh I did too!” The Gazelle buck fawn snaps with a stomp of his front leg.   
“Oh back off Sol before I eat you.”  
“Yeah right Champ, you’re all hiss no claw.” Sol murmurs in challenge as Champ just tackles the Gazelle who shifts to his wispy form, and watches the lion cub just sail right through him. “Suck it noob.”   
“Freaking gazelles, I remember when it was just Leo and I… No jumpy little deer taking up space.”   
“Alright guys, stop… I’m going outside to play.” Leo interjects, effectively silencing the pair who phase through the door and the rest of the animals follow suit leaving just the kits and two adults.   
“Papa, you should go satisfy Dad before he gets grumpy… Like he’ll throw a bitch fit.” Felicia states with a knowing smile that causes Geoff to sigh, but nod in agreement. “We know you guys are going to have sex.”  
“I wish you four would stop saying things like that… Also isn’t that the least bit upsetting to you guys?” Geoff inquires and the group just shake their heads.   
“It’s just biology, and sex is healthy for adults… Though the fact that you can get an erection is very impressive due to your age.” Dex answers in an uncaring tone. “It bodes well for how healthy you actually are.”  
“Why is our son talking about your boner?” Iri mumbles hazily as she slowly becomes conscious of her surroundings. “Also I’m hungry.”  
“So is Daddy, you should feed your mates Papa.” Felicia states with a wink that has Geoff shaking his head in shock, and Iri just cocks her head in confusion while slipping from his arms. She takes this time to pick up Scarlett who was standing patiently, but Iri could hear her thoughts practically begging to be lifted up into the air. Taking the girl into her arms she cuddles her close, and releases a tiny little purr that has her daughter nuzzling her affectionately.   
“I missed you Princess.”  
“Well I always miss you Mama.”  
“Not anymore Princess, I think I’m going to be around a bit more… I think I’m going to take some time off my second job, and we’ll go on an adventure.” Iri proposes, and the girl cocks her head as do the other children plus Geoff. “I think we’re going to go see snow.”  
“Snow!” They cheer in excitement, and Iri just smiles with a calm nod.  
“Momma can we?”  
“We can, over your Christmas break we’ll go up north and visit an old friend of Uncle Harry’s.” Iri says as she gives Scar a kiss before setting her down and pointing outside. “Now go play, and I’ll tell you more about it at bedtime.”   
“Okay Momma.” They chatter excitedly as they exit the house, and once they’re gone Geoff turns to her.   
“Over their break you are taking them north to a safe house, and I’m going to do something stupid with Harry…. Something that probably isn’t wise.” Iri mutters seriously. “I think we’re going to try and kill Wyvern.”  
“Iri, no… Baby girl that’s just insane, and I don’t know who gave you that idea but no.”  
“Geoff, you can’t tell me.”  
“I can Iridessa because.”  
“No.”  
“Don’t interrupt me, I was saying because I love you and don’t want you to die you are not going to kill him… or attempt to kill him because knowing you and Harry it’s only going to end horribly.” Geoff explains and she just sighs outwardly. “Perhaps this is a problem you can’t kill?”  
“Tch, Geoff I can kill any problem I put my mind to.” Iri answers with an overstated amount of confidence, and her mate just chuckles quietly. “But maybe you are right, maybe this time I just have to play by the rules.”  
“Iri, do you even understand the game you're actually playing yet? He is an extremely dangerous man who is most likely a trained killer, or has at least twenty or so killers ready to dispatch at any moment.” Geoff explains to her, and watches as she pulls from his grasp to grab a bag of carrot sticks. “Iri.”  
“Geoff, I don’t think he’s going to kill me.” Iri mumbles in between bites.  
“Famous last words Kit.”  
“You're being awfully morbid right now Papa, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.”  
“Yeah well stop picking fights with trained killers.”  
“Never.” Iri declares jokingly, turning to head up to the bedroom where the rest of the pack was. However, before she can reach the first step Geoff pulls her to face him.   
“Iri, promise me that you won’t do anything reckless.”   
“No.” Iri says with the same seriousness. “I can’t promise you something I know I might do… I’m not going to lie to you.”  
“I… I don’t know what I expected from you.”  
“A gal’s gotta be honest with her lovers.” Iri mutters with a sigh as Geoff leans in for a kiss, and trails his lips down her neck to nip at her soft flesh.   
“Mhmm, and honestly I’d much like to see you in my bed with your ass up and that bushy tail of yours flitting back and forth waiting for me to come up there and show you why you call me Alpha.” Geoff purrs into her neck as he trails his hands down to her hips.   
“Oh really?”  
“Come on baby doll…. Please your Papa.” Geoff says with a pout, and smirks when the woman just sighs in defeat and shuffles up the stairs. “Now just wait a minute you wanted a pack orgy earlier.”  
“I still do, I was just hoping for something a bit more forceful.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, you have permission to be rough Geoff… I still remember the safe word.” Iri tells the doubtful man who nods in understanding, and suddenly grabs her arm. “Hey.”  
“Shut your cock sucking mouth, and get your ass on my bed.”  
“Yes sir.” Iri remarks quietly as she is practically towed upstairs where the rest of the pack was already going at it. Gavin was deep inside of a mewling Michael while Ray was on his knees sucking Ryan’s cock.  
“Todd told us about your status, and Michael’s too… Also about Lexi’s blunt son.” Ryan says with a blissed out look as Ray pulls off with a pop and his load goes all over Ray’s face. “Now lick yourself clean Kitten.”  
“Yes Ry.” Ray replies obediently as he laps at the man’s cum lingering near his lips, and Ryan wipes off a bit on his forehead and presents it to Michael who eagerly sucks the man’s finger.   
“God damn that’s hot.” Geoff praises as he watches the scene before him as Iri kneels on the bed, slowly shedding her crop top, and shimmying out of her skinny jeans. Her lace thong shaping her ass beautifully as she lies down as Geoff specified a few moments ago, her tail giving him the come hither motion. “Now that’s a sight worth dying for.”   
“I’m glad you think so.” An unseen voice states as a man appears in the room, and cocks his gun in pointed directly at Geoff’s head. Iri wastes no time in tucking herself into a ball, and then pushing hard against the bed using feet to kick the man square in the jaw causing him to stagger back. Scrambling to her feet she forces the gun from his hand, and into her own. “Well isn’t this an interesting turn of events.” He mutters as Iri pins him to a wall with her powers, the gun now pointing at him.  
“Who are you, and what do you want?”  
“Damn he wasn't joking about how quick you are... Anyways my name is Agent Massachusetts, but you can call me Chewy.” Chewy says with a smile as Iri just curses quietly, and yanks the clip from the gun only to find it completely empty. “Oh I just wanted to get your attention, I didn’t want anyone to actually get hurt… There are kids here, and I am not a monster.”  
“For once in my fucking life I’d like a conversation with you people not to start with violence.” Iri grumbles as she gives the man his empty gun back, and levitates several blankets over her naked mates in an attempt to hide them. “So what do you want Chewy?”  
“Your help on an upcoming mission, Raz suggested that since your team was recovering slower than you that you’d be free.” Chewy inquires with a smile as Iri releases him, and stands to face him with her arms crossed. “... Well that and Raz mentioned something about a plot to kill Wyvern.”  
“No, I already told Raz no.” Iri states seriously, and at that her mate's’ eyes darken in concern. Gavin immediately pulls from the blanket to take her into his arms, but she dodges his attempts to grab her. “And I would appreciate if we could take this conversation elsewhere.”  
“Of course, if you’d follow me.” Chewy says politely as he opens a nearby window and then slips out in the shape of an Iberian lynx. She follows him swiftly, and leaves her mates watching in mild upset as her tail disappears through the window. Once gone Godric appears at Ryan's side, and begins growling angrily at the group.  
‘Go get her, and bring her back to our bed.’ Godric demands, she had been absent from their arms for far too long and he didn’t like it. ‘Bring her back.’  
“Ric we can’t just drag her back to the bed, this is sort of her job.” Michael points outs to the bristling wolf who rolls his eyes and leaps through the open window. Marcus at this point fades into existence and follows him out, hoping to reign the wolf in. They wait maybe ten minutes before a disappointed Marcus appears with a fuming Iri being towed in by the ever prideful Godric, who was wagging his tail triumphantly.   
“I swear to god Ric I’m going to kill you!” Iri declares bitterly as she struggles to escape the tight grip he had on the scruff of her neck.  
‘No you won’t, now settle down Princess and let your pack play.’ Godric purrs to the bristling vixen who just snaps at him till he pins her roughly, and wraps his teeth around her throat. ‘You said you wanted it rough remember?’  
“Well you could have waited a fucking minute.” Iri grumbles softly, her anger dissipating with each breath.  
‘But I didn’t know shift back and spread your thighs.’ Godric commands with a nip to her shoulder, and Iri just smiles before doing so. ‘See now there’s a good girl, and isn’t this nice?’ He asks while fading back into Ryan, his irises turning a murky hazel.   
“No Godric, it’s Ryan’s turn. Come play with me.” Lexi purrs enticingly, her figure appearing in the doorway before she saunters from the room with her tail held high, flicking playfully and five predators following after her in interest. As she exits Iri watches Ryan’s eyes flick back to their crystal clear blue, almost instantaneously Ryan’s lips are on hers and her wrists are pinned above her head. Ryan trails his luscious lips from her kiss bruised lips to her pale neck, and his hands move down to her still clothed chest. Without even looking to Ray, Iri’s bra and panties are turned to dust leaving the woman bare beneath Ryan. Rolling her eyes in frustration Iri casts a glance to the Latino panting as Geoff works himself in and out at a fast pace.   
“We’ll get you new ones Kit.” Geoff mutters when he senses her distress, and Iri just humphs until it turns into a moan at Ryan’s insistent kissing.   
“Exactly, now focus on me Princess.” Ryan murmurs with a smirk as he slams himself into her and causes the woman to arch up with a surprised yelp on her lips.   
“It’s going to be a long night.”  
“You bet it is.” Gavin purrs from deep inside Michael with a smile.


	151. You.... You Shouldn't Be Alive.... You Don't Belong Here

The Next Morning

Iri awoke to the sound of ragged breathing, and it didn’t register in her mind that it was hers till she realized she was no longer in the bed… She wasn’t even in the house she was outside, in a tree.  
“Where the fuck am I?” Iri mutters as she checks her surroundings, and notices how familiar this forest felt. It also reminded her of the forest surrounding the Lab, and for some reason the sky seemed brighter than it should have been. However, before she could ponder that the feeling of pain radiates from her side and reaching down she touches her side with a grimace. Pulling her hand back she notices it coated in sticky red, and gritting her teeth she forces her exhausted body to heal. It takes much longer than she thought it would, but when the pain is gone she begins making her way down from the tall tree only to reach the bottom and hear the sound of a feral growl. Turning to face the noise she finds herself face to face with a jaguar, and five panthers circling through the forest below her… Slowly she remembered being dragged from the house by them, and the fight that ensued when she’d discovered what they wanted with her.   
“Agent Texas consider yourself terminated.” The Jaguar states at that’s when it leaps at her, Iri however was quick and the knife she had clutched desperately in her hands finds itself sunk deeply into the creature’s neck. Blood sprayed all over her she kicks the body towards the others who lunge at her with teeth bared. It was a confusion of limbs, blood, and fur but at the end of the mess Iri finds herself triumphant. Her clothes were in tatters, her body drenched in blood both her own and the others, and her mind aching in exhaustion as she limped down the path. After what seems like forever she makes it to the large building and Iri barely makes out the plaque in labeling it Predator’s Labs. Pushing forward Iri doesn’t question Lexi’s absence because she remembers splitting up last night; throwing the doors open wide Iri harnesses her anger, and uses it to locate Fin. He wouldn't hesitate to help her like another might, and Harrison was still recovering with Thames and Russ for the most part.  
“Tex!” Fin shouts worriedly as he zips to her side as the woman crashes to the ground, he manages to grab her right before she falls completely. “Iri what happened?”  
“Cerulean.” Iri chokes out before her body finally starts to fail her. “I won.”  
“Iri, what do you mean?” Fin questions his mind still ablaze with confusion and his eyes alight with worry for his bloody comrade.   
“She killed Fireteam Cerulean, all of them…. They were coming for her, and Massachusetts warned her last night. I know because I ordered him too.” Derrick answers solemnly as he appears from behind Fin, and watches the Brit lift the bloody woman up into his arms. “It’s time for a revolution Finsley, and I believe I know where your loyalty resides.”  
“Bloody hell it took you long enough to get your balls back.” Fin murmurs with a smirk, and Derrick just nods his head in agreement. Iri had inspired a great deal of emotion inside of him lately, and finally this was the time to act. Most of the Agents were in between jobs and with Cerulean gone he only needed to worry about Crimson and Gold truly coming after them... It was time for a revolution and hell be damned if he wasn't going to behead the king..... himself.  
“It’s time for Wyvern to go.”  
“Oh is it now?” Wyvern states with a surprised look as he strolls in the foyer to where the two were talking. “And… Agent Texas, that’s not… that’s not possible?”  
“Yeah, turns out your assassination attempt didn’t work out like you planned… Try again, I dare you.” Derrick goads as he watches the composed man crack a smidge, Wyvern turns on his heel and leaves with a glare on his lips. Once gone Derrick turns his attention to Iri who was passed out in Fin's arms covered in now drying blood. “Give her to me, and I want you to tell your team what happened… Tell Russ that he’s declared civil war on Tex. I don’t know what agents he’s sent after her, but expect Crimson next.”   
“Right away Derrick.” Fin answers obediently as he hands the woman to Derrick before dashing off down the hall. With Fin gone Derrick carries the woman down the hall to Otto and Harold’s room where the men were talking in hushed tones.   
“Harold you tell me where Daphne is or so help me god I’ll torture every single soul in this place till you do!” A deep man’s voice growls in a vaguely french accented tone. “Tell me where she is!”  
“Klein, now isn’t…. Derrick?” Harold mutters in confusion as he observes Iri lying limply in his grasp.  
“Daphne!” Klein shouts angrily when he sees his daughter’s blood soaked form in the man’s arms. The fox wastes no time in ripping his child from his grasp, and setting her on a nearby table. “Daphne, Daphne can you hear me?” Klein asks worriedly as he uses his powers to heal all visible wounds, and brushes her crimson soaked hair from her face. “Réveillez-vous Daphné.” (Wake up, Daphne)   
“... What…. Who are you?” Iri grumbles as she hazily awakens, she goes to sit up but said man pulls her into his arms and… and suddenly the smell of mint floods her nostrils, a calming scent that she remembered tasting on her tongue when Geoff had triggered her memories… It tasted so familiar, so calm, and so relaxing. “Klein…. Dad.”  
“Daphne.” Klein purrs with a smile as he holds her tightly in his embrace. “Daphne, I… Celeste and I… We’re so sorry Cherie, so very sorry we had to leave you in such a way. We never stopped loving you, oh our sweet brave baby girl…. You.” Klein rambles with tears in his eyes as his daughter holds onto him tightly, and doesn’t ever seem to be loosening her grip. “You look just like her, and if.”  
“She’s dead?” Iri interrupts her eyes filled with unshed tears, and her father just nods in yes.   
“Your mother died last month, I tracked her killer to the states and then to here… I was gone for merely a moment, but now that you're here we can take retribution together.”  
“But… I… Why didn’t you come sooner?” Iri stutters in confusion, this was unbelievable... Her father was dead.... Wasn't he?  
“Because the closer you were to me the more dangerous it is, until about a week ago the statute of limitations on my crimes hadn’t run out but now I am not convict-able… It took twenty seven years, but I am finally free.” Klein explains as he holds her tightly. “She was so proud of you.”  
“Proud of me?”  
“We never truly left, I believe you know a man named Joel.”  
“...But...What?”  
“Rush has always been able to enter minds undeterred and.”  
“So you’ve been spying on me?”  
“Not spying per say, more like checking in.”  
“And instead of.” Iri growls, cutting herself off she pulls free from the foreign man’s arms and punches him across the jaw. Klein didn’t block the furious hit, and he didn’t block the second but he did catch her fist on the third; bending it back he watches her raise her other hand and suddenly the air in his throat is restricted. “You had every opportunity to contact me, and instead you merely spy!”  
“Da.”  
“My name is Iridessa! You are not my father, I don’t have a father!” She declares ripping her fist from his grasp, and kicking him in the stomach; turning on her heels she flees the room using her powers to slam the door shut behind her. Shifting swiftly she reconnects with Lexi, and feels her companion immediately gasp in shock. ‘Lexi please get me out of here.’  
‘Mistress!’ Lexi shouts as she watches Iri collapse onto the ground, and working quickly she shifts into her dragon form. Levitating her on she takes off into the sky and heads to the apartment, connecting with Harrison only briefly enough to let him in on what’s happening. The flight there was swift due to Lexi’s desire to get them inside as fast as possible. Throwing open a window Lexi manages to get them both inside, and after locking the window she places Iri on her bed. Curling up at the foot of the bed as a fox she remains alert as her mistress sleeps.


	152. I'll take the blame for him... If that's what it takes for you to move on

Several Hours Later

Iri awakes this time to the feeling Lexi nuzzling her softly, and blinking herself awake she shakes the sleep from her mind.   
“Mistress are you alright?”  
“Physically sorta, mentally I’m not so sure…. Joel.”  
“Iri, you and I both know that Joel probably had no idea Rush was even in there.” Lexi states and watches Iri just turn to face the window. “At least he cared enough.”  
“No! He didn’t care enough, he didn’t care at all Lexi! If he had cared he wouldn’t have left me to fend for myself, he wouldn’t have showed up simply for revenge on my mother’s killer… He wouldn’t have left me like this… If either of them cared they wouldn’t have.” Iri trails off her angry yelling turning to tears, and mumbled words. “I don’t know what’s worse being an orphan who's found her father, or being an orphan whose father took over another man’s mind to watch her.”  
“Does it matter? It all hurts the same.” Lexi mutters as she watches Iri crumple into tears on the bed her knees drawn up and the tears mixing with dried crimson to create bloody tear tracks down her pale legs. “Mistress someone is coming.”  
“I don’t care.” Iri declares in defeat, she didn't care anymore and if someone wanted to kill her well they could go for it... Make it quick she hoped.  
“Tex?” Fin’s soft voice calls out as he enters the apartment, causing the woman to instantly relax and release a quiet sigh. “Tex it’s just me, and I’m not here to kill you so don’t kill me, okay?”  
“Go away Fin.”   
“Bloody hell you look horrid…. But… Uh, I didn’t mean it like that.”  
“Fin please not now.”  
“Tex, I’m here to help.”  
“Help what?”  
“Stop the others from killing you, when Wyvern declares Civil War it’s not pretty.”   
“What?” Iri mutters in confusion, all she wanted was to be alone not listen to him ramble about history.   
“Civil War is what he says when another Agent is slated to die, and my bet is because he knows you're coming for him.” Chewy states as he appears in the room. “I sent my team to your house, and so did Ori. She sent Colorado and Florida up north to work on securing a safe house for them.”  
“Why… Why are you helping me?” Iri asks suspiciously, no one had ever helped her as thoroughly as these people had and she hadn’t even done anything for them.  
“Because you helped us, you eliminated the Ristaus, unearthed Wyvern’s endgame, and you’ve now dispatched Death Squad Cerulean.” Chewy states as though it was obvious.  
“But.”  
“Cerulean was a Death Squad and many of us watched those monsters kill our families with no remorse, not to mention our own friends… I’m not the first Massachusetts, but with your help I can be the last.”  
“You… It won’t be pretty.” Iri mutters as she stands up, and finally faces the pair of men. She couldn't will this away and it was time to face the facts, she could mourn her mother after this was done. “Agents will die, and the people you once called friends will try to kill you.” Iri explains gravely to them, her face no longer sad and scared. No this is what she was born to do, the only desire she has ever truly had was to be free, and these people were in the same boat as her… They wanted to be free and hell be damned if they wouldn’t be by the end of this.   
“We aren’t afraid of sacrifices.” Fin declares as he meets her hard gaze right on. “And Fireteam Alpha stands behind you.”  
“As does Fireteam Zebra.” Kentucky declares as she enters the apartment joined by several others. "It's time we repay the kindness you showed us."  
“Count us in.” Ori adds with a smirk as she slithers in through the open window.   
“I may not agree with your opinions on greeting, but Reach has your back.” Alabama states with a straight face. “And so do many others, but why should we put our faith in a single, barely trained vixen?”  
“Because she isn’t alone, and she killed Erik, Seth, and went toe to toe with Nikolai's goons… Let’s see you do that Al.” Ver challenges as he looks to the blood soaked woman, her tail flitting at the man’s words, and her muscles tensed to pounce. “If we’re going to do this then it is all or nothing, none of this doubting each other bull shit. You are either with us or against us Al, I won’t have you causing domino effects.”  
“That’s all I wanted to hear.” Alabama answers with a smirk, if his team mates were willing to put her faith in her then so would he; plus he’d seen her decimate Ark and she was no slouch. “So what’s the plan?”  
“Insurrection, wants to inspire doubt amongst the teams still loyal to him, and see if we can’t rally a few more for our cause… Or at the very least weed out the ones who truly believe in what he’s doing.” Kentucky comments as she watches Iri with calculated eyes. “Why are you covered in blood?”  
“I killed Cerulean this morning when they dragged me from my bed.”  
“All of them?... By yourself?” Kentucky questions in shock.  
“What can I say my daughter takes after me.” Klein interjects as he walks through the door with Geoff and Dexter by his side. “I never knew I had such brilliant grandchildren.”  
“Fuck off Klein… Geoff where are the others?” Iri questions and Geoff just pulls her into his arms. “Geoff focus, where are the others?”  
“Safe with the rest of my team, and most of Ori’s.” Vermont answers helpfully as he pulls out his earpiece, and Iri just nods curtly.   
“Why are you here?”  
“Your father said we were needed.” Geoff states and Iri just furrows her brow at aforementioned man. “He said Vex could help.”  
“Vex, says the likelihood of us all dying is very probable.” Dex adds with a sigh as he puts his head back down on his father’s shoulder. “He also says that Crimson is closing in on us.”   
“I see… Klein take them out of here, and the rest of you go too. I don’t want them to relay anything to Wyvern, or even know how organized we truly are.” Iri orders and she watches the others merely hesitate for a moment before leaping into action. Geoff is ushered from the room before he can even protest, and the rest seamlessly slip back into the morning light. “Lex, I’m going to shower.”  
“I’ll keep watch.”  
“Thanks Lexi… And… nevermind.”  
“Iri, just know that whatever happens I support us one hundred percent… And I don’t know why these soldiers think we’re capable, but I know we are.” Lexi states to the hesitant woman still unsure about her own plan. “It’s a solid plan, and Sol is very worried.”  
“Sol? Why would he be… Leo!” Iri snaps fearfully as she finds the boy slinking out from under the bed, his body shaking in fear. “Leo? Lion what’s wrong?”  
“Mom, you can’t go through with this.”  
“What? Why?” Iri questions worriedly, and her son just tugs his mother to the bathroom quickly.   
“Two from the front door, another from Daddy’s room, and two more from yours.” Leo suddenly declares, and before Iri can question what he means she hears the sound of breaking glass.   
‘You get in that cabinet and don’t come out until I come get you. Clear?’  
‘Yes Momma.’ Leo replies obediently as he shifts down and Iri buries him underneath stacks of towels, making sure to be wary of the squad working their way through the apartment. ‘Momma, they’ll aim for body shots and.’ Iri just nods quickly while shoving more towels on top of him, and reaching for the glock she kept taped under the counter as well as the clip. Snapping it in she uses her powers to knock over a lamp in the front room to distract the squad.   
“Texas we both know that these parlor tricks aren’t scaring anyone, now just come on out and we can discuss the terms of your execution like adults.” A man clothed in black says as he enters Michael’s room, and Iri just rolls her eyes. Working swiftly she grabs her straightener, and binds the cords in her fists. As the man continues his patrol she slips it over his throat, and pulls back with all the strength she has. The man struggles violently, attempting to flip her off but Iri just snaps his neck quickly placing the body under the bed. Slipping under the bed beside the dead agent she waits quietly as the four remaining Agents shuffle through the rooms.   
‘Leo, are you alright?’  
‘Mom they are sweeping back, you can get a drop on two of them.’ Leo answers as Champ sends him another vision of the groups decisions.   
“Tex come out come out wherever you are, here kitty kitty kitty.” Another male voice taunts and Iri just growls inwardly while biding her time under the bed till the group splits again. “Wyvern, it’s Wisconsin… Yeah she’s not here, her scent is fresh but there’s no sign of her here now…. Her family is gone like they bugged out, no clue where they went either… Trail’s cold… Very well Sir we’ll head back to base.”  
“Wis, are we going back?”  
“Not yet Oklahoma… She’s here somewhere, and where’s Rhode?” Wisconsin asks as he notices the lack of their grenadier. “Rhode?”  
“He.” Oklahoma starts, but it’s at that moment she drops to her feet and falls face down on the ground completely limp. The others immediately cock their weapons and begins searching the room causing Iri to act quickly. She rolls out from under the bed, and pops two of them in the knee while the third she dispatches with mind.   
“Texas?”  
“Damn right, now you two have seconds to live before I decimate you're mind like I did with these two.” Iri declares with the gun cocked at Wisconsin’s head ready to fire should he prove to be difficult.  
“What do you want to know?” Wisconsin asks as he watches companion start getting antsy, and before he can reassure him Iri’s cold stare falls to him and the man drops to the ground seizing violently.  
“What’s his game?” Iri questions aggressively as she turns to him, and the man just stares at his friend's lifeless forms surrounding him. His own mate dead at his feet beside him, he’d never thought that he’d be on this end… He thought he’d be safe here, the man with the gun and his wife beside him but not this time. “I’m waiting, I can always take what I want.”  
“You are just like your father, ruthless and cold.” Wisconsin spits at her and she just scoffs in mock offense... She couldn't give a single fuck about what this man had to say to her.  
“Don’t pretend to care, and just tell me what I need to know.” Iri growls darkly, and the man just chokes at she tightens her grip on his throat. “Now.”  
“You were right in what you thought, but that’s not why he’s killing you.”  
“Why then?”  
“Because of your ability to give them hope… He had never anticipated how easily you fell into this role, he thought for sure you’d reject every ounce of kindness they offered.”   
“He’s killing me because of my positivity?”  
“In a manner of speaking yes, it’s very hard to control a person when they have hope versus people who are beaten… But you, you gave them unity and something to work for. You gave them another purpose besides following his orders. A purpose that they are clearly willing to fight for, and that is what makes you truly dangerous.” Wisconsin explains to the woman who just purses her lips in thinking, and suddenly before he can question it his throat is released. “Texas?”  
“Take her and go, I could never kill a pregnant woman.” Iri states with an icy tone as Oklahoma sits up slowly, a dazed look in her eyes. “If I ever see you again or you come after my family I will finish the job I started.”   
“Iridessa.”  
“Go before I change my mind.” Iri snaps as the pair nod quickly and shift into the shapes of large Golden eagles, slipping off into the afternoon light the only sound she can hear is the quiet beating of wings. “Leo?” Iri calls and at his name the boy comes bounding into the room, tackling his mother as a lion.   
“Momma, Champ… He said you killed them.”  
“No… At the last moment I decided to spare them because in the end they were only following orders, now your father must be out of his mind with worry. Leonard Augustus Jones what were you thinking? You could have been killed or worse!” Iri growls as she pulls her son into her arms lovingly. “They could have hurt you, and then what would have I done?”  
“Brought me back to life?”  
“My powers don’t work that way Lion and you know it… You're grounded when this is over.”  
“Would you ground your son for wishing to observe his mother work?” Klein asks as he enters the room quietly, and Iri just glares at her father. “Your pack is safe.”  
“No thanks to you, where were you ten minutes ago when these assholes were going to kill me.”   
“I was keeping them safe, and you are swifter than your mother was and she could run… You look just like her.” Klein reminisces as he brushes a strand of sweaty crimson from her face. “The Order could use a woman like you.”  
“Who?”  
“It’s a long story for another time, merely something to think about in the future…. Can I hold him?” Klein asks softly as he notices the boy snuggling into his mother’s neck and he watches his daughter’s eyes flash angrily for a second before simmering out into calmness.   
“Mr. Marseilles, it’s very nice to meet you.” Leo states politely as he turns to face his biological grandfather, and Iri just smirks at him. “Champ and Sol have told me interesting things about your life choices.”   
“What… Who are they?”  
“Sol is his Stag and Champion is his lion, we believe him to have a third transition like his sister but it has yet to present itself.” Iri explains briefly to the confused man who just nods in understanding.   
“Prey…. Hmm Rush was right about it then.”  
“Rush was right about what?” Iri inquires and he just shakes his head.   
“That you are a Vagabond, it is not uncommon for our kind to produce prey offspring especially if they are conceived in a pack with other deviants… In fact it was almost impossible for you not to produce prey offspring after mating with another Vagabond carrier, and this one… Leo smells of Drifter so I’m guessing his father is a feline or such?” Klein answers and then looks to her for her response. “It is a very distinct scent just like our Vagabond one. Daph are.”  
“My name is Iridessa and just because you're my biological father doesn’t mean you get to show up after twenty seven years of nothing and just slip into this role… Give me my son and just go, isn’t that what you're best at anyways.” Iri mutters bitterly as she pulls Leo into her waiting arms, and the boy happily lies against her shoulder. “Geoff must have been very convincing that night.”  
“He… It wasn’t his idea it was mine… He nearly lost his life that day, and he did lose the man he loved to a monster that none of us knew was lurking inside of him. Erik was consumed by his desire to discover the secrets of our genes and when Geoffrey’s DNA proved useless he turned to us… Geoff was the man who saved your life, he brought the basket to Kody’s, and then planted the memory in his mind to save you from an orphanage. Geoff has done nothing but protect you when we couldn’t, when your mother and I were hunted he made sure you were housed, clothed, and fed. Granted he became lax around the time that Griffon died, and his animosity clouded his judgement but he was still there making sure you were alive… Who do you think showed Monty your artwork? Who do you think planted the thought of hiring you in Matt’s mind? Geoff has always been helping you, he even let you believe it was his fault… He took the blame for something that I did, and he allowed you to have an outlet for your anger in hopes that it would grow into understanding… Geoff did that for you because he loves you… Iri, I have never met a mind so enamoured with another until I saw the way he thinks about you. He has always loved you, and perhaps he hasn’t always shown it the right way, but he has.” Klein explains to his daughter who does nothing but stare into his eyes with a look of realization, pain, and a mix of both anger and sadness. There was also a tint of loathing, and whether that be for him or herself Klein couldn’t tell but it was profound. “I’m sorry, but this anger you hold onto towards him because of what I did is something I can’t stand for. I may have ruined your childhood, but I won’t ruin your marriage too.”  
“Mistress are you alright?” Lexi asks worriedly as she feels a blanket of numbness fall over their mind, and without wasting a moment she separates from her body. Thinking swiftly she plucks Leo from her suddenly limp arm, and uses her powers to catch Iri before her limbs give out. “You have terrible timing you know that?” Lexi states in her mistress’ form to Klein. “You couldn’t have just waited till everything was settled before you did this?”  
“She deserves to know the truth, and I didn’t want to die before she could hear it.”  
“So it’s true? Geoff really did all of that for her under his own influence.”  
“Yes, and had I known her anger would have been this strong I would have never allowed him to take the blame like I did. She is so resentful of us.”  
“Just like us Klein, we hold onto animosity much more often than we let it go and can you blame her for her hatred... We left her to navigate this world alone, and when our replacements died as well... I can't fathom the damage we've done.” Rush interjects as the fox appears beside Lexi as a copy of Klein. “She is ruthless, capable, and self-reliant to the point of isolation… She is definitely our daughter, but from this boy’s mind she sings like Celeste and loves to bake.”  
“Iri loves baking.”   
“And she’s quite the perfectionist when it comes to her art… Just like Celeste was, she would have loved to meet you two.” Rush comments with a smirk as he lifts the woman from the copy’s powers, and furrows his brow at her lightness. “Klein we should get going, get them to a safer location.”  
“We should meet up with the others before they become worried.”  
“I doubt Geoff isn’t worried right now.”  
“I can’t imagine any mate who wouldn’t be.” Klein adds with a smile, but Lexi just snaps at him as she outstretches a hand to use her powers only to feel it blocked.   
“You have your hands full, I can carry my companion’s daughter… Why is she so light?” Rush questions as he lifts Iri into his arms.  
“Momma… Momma doesn’t like to eat.” Leo answers quietly before Lexi can provide an explanation.  
“What do you mean by that Leonard?” Klein counters in confusion.  
“My name is Leo, and I don’t know why all I know is that my fathers get mad about it a lot… and I’ve never seen her eat a whole meal without deciding to vomit it up in the bathroom.” Leo states truthfully, and Lexi just glares at him. “Sorry Lexi, but she’s going to kill herself like this.”  
“You sound like your father.”  
“I have a point.” Michael interjects as he appears in the living room area of the apartment. “And it was hellacious slipping away from those Agents. Geoff, Ryan, and Harry had to help me get out of their safe house.”  
“Michael, you.”  
“Lexi don’t growl at me, and Ryan’s here too.” Michael says before Lexi can gripe about him coming alone.   
“It’s true I am, and why is she coated in blood? Who are you two? And we should probably leave before the neighbors come looking.” Ryan comments quickly as he appears beside Michael, and lifts Iri from the strange man’s arms while Michael takes Leo from Lexi, allowing the fox to settle beside the gent.   
“She’s killed about eight people today, and has had no time for a shower…. It’s a miracle she’s still standing and not in a coma.” Lexi comments softly, and Ryan just cocks an eyebrow at her.  
“She’s not exactly light on her feet right now.” Ryan mumbles with a smirk and the fox just glares at him as they descend the stairs quickly leaving only Klein waiting in the apartment. “Lexi, can you shift once we’re outside and fly above us with her on your back so we can meet up with the others before they.”  
“We don’t have to protect you, we do it because we want her help now come along.” Arkansas interrupts in a strict tone with her frustrated eyes falling upon Ryan as she waits at the exit of the complex with Alabama beside her. “You two were incredibly easy to track due to that one’s enticing scent.  
”Mmm… Fuck my face…. Ry what’s happening?” Iri groans softly against his chest as she struggles back into the conscious world. “My head is killing me.”  
“Why don’t you rest then we can take care of you for a little while.” Ryan suggests softly as the woman just shakes her head, and forces herself to her feet.   
“I’m fine… I’ll be okay in a few minutes.” Iri mumbles shakily, the truth was even with the newfound strength of the Vagabond she still couldn’t maintain her energy for much longer, and if it came to another battle she could make no promises that she’d survive. Looking to Ark the woman wore a knowing smirk, and Alabama offered a small look of comfort.   
“Come on Tex, let’s get you back to the rest of your pack before we have such somber thoughts… We’re with you.” Alabama soothes quietly to the woman who wore a look all of them understood quite well. This was the I might die today look, her steely eyes dark with that thought.  
“Thanks… If it means anything I’m sorry for the way I acted; I should have confronted you in a more professional manner Ark… I let my nature get the best of me.” Iri says apologetically to the woman who just shrugs and gestures to the SUV a few feet away.   
“I wouldn’t have respected you any other way, but the apology is appreciated.” Ark remarks with a smile before clicking a button and unlocking it. “Now get in, and let’s go.”


	153. Demons always have the prettiest faces

The Safe House 

Harry had received word from Derrick that Wyvern was seething rage, and sending everything he had after Texas… And after telling their supporters that he had watched several disappear, reappear, and come back armed to the teeth most likely from their own personal stashes. Even Vermont was pacing the large house anxiously, and he was usually the calmest operative out of all of them. As for the pack well they were in the basement biding their time with their remaining fathers waiting for the return of their mother and fathers. Heading down the stairs he finds the fox called Vex sitting in the bay window staring out with a dark look in his eyes.   
“Vex?” Harry inquires as he notices the fox staring out.  
“That is I.” Vex replies while turning to meet the other's eyes soft eyes briefly before looking back at the desolate front yard.  
“What’s up with you?” Harry questions softly as he notices how rigid the fox looked sitting in the dying afternoon light.   
“Death swaddles this house like a blanket does a baby…. It’s so close I can almost feel it leeching the life from our bones.” Vex answers seriously as he turns to face the coyote who wears a reassuring smile. “But it seems to spare the children at least… Death is a cruel Mistress, and for once I hope my feelings are wrong.”  
“No Vexissus, I don’t think you are…. I can feel the sacrifice that needs to be made even if I can’t see it.” Vermont mutters sadly as he enters the room to find Harry and the fox talking in somber tones. “Some will die tonight, and the others left to live will never forgive themselves.”  
“You two are incredibly depressing, can’t we be positive?” Indy’s cheerful tone inquires as she and her companions enter the room. “I too, feel this death you speak of but for now let's focus on preparing.”   
“Of course Indy, now what do you believe to be the best course of action for preparation is?”  
“I think we need to get these children down in the bunker, and their parents as well… Put barriers everywhere, I want them secure so we don’t have any of that self sacrificing malarky.” Indy states with a smile as she gestures to the fox on the ledge. “And you are to keep death at bay, do not end any suffering until the very last moment.”  
“Yes Agent Indiana.” Vex answers obediently, normally he would fight a direct order but this woman could save just about anyone so their would be no reason to intervene in order to be humane.   
“Good, now return to Dex and inform them of what’s happening.” Indy says with a polite smile, and the fox merely dips his head before dissipating. Once he was gone she turns to the agents with a more serious look. “I can’t promise that we’re going to survive this so prepare your teams to die, and remember we aren’t dying for her but rather the death of a mad man.”  
“Isn’t that obvious?... Why would we die for her?” Kentucky questions fiddling with a stray piece of Vermont’s light hair. “We all understand what’s at risk, and furthermore there is no reason to prepare for anything… I’d even bet you know who is going to die tonight.”  
“No Mer, I wish I could but something is blocking me and I believe it’s Alaska.”  
“But that would mean she’s close.”  
“Mhmm, and that damn wolf is probably lurking near the compound.” Montana mutters with contempt, Alaska was a jerk and everyone knew that or debated it ever. She was Wyvern’s pet and did whatever the man told her to, she’d kill herself if he wanted her to. That was the kind of loyalty he desired from all of them, but that’s not something many of them gave him. There was no point in granting that to a man who would squander it on petty squabbles amongst agents. “Ori should be back soon with the others. Tex isn’t injured, but she’s exhausted which is just as dangerous right now.” He explains and right as he finishes the door opens slowly with the sight of said people. Iri amongst the group looked like a wreck, and was barely on her feet… It looked like she was using sheer will power as to force one foot in front of another.   
“Look what we found killing Crimson.” Ark states with a smile as she closes the door behind them and the others just look at the blood soaked woman with wide eyes. “Don’t ask me how, but she did.”  
“It’s a gift.” Iri slurs, and staggers to a nearby couch, but is grabbed by Harrison in a suffocating hug. “Hi Harry.”  
“You look awful.” Harry comments as he nuzzles her close, he'd been so worried when she ran off earlier.  
“Killing fireteams will do that to a girl.”  
“Bambi, let’s get you into the shower before you pass out.” Ryan urges as he tugs the woman from her cousin’s tight grip. Reluctantly the coyote releases her, and the pair starts toward the shower down stairs. “Bambi are you.”  
“I am not…. My… Ry, it hurts.” Iri cuts off with a pained grimace.   
“What hurts?” Ryan asks gently as he tries to wrap his arms around him, but she waves him off with her tail. He can tell she's struggling to stand, but her pride wouldn't allow him to help and that was perhaps the most frustrating thing about her.  
“Head…. Overuse… need rest.” Iri stutters out as she grabs the bathroom counter to keep from crashing to the floor. “Stag.”  
“Shh, it’s alright go to sleep for a little while. I’ll wake you if it’s important.” Ryan assures his Omega letting a tiny rumble out to help soothe the reluctant woman.  
“Promise?”  
“Of course Fawn.” Ryan vows as she finally gives up, and her body falls into his waiting arms. Picking up her gently he places down on the ledge of the bathtub which was filling with warm water, and makes quick of her blood caked clothing. He wondered silently how much of it was hers, and judging by the amount of cuts he saw Ryan was guessing that a good deal of it was. Once free from the clothing he lowers her slowly into the warm water, and watches it turn a murky red as the dirt and blood leaves her skin. Washing her as gently as possible, sighing sadly when her body flinches from his touches, and despite his best efforts to be gentle the woman in his arms groans. “Shh, Fawn… Shh.”   
“Ry?” Geoff’s quiet voice asks as he knocks on the closed bathroom door softly, he’d heard the sound of Ryan’s shushing. “How’s our girl?”  
“She’s tired, but not as damaged as I expected her to be… Geoff’s she’s…. Do you think she’s alright?” Ryan inquires softly, he didn’t want to imagine the strain on her mind.   
“I think she’ll be okay, she’s adapted to this lifestyle. Though when this all ends she may have difficulty becoming a civilian again, but I can.. I know what that is and I can help her work through it.” Geoff explains to Ryan who continues washing her. The elder gent says nothing more as he joins Ryan at the tub, and kneels down to heal the cuts all over the slumbering woman's body. It takes maybe moments before they watch her body sag in relief, and Ryan can continue without fear of hurting her. “Ryan, did I ever tell you.”  
“That you took the blame for her father’s choice?” Ryan interjects knowingly, he had suspected this awhile ago. “Why did you do that?”  
“Because I thought that if her father ever was able to come back that she shouldn’t have her one chance to reconnect spoiled by feelings of hatred.” Geoff tells him with a smile, he remembers watching his father leave and the feelings of abandonment that came with that... the wondering, the sense of inferiority, and mostly the anger... He was so angry at his abandonment that when his step father came into his life he was unable to have a healthy relationship with him for most of his life, and by the time he had figured that out he had run out of time.  
“But how did you know?”  
“I told him.” Vermont mutters as he enters the room, only to hear twin growls stopping him in his tracks. “Alaska has decided to begin her attack tomorrow… I thought you might want to know.”  
“Thank you, now can you leave us.” Geoff says curtly, and the man merely scowls before leaving the room. “He told me two weeks before I noticed Erik beginning to change, and I was… I thought he was wrong but he was right.... So fucking right, and I knew that this was the right choice. You only get one father, and I didn’t want her anger to ruin the relationship she could develop with this one. I didn't want her to be robbed of the relationship she could have had like I did.” Geoff explains to his mate who just nuzzles his shoulder lovingly.  
“.... Geoff… Geoff that’s really amazing. You allowed her to hate you, to fight you, and to practically abandon you so she could.... Geoff.” Ryan says with a newfound appreciation for his mate. “I… You're still an abusive asshole sometimes, but.”  
“I know I’m amazing.”  
“Shut…. up.” Iri groans tiredly from the tub her tail slapping Ryan’s wrist wetly.   
“Excuse me?” Geoff states sassily, and watches as her eyes blink awake quickly. It is maybe a moment of confusion before Geoff feels himself tackled by his wet mate, and forceful kisses are placed along his neck till she makes her way to her mouth. “Kit?”  
“God, I can’t believe you did that for me Geoff, Geoff I.. I’m so sorry. I never, why would you let me say those awful things to you, and why would you want to marry me afterwards?” Iri stammers quickly as she nuzzles his neck affectionately and settles on his chest as her tail settles on his leg effectively soaking his pants. “I love you, Papa.”  
“I love you too Kit, but you should be asleep our.”  
“She’s coming in the morning… Sol told me while I was out.”  
“Aren’t you.”  
“Afraid? God, I’m terrified but I believe that our forces are strong enough to kill them… I wish it wasn’t going to come to this.”  
“Maybe you can talk them out of it?” Ryan suggests hopefully, but the woman just shakes her head solemnly.  
“No, not these people Ry… She won’t let them, and Wyvern will kill them if they don’t. We’re lucky the telepaths are able to cast shields so well.” Iri states somberly, she hated to admit it but these people were die hards. “Alaska is a master manipulator, and she has their minds so twisted that they have no choice but to obey… Her mind has been turned dark by Wyvern, and there is no light left inside it.”  
“Well I’d like to think there is a sliver of light in there.” Derrick mutters quietly as he enters the room, throwing a towel to Iri who grasps it, immediately covering herself. “She used to be my better half, and I’d like to think there is some of that woman I loved still in there…. somewhere.”  
“But Derr, she may be gone and if it comes to it.”  
“If it comes to it, I will kill her…. I brought her into this, and I want to be the one to help her leave.” Derrick interrupts, he'd be the one to kill her if need be... Seemed fitting in his mind with him being the one to bring her into this after all.  
“Understood.”  
“I can’t believe it’s only been three and a half months… Talk about overachiever.” Derrick jests with a light hearted smile; he wasn’t looking forward to ending his ex-wife, but he would do it if necessary.   
“Hey what can I say, I came here to fuck shit up.”  
“And you have done a splendid job Iri… A splendid fucking job.” Derrick mutters as he trails off, and turns to leave but stops mid step. “I trust when this is all over you’ll still be as useful to the program.”  
“But I.”  
“Your contract still stands Texas, it’s just the matter of who it stands with.” Derrick clarifies and watches as the woman’s hopeful expression turns into a look of utter disappointment. “Tex.”  
“No it’s cool, I should have realized that… It was naive to think otherwise.” Iri answers dejectedly, what was she thinking? Her freedom had always come with a price, and most of the time it was nonexistent. “If you don’t mind I’d like to be alone with my mates.”  
“Of course, I look forward to many more years of service with you.” Derrick says politely as he closes the door quietly, and the Alphas immediately look to find Iri already sitting with her face on her thighs. Geoff says nothing as he settles beside her, and Ryan sits on the other side.   
“If it makes you feel any better I know how to fake a death.” Ryan murmurs softly, a hand ruffling her wet ears gently. “I mean I’d be honored to kill you.”  
“You mean it?”   
“I mean I love you, and what’s the old saying… If you love something let it go and if it comes back it’s yours forever, but if it doesn’t you hunt it down and force it to stay till you eventually kill it with your soul crushing obsession.” Ryan states with a smirk, and the other two just quirk their brows in worry at him. “I’m kidding. Sheesh will you two lighten up.”  
“You're really bad at this Stag… like you are horrible at this.” Iri mutters with a shake of her head, and Geoff nods in silent agreement. “I’m glad you don’t make cards for a living.”  
“Mhmm, Ry you might be the worst at positivity.” Geoff adds as Iri picks up her head, and turns to face the blonde.   
“I think it’s time I get clean… Like actually clean, not just wet.” Iri states as she picks herself up, and steps into the tub. “You can either stay and help or leave, it’s your choice boys.”  
“Boys? I believe you have us confused with the kittens, and the puppy in the next room.” Geoff quips as he sheds his clothing and steps in behind her. “However, I would love to help you clean up.”  
“But first why not get a little dirtier? I mean we all may die tomorrow.” Ryan purrs as he too steps in, and Iri just quirks a brow at him. “I figured since we’re all here anyways.”  
“Oh no you will be very far from the battle, you nine will be miles away.” Iri interrupts as she watches her lovers cock their heads in confusion. “I have arranged it so that you will be escorted to another safe house tonight after the kits fall asleep.”  
“Iri.”  
“No Geoff, I don’t want Alaska anywhere near you guys and this is the safest way to ensure that… And if I do die, I don’t want the memory to scar Dex.” Iri says interjecting before Geoff can debate her. “My rule is finally, I will not hesitate to drug you and force you to go.”  
“Your rule?” Geoff questions with a raised brow as he pins the woman to the back of the shower, and spreads her legs wide. “I am the Alpha. My decisions are finally, yours are merely suggestions.”  
“Suggestions, oh really? Does this feel like a suggestion?” Iri rebuts as she breaks his grip on her wrists, and pins him to the spot she was previously in with his face mashed to the wall. “You and the others are going to the safe house Geoffrey, and I will not accept anything less. Do I make myself clear?”  
“Crystal, Kit.” Geoff mutters quietly in defeat, he catches Ryan’s eyes and sees a similar look on his face as well.  
“Wonderful.” Iri purrs in his ear as she nuzzles his back, and begins kissing upwards till she reaches his neck. Her hands begin roaming down till they reach his butt, and she slaps it playfully before releasing him fully. “Now that, that is settled will someone stick their dick in me?”  
“I think that can be arranged.” Ryan answers as he turns from the spray, and leans down to kiss her lips gently. “Spread wide, and let Papa play too.” Iri complies eagerly and her tail beckons to the man still hanging back. ‘Stop pouting Geoff, we all know she’s stronger than you.’ Ryan thinks loudly at the man and watches as his face still displays a bit of angst.  
“Papa?”  
“I’m coming, I was just thinking.”  
“Well stop, it’s killing our mood.” Ryan states with a smirk that has the eldest gent’s lips quirking up into the smallest of smiles. “Iri, he’s still pouting.”  
“Papa, if you keep pouting like that your face will get stuck like that and then you will ruin every family photo we try to take.” Iri explains with a sigh as she turns to face him, and the gent just glares at her again. “Now what could I possibly do to change that frown?” Iri conjectures out loud as she lowers a hand to the man’s member, and begins giving teasing touches that have Geoff’s lips starting to quiver. “Still holding out on me?”   
“I don’t appreciate when you boss me around like a child.” Geoff voices suddenly and Iri just rolls her eyes at him. “I’m the Alpha, and you should respect that.”  
“Geoff, I do respect that…. most of the time, but right now I know what is best for our family so trust me okay?... Just this once, and then you can be pack Alpha forever.” Iri bargains and watches as the older man’s lips finally quirk up into a full blown smile causing the other two to grin as well.   
“Fine, just this once.” Geoff says in a childlike manner that makes Iri roll her eyes and sink to the floor, nuzzling Geoff’s wet thighs lovingly. Taking her time she laps at the gent’s member in feline-like licks that have the man above her parting his lips in want. “Stop teasing Vixen.”  
“But it’s just so much fun.” Iri retorts in a smart ass tone that has Geoff pulling her to his level, and a sharp smack felt on her ass. “Ge.”  
“Stop teasing baby doll, or this will get very rough and you wouldn’t want the agents hearing their fearless leader whimpering like the little omega bitch she is now would we?” Geoff taunts and that shuts Iri up real fast causing her to sink to her knees, while taking him to the base and bobbing at a pleasant pace. “It’s a shame I always have to threaten you Kit, but god damn you are good at this.”  
“Well she’s had a lot of practice between the five of us.” Ryan mutters, feeling slightly left out as the woman sucks their Alpha’s cock. However, before he can say anything else Geoff pulls his in for a possessive kiss causing the man to moan needily. Iri suddenly feeling quite left out makes a quiet whimper against the base of Geoff’s cock, and the gents look down to see her scowling. Pulling her off gently Ryan draws her up for a kiss, and the woman purrs happily into it turning to face the man completely. All the while Geoff slots himself inside her ass, the woman barely even grunts beneath him, and Ryan lifts her up easily, slipping inside of her wanting pussy. However, at that she pulls of Ryan’s lips to grit her teeth at the intrusions.   
“Both?” Iri mumbles as Geoff gives a tentative thrust. “Oh….fuck.”  
“Shush, and think stretching thoughts.” Ryan soothes as Iri just chuckles softly, and slowly becomes accustomed to the pair allowing them to move slowly.   
“We need more space.” Geoff mumbles as he backs up a little to give Ryan some more room to thrust.  
“I know what you mean.” Iri gripes as Geoff and Ryan both thrust in at the same time causing her to gasp in pain. “Fuck you two!”   
“Iri will you relax, you are tighter than Michael on Wednesdays.” Geoff groans as he gives another soft thrust that has the woman moaning into Ryan’s neck. “Kit?”  
“Move… again.” Iri pants as she releases her tension, and allows both men to move freely. It takes maybe minutes before Geoff and Ryan work up a rhythm that suits all parties involved. The pace lulls Iri into a pleasured state filled with lustful moans, and rough grunts of the men fucking her. Her mind no longer focused on their actions rather the feelings of the moment, focusing on sensations of their touches and the passion behind each motion. The tender but forceful touches, the bite of their kisses on her neck, marking her up so everyone would know who she belonged to. She could feel the Alphas reaching their limit, the beginnings of their knots tugging at her holes.   
“Baby girl?” Geoff murmurs in her ears softly as they pin themselves downward, and watches as the blissed out hybrid leans closer to Ryan’s chest avoiding his words. “Now, now Kit purr for your Papa.” He urges gently as they thrust up in unison causing the woman beneath them to choke out another lust filled moan. “There’s a sweet Kit.”  
“Enough Geoff, just come on.” Iri whines as she feels the men slow down slightly, she was so close and so were they why couldn’t he just come on already. “Papa please don’t tease right now.”  
“Well when you ask like that I suppose we can accommodate you.” Geoff purrs with a smirk as the men share a knowing look and begin thrusting swiftly. In an act of what can only be described as amazing Iri feels both of the men cum deep inside her, and their knots swell thickly in both of her holes causing an intense orgasm to wash through her. “God…. God you two are great.” Geoff pants in exhaustion as others share similar tired smiles.   
“Not bad yourself old man.” Ryan teases and Iri just chuckles softly, but tiredly into his neck. She wasn’t used to experiencing such thorough pleasure, and coupled with today’s activities was far too much for her to handle. The men holding her watch as their lover's body slowly goes slack in their arms. “Bambi, are you…. and she’s asleep.”  
“We should have done this in a bed.” Geoff grumbles as his knees start to ache, and his back tingles in pain. “Should have known she’d fall asleep.”   
“Mhmm, now what do we because I’m not strong enough to hold both of you up.”  
“Love are you clean yet the kits… Oh… well she’s rather tied up.” Gavin observes as he enters the bathroom quickly, wearing a casual smirk. “How long?”  
“Well if you influence our body’s even less time.” Ryan proposes and the Omega shrugs at this.  
“I believe in natural.” Gavin starts in a teasing voice.  
“Gavvi, please don’t be difficult right now my back is starting to hurt.” Geoff interrupts in a tired tone, he really wanted a nap and really didn’t want to deal with Gavin’s playfulness. “Gavi-wavi please.”  
“You are lucky I love you, bloody sausages.“ Gavin mutters with a smile as he concentrates on lowering their bodies natural hormones; allowing for both of the men to slip out of the still sleeping woman. The Brit grabs a towel from the rack, picks the woman up princess style, and wraps her up in it before exiting the bathroom. He takes her to the bedroom where the kits were already lying down, placing her sleeping form on the sheets.   
“Momma?” Dex’s sleepily voice questions as he rouses slightly, and crawls to the end of the bed where she was snoring quietly. “Momma, snuggles?” Dex murmurs and Iri blinks hazily a few times before blindly pulling the boy to rest on her chest. The pair soon drift back into slumber and Gavin just sighs as the pair of redhead’s snore softly.   
“Love, you need to get dressed.”  
“Gav, leave her be.”  
“No Micool, she needs at least this shirt and some underwear.” Gavin argues, and holds out black boy short underwear as well as a blue camisole. “What if someone walks in here, and sees her like that?”  
“..... That’s… Fine, I’ll help you.” Michael acquiesces, the man did have a point; there were a lot of strange men and women wandering around her and every so often some unknown agent would poke their head in the room to check in. Picking up Dex gently, he rocks the fussy boy who begins growling into his shoulder as Gavin works to semi dress their mate. “Shush Dexy, just a few more minutes.”  
“Momma….. Momma!” Dex snaps as his eyes fly open, pure white, and Michael suddenly can’t breathe his lungs refuse to expand and contract causing him to choke. Dropping the boy, Gavin watches as Dex jerks awake fully, and Michael lies gasping on the floor. It can’t take more than a second before Dex’s eyes return to normal and Michael’s breathing begins to even out, but not before Dex is tackled by Leo who was growling darkly.  
“How dare you!” Leo declares as a lion and his teeth wrapped around Dex’s throat, growling ferociously. “You fucking monster!”  
“Leonard!” Michael yells as he snatches his protective son up, and Gavin grabs Dex who just pushes him away and flees out the door. “Leo, what were you thinking?”  
“He was killing you!” Leo growls as he dangles from his father’s grip as a lion cub. “I was trying.”  
“Leo, you know he didn’t mean it… What is it with you two lately?”  
“I’ll go get him, Poppa.” Scarlett says quietly as she rubs her eyes sleepily, and Gavin just smiles after her. She exits the room swiftly, and shifts down in hopes of being undetected as well as track her brother. Sniffing the air lightly she heads outside towards the back of the house, and then slips out the open window leading outside. Once outside in the moonless night she takes a deeper breath, and follows the scent to a nearby tree where she finds Dex’s black silhouette on an outstretched limb. “Griff?”  
“Go away Scar.” Dex mumbles, his usually clear voice clouded with tears.  
“Griff, come down and talk to me.”  
“Just leave me alone Scarlett, I’m fine!” Dex insists bitterly, sobs racking his fox body as he sits on the limb. “I’m fine!”  
“Dex, it’s okay… It was an accident.”  
“I...I didn’t…. I couldn’t control it, I was scared, and Momma wasn’t moving…. I panicked, and Vex was confused.” Dex stutters out through his sobbing as Scarlett shifts back, and climbs the tree to sit beside him. Her brother shifts back as well, and leans onto her shoulder crying softly. “I… It was reflexive.”  
“I know Dex, and so does Daddy… Leo is just being…. He’s just being Leo, you know how he is.”  
“But I didn’t… It was an accident.”  
“He knows Dex, it happens to all of us…. Sometimes Fel accidentally sets stuff on fire, and I caused Rapa to pass out from sensory overload last week… It’s alright, you’ll learn how to control it soon.” Scar assures her brother, using just an ounce of her powers to influence his emotions; she couldn’t project images but she could give him a smidge of happiness. “Maybe not today, or tomorrow but someday you’ll learn just like the rest of us.”  
“... You… You are way better at this than Poppa is.” Dex sniffles as he dries his eyes on the back of his hand and smiles weakly at her. “Vex said Dad isn’t even mad.”  
“No he’s not Dexy, just come on down Bud.” Geoff urges quietly as he stands beneath the tree, but his son just shakes his head. “Alright I’m coming up.” Geoff says with a sigh as he grabs a branch and begins ascends the tree, however about halfway to his son his foothold snaps. Expecting to fall he braces for the pain, but he suddenly feels himself lifted to sit beside Dexter.   
“I got you Papa.” Dex assures with a smirk as he nuzzles into his father’s shirt, enjoying the bourbon scent he found there, and several more tears slip from his eyes. “I didn’t mean to… It.”  
“Shh, Dexy he knows… When Michael first learned how to use his powers he electrocuted your mother three times, and Gavin about seven. Godric once when he took over Ryan’s mind, but it was very touch and go with him. We thought he would never learn how to control himself, and it took striking your mother so hard that I had to restart her heart before he finally allowed me to help him.” Geoff explains to his son who had crawled into his lap, and continued to cry softly into his chest. “I can help you…. If you let me we’ll work on it so it this never happens again.”  
“....I… I can do it on my own.” Dex mutters stubbornly as he shakes his head sheepishly. “If Momma can learn to do it on her own, then so can I.”  
“Griff.”  
“I can do it myself.” Dex growls to Scar cutting her off, and turning back to his father who offered him a perplexed look.   
“Why won’t you let me help you?”  
“Because he’s difficult like his mother.” Harrison interjects as he appears outside the door, his arms crossed, a dark look in his eyes. “You three should be inside, it’s not safe out here.”  
“It’s.” Geoff starts, but before he can finish the sound of snapping twigs catch his ears. Turning to face the sound the glint of a canine eye catches his gaze, and thinking quickly he tosses the kids to Harry before leaping down as a fox. His hackles raised to the intruder, whose lips curl up in a wolfish smirk, his eyes burning brightly at the challenge. The unknown wolf begins to circle Geoff, and the elder man just growls at him. ‘Who are you?’  
‘Doesn’t matter, only that you’ll entire family will die if they don’t give up this charade.’ It threatens and Geoff just barks out a laugh as he tackles the wolf, who barely dodges his claws.   
‘If I had a nickel for every time I heard that.’ Geoff taunts as he headbutts the unexpecting wolf’s side, and knocks it backwards causing it to scramble up. ‘I’d be rich, now who are you?’  
‘Merely a man who wishes to watch his friends survive the day… But if you are that dedicated then I suppose… I suppose there is no avoiding this.’ The mysterious wolf mutters in disappointment as it inches away from Geoff. ‘Tell Derrick… Tell him there’s no honor in treachery.’  
“You don’t know the first thing about honor Alaska, now get out of here before I shoot you.” Russ barks as he points a shotgun at the white wolf, and pumps it sending a shot over its’ head. “I’m not fucking with you.”  
‘It’s your funeral…. fools.’ Alaska grumbles as he disappears into the underbrush leaving Geoff alone with Russ who lights up a cigarette, and rests the shotgun against his shoulder.   
“He’s about as personable as a rock… Her wolf Reaver, was the reason our marriage ended.” Derrick grunts as he exits the house having heard the shot fired, and yelling. “Damn thing decided he wanted a turn at the reins… permanently.”  
“So… She’s.”  
“She’s long gone, just an empty shell with a pretty face… And that’s what Wyvern wants for all of us.” Russ answers turning to Derrick who was staring after the creature wistfully. “Derr, what’s our odds?”   
“Surprisingly positive considering, especially since Iri got rid of the death squads… I’m not sure how she did it, but I’m not going to question it.” Derrick says with a sigh as he turns to the men looking to him. “She’s remarkable.”  
“Don’t finish that or I will fucking punch you… I know how you feel towards her, and I will not hesitate to make you fuck off.” Geoff threatens causing Russ to just roll his eyes, and take a few more drags of his smoke before Fin appears at his side.   
“Bloody hell what have I told you about those blasted things.”  
“Pup, you realize my cells regenerate, this does nothing negative to my body.”   
“I know it’s just disgusting, makes you taste like an ashtray.” Fin remarks as he pulls the thing from his lover’s lips, and extinguishes it under his shoes. “What are you doing out here anyways, and why do you have a shotgun?”  
“Alaska.”  
“Oh you mean Reaver? Unless… Did she?” Fin stutters hopefully, only to see Russ shake his head in no.  
“No Fin, but one day she might.” Derrick says softly, his gaze hopeful but his mind dark with the thought. He knew she was gone, but for the other’s sake he’d pretend… A little hope never killed anyone. “However, you all should be resting, tomorrow’s battle will be rough.”   
“Maybe it won’t come to that… maybe we’ll.. maybe.”  
“Finsley don’t delude yourself, it’ll be the fight of your life and it won’t be pretty.” Thames interrupts the stuttering wolf, whose ears immediately flick downward at his other lover’s negativity. “Come on then let’s go to bed.” Thames urges as he pulls his now sulking lover by the hand back into the house, grabbing Russ as well. Once gone Geoff turns to Derrick who was still staring up at the moon less sky.  
“It’s going to be a mess, and my agents will die… My family will tear each other apart tomorrow, and your wife is the cause of it… She may be remarkable, but she is the cause of this.” Derrick states coldly, he knew the program was fraying from the inside out but that didn’t mean he wanted to watch these people die… He didn’t want to have to kill them either, but at this point it is a necessary evil.  
“No one ever wants to be the reason to do the hard work, rather it’s a lot easier to blame another for it to needing to be done… and my mate just happens to be a convenient excuse.” Geoff spits with a glare. “You can either praise her as a catalyst, or you can damn her as a monster. But don’t make her out to be both, pick one because she doesn’t need the confusion… She already knows the truth.” Geoff warns the man with a stern look. “If you love her as much as you say you do then you won’t hold this over her, you’ll understand why this has to happen.”  
“Geoff, if only you could practice what you preach.” Derrick mutters with a chuckle that has Geoff growling and his fist suddenly connects with Derrick’s jaw.   
“Don’t worry about what I’m doing, she’s my mate, and we’ll work it out… But you are just her arrogant boss.” Geoff declares as he turns on his heel, leaving Derrick alone in the night. He is alone for a total of five minutes before Russ exits the house a sigh on his lips, and a look of distress in his eyes. Natural instinct to comfort his distraught agent, he starts towards him only to warded off by a growl.   
“Russ, what’s wrong?” Derrick inquires as he watches the man just spit and kick the ground.  
“She’s gone, and so are Florida, Colorado, Ver, Ori, York, and Al… Fin too, Thames said he told him he was going to the bathroom, and now Fin is just gone.” Russ snaps bitterly. “They’re going to get themselves killed, and the rest of us too.”  
“But I… I thought she was knocked out?”  
“Not as well as we thought she was… Her mates are livid, and her children… Well her kids seem to understand.”  
“What do you mean by understand?”  
“Her son Leo, the one who can see decisions like Ver said this was the right choice… Kentucky agreed with it too.”  
“Do you know where they’re going?”  
“I’m assuming to do something stupid.”


	154. An Idea

Iri and the others

This might not have been the most thought out plan, and honestly Iri wasn’t even positive it was going to work but Vermont seemed convinced of it so hey it was worth a shot. They were somewhere between the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas, in the middle of an alley when Fin finally stopped running, his legs unable to go any farther. He had been pushing the car using his super speed and Iri still wasn’t sure how they were alive… York had some hella good reflexes. Once the car was stopped Iri jumped out, and went to Fin who was lying face first on the ground breathing heavily, his eyes threatening to shut.   
“Bloody…. hell…. Make it?” Fin pants out his sentence broken, and his breathing rapid. Iri answers with a smile, a nod, and picks up the exhausted man gently. She helps him to the truck where Florida, and Colorado lay him on the back seat.  
“Thanks Fin, rest now we’ll see you in a few minutes.” Iri tells her teammate who finally relinquishes himself to sleep, and Colorado just strokes his ears softly. “He’s going to be out for awhile, so who is going to stay with him?”  
“I’ll stay, I’m not very good at negotiating… I’ll try to heal his muscles so he’s ready to go again a little quicker.” Colorado suggests helpfully, and Ori just settles in the front seat.  
“Go on without us, we’ll be waiting for you when you get back.”  
“Alright let’s go, we’ve only got six hours before dawn and I’d like to be back before then.” Alabama states as the rest of the group exits the car, and start toward the rundown building. Iri wasn’t sure if her powers were on the fritz or if Pippa was waiting here for a reason, but either way it put a wave of uneasiness over the group. The group enters through the dilapidated doorway, and watches as it crumbles closed behind them. Exchanging looks of wariness the group members each draw their weapons, and proceed at a slower pace. Florida keeping close watch on anything that moved, and redirecting it automatically away from them. As they moved through the decrepit building each movement precise and calculated, eyes flitting around the room. After what seemed like ages Iri begins to notice how similar the rooms have become, and turning around to face Harrison he wears a look of confusion as well.   
“Al wait!” Iri states drawing the group from their focused daze.   
“What Tex?”  
“Doesn’t this seem familiar? Like we’ve been walking through the same rooms for the last ten minutes.” Iri points out to the group who give her a sheepish look before turning to face the room, and Florida rescinds his powers. “Florida, pull everything in.”  
“Texas, that doesn’t seem.”  
“No she’s right…. The longer we keep walking the less time we have to get back to the others, just do as she says Florida.” Harrison interjects cutting the doubtful man off mid sentence, and watches as he sighs but does as she suggests. It starts with little objects, crumpled up papers, and pieces of cement tumbling towards them till the room slowly transforms into a brightly lit white walled room with four blank ways. A group of three women sit in the corner with their eyes shut, and hands outstretched. ‘Iri, I’m projecting onto them… They don’t realize we’ve escaped.’  
‘Al left, Florida middle, and I’ll get the right.’ Iri dictates smoothly as Harrison continues to keep them in their own charade. Acting swiftly the trio presses on the pressure points in their neck, and the illusionists slump from their chairs to lie sprawled out on the floor.   
“What now?” Harrison asks as he gives the group a once over.   
“Pippa! Pippa, I’m here to talk to you!” Iri shouts in the room, she had no doubt the leader was watching them, and almost as soon as she finished saying that a smoke essence filled the room. Florida quickly uses his ability to push it from there bodies, but along with that the air so it was no better than before. “Alabama.”  
“Tex, I don’t think that’s going to work.” Vermont interjects as he watches the woman glance around the room. “It.”  
“We don’t have time, Al are you ready?”  
“Tch, I thought you would never ask.” Al answers with a smirk as his entire body turns to tungsten, and Florida uses his power to force his team leader into the cement wall. It shatters like glass, and the man goes crashing through to the other side to reveal the smirking look of Pippa.   
“Well done Iridessa.. Your leadership only seems to increase each time I meet you.” Pippa states with a pleased look as the group slowly filed out of the room to be greeted with the sight of a basement, tools surrounding them, and walls filled with unsettling hack saws. “This used to be part of a lumber processing building, not the most inviting area but it suits our purposes. Now why have you been tracking us?”  
“I need your assistance.”  
“With what?”  
“Do you know anything about a man named Wyvern?” Iri questions and the woman’s calm expression turns dark, and her stripes seems to darken as well.   
“He is one of the monsters my people have fled for years, it’s the reason we stay in our animal forms running… What quarrel do you have with him?”  
“He’s declared Civil War on her, and she’s started a revolution herself…. She’s united most of the agents for her cause as well. It’s going to be quite the bloodbath if we don’t help her Pippa.” Charles states seriously as he looks over the ragtag group of hybrids. “I heard from Winston.”  
“.... Wisconsin?” Florida mutters in confusion. “I thought… Tex you.”  
“Not him and his mate, they were about to start their own family… I may be cold, but I am no monster.” Iri explains quietly, and others merely smirk at her response. “What?”  
“I’ll never understand how you decide who lives and who dies… You simply have no rhyme or reason to it.” Alabama comments with a look of mild confusion. “You pick your targets with extreme discretion as well as seemingly no discretion.”  
“No she looks into their minds for an ounce of good, and if she finds some then it comes to seeing if it can be brought to mind… It’s what I do with predators who wish to join my pack. Sometimes if a predator has been alone for too long their mind is gone, and replaced with that of their animal.” Pippa explains with a casual smile, and beckons for the group to follow her farther into the room. They eventually come to a map table that displays the entire world, and many different pins stuck into different sections of the map.   
“What are the pins for?” Iri inquires with a look of interest and Pippa merely smiles at her softly as though she was curious child playing with her mother’s makeup.   
“Those pins Iridessa are used for tracking other packs, and our own members who have gone out on reconnaissance to look for a settlement big enough to support our pack for longer than three days.” Pippa answers while stroking the curious woman’s cocked ears. “My god you remind me of her.”  
“Who?”  
“Our daughter… who was killed by Wyvern, and his death squads after she attempted to break her contract. But that’s not important, Pippa do you support their cause or not?” Charles asks as he looks to his mate who still stroked Iri’s ears affectionately. The woman merely stood there, and allowed the woman to reminisce, she understood the pain that came with losing a daughter. “Pippa, will you help us?” Iri inquires, breaking the woman’s sort of trance.   
“Of course, Charles and I will lend the strength of our pack… But it will come with a price.” Pippa adds softly as she turns to look out a nearby shattered window. “I want to be the one to kill Agent Alaska… I want to watch the light leave her eyes as her blood pours from her neck.”  
“... Oddly descriptive, but sure if that’s all it takes then fine…. Any neigh sayers?” Iri asks as the rest of the group shakes their head in no. “Good, deal done now let’s go.”  
“Go?” Charles questions in confusion.   
“Yes the battle is going to take place.”  
“No it won’t Iri… It’s changed…. Wyvern is coming to us…. Shit!” Vermont shouts as the sound of guns firing rings out, and Iri throws up a quick barrier surrounding them. The shield is pelted with hundreds of bullets as that and fire begins to slither across the crumbling brick in an unnatural way. “Iri we have… to get out of here.”   
“No shit Sherlock, Pippa I need… I need help with this.” Iri gasps as she feels a single bullet slip past and graze her side. “It’s too much.”  
“Maxine, Mullins, and Martin do what you can, Charles get the others ready to move on my signal.” Pippa delegates and they watch as the men and women rush around to do as she commands. “Iri can.”  
“I can’t, I am doing all that I can but I’m… my body is going to give out soon.” Iri tells the woman gravely, she didn’t want to pass out but she wasn’t sure she could keep herself upright.  
“Very well, Simon!” Pippa shouts, and a small boy around the age of twelve dashes over wearing a look of confusion on his face. “Simon, help her please.”  
“Yes Ms. Pippa.” Simon answers dutifully as he places his hands on Iri’s wrists, and starts to take deep breaths. Iri watched with curiosity as the boy’s hands start to glow, and subsequently her wrists as well. The glowing soon starts trailing up her arms in jagged paths beneath her skin, reminding her of lightning, and with each striking light she feels a jolt of energy left in it’s wake. As it makes it way to her heart she gasps at the sudden jolt causing her to jump, and forces Simon to release her. The boy merely chuckles and suddenly Iri feels very awake, very alive, and invincible.   
“What was… What did he do to me?” Iri questions in a shaky tone, her mind was racing and her powers were now restored to full strength.   
“I’m like caffeine on steroids, but much healthier… less chance of a heart attack.” Simon answers with a smirk as he pulls up his hoodie, and walks off.  
“Pippa, where’s he going?”  
“With his mother and father, then they are going to begin evacuating.”  
“Tex, let’s go!” Harrison barks as the glass around them shatters, and agents come barging in.   
“And the fun begins!” Alabama shouts with a smile as he pulls out his sidearm, and starts firing rounds as Florida engages the man beside him. The pair exchange blows before Florida forces a rock to smash his skull in, the body dropping to the ground, and Iri thinking swiftly picks up a wave of glass with her own powers that Florida then rains down on Alabama’s attacker, skewering the man to death. Wiping the blood from his hands Al smirks at Iri who has already started fighting another assailant. “I’m starting to like her.”  
“She, sort of grows on you after awhile.” Florida comments with a nod as the pair take up the battle again. "... Like a fungus."  
"I am not a mushroom!" Iri shouts at the men as she snaps another neck.


	155. Piecing it Together

Geoff  
It had been hours since Iri had left with the others, and the crowd was restless. Not only had their main leaders left, but the night had become increasingly quiet and as it turned to dawn the predators became anxious, pacing and cleaning weaponry in an effort to maintain activity. Dexter, and his siblings had been resting peacefully with Gavin, and the other Omegas. Leaving Geoff and Ryan to watch the rest of the predators operate, more often than not simply keep them away from the room holding their family. For some reason the others seemed all too intrigued by the thought of children, and would wander too close for the eldest man’s comfort.   
“Ry?”  
“Yes Geoff?”  
“Where do you think she is?”  
“... I don’t really know… Probably somewhere important.” Ryan answers truthfully as he lies his head on the elder’s shoulder. “She’s not one to run from a challenge.”  
“This is a mess.”  
“I know… I wish she’d have left a note or something.” Ryan comments with a sigh as he pulls out his phone and scrolls through his messages hoping she’d have left some clue to her whereabouts.  
“... Papa…. Papa!” Dexter’s sleepy voice calls out as he stumbles sleepily out of the room, and towards the couch where Ryan and his father sat. “Papa, Vex is having a bad dream again.”  
“Dexy, you know I can’t do anything about bad dreams… You need Poppa for that.” Geoff tells his son softly, and watches as the boy climbs up onto his lap, making himself comfortable there. Ryan watches with a smirk as he runs a soothing hand through the boy’s hair, and listens with a smile as he purrs into his father’s chest. “If you want I can hold you Dexy.”  
“Vex…. Poppa’s not here.”  
“What?”   
“Geoff, Gavin and Scarlett are gone!” Ray states as he rushes out of the room his eyes worried, and Michael as well.   
“Geoff we were sleeping… And the dreams.”  
“I wouldn’t be too upset with yourselves, it seems like he used his powers to make his getaway… Smart man as this might be the end of all of us.” Arkansas comments lowly as she descends the stairs with a sigh on her lips. “However, it’s not like Alabama to run from a fight.”  
“It’s… not running…. Tactical Fleeing.” Iri pants as as she stumbles down the stairs with several strangers helping her as well as the missing members from before. “I brought help.”  
“Iridessa, are you alright?” Pippa questions as she and the rest of their small group looks over to the woman sliding down the wall. “Hello again Geoffrey.”  
“Hi, what… what happened?”   
“She inquired about reinforcements and the meeting was interrupted, however my pack is safe and so is yours…. You are missing one… The foreign man.” Pippa says with a questioning tone as she notices the lack of his presence.   
“Gav?... Where’s Gavin?” Iri mumbles worriedly.  
“Iri, he took Scar… We don’t know where, he’s just gone.” Ryan tells the shaking woman who slides down to settle against the floor her head resting on the wall with her eyes closed. “Iri?”  
“... He’s smarter than we credit him.. he wouldn’t leave like this for no reason… I’m sure he’s got a plan.” Iri deduces softly, she didn’t want to think he’d turned coward and fled because that didn’t sound like Gavin. He’d given his life to save their daughter, and he’d been one of her closest companions for seven years through thick and thin… there was no way he’d leave… was there? Sure he wasn’t particularly brave sometimes, but he was no coward.   
“I’m sure you’re right Bambi. Why don’t you rest for a bit, the same for you and your companions Pippa as you three look beat? Ryan suggests to the woman who just nods her head, and turns on her heel exiting the room though not before saying this.  
“You fought bravely Iridessa, but next time remember a good offense is a better defense, that last shot could have killed you had Maxine not deflected it in time.” She critiques and then leaves, her pack members following her quietly, thankful thoughts in Iri’s direction as well as her small squad’s.  
“Always a fucking critic… next time I’ll let her get stabbed in the throat.” Iri mutters bitterly in the seemingly ungrateful woman’s wake, taking a calming breath she forces herself to her feet. “What did we miss?”  
“Not much, just Alaska trying to compromise.” Russ answers with a glare as he and Thames walk down to find Fin still passed out on Harrison. “York, is he?”  
“He’s just exhausted poor guy ran faster than I’ve ever seen him run before… And Alaska was just at the… Two places at once?” Harrison mutters in confusion, and Iri just shrugs her mind still aching from their last escape.   
“Are you even sure it was her?” Russ questions as he lifts up his lover, and Thames just settles beside Harrison. “Also what happened to you guys?”  
“We went to get some reinforcements, however our plan was intercepted and now the pack is split up… we managed to gather Pippa, Gerald, and Charles but no more were with us… She tells me they all got out fine, but for now they’re just worrying about themselves.” Iri explains with a sigh, she had hoped for more but that was three more than she had a few hours ago. “Now why is it weird for her to be in multiple places?”  
“Alaska is a master manipulator, not a caster or cloner she can only be in one place at a time. However, unless Wyvern has somehow managed to successfully merge powers like he wanted to then it’s possible, but that is a very big if… Harold assured me he was nowhere near that kind of gene manipulation.” Derrick answers as he casts a worried look over the tired group. “Vermont, how do you think they’ll attack tomorrow?”   
“I couldn’t tell you… I’m sorry Derr, but I’m… my mind is worn, and my body as well… I need a few hours of rest before I am of use to anyone.” Vermont explains weakly to the man who just growls and turns to face Iridessa’s child.   
“Very well, Leonard what can you tell me?” Derrick demands his tone icy, and the child merely puffs his chest a throaty growl lingering there. “Defiant, aren’t we?”  
“Back the fuck off… Derrick?” Iri mutters as she stands to meet the man’s red rimmed eyes…. Derrick’s eyes weren’t normally any shade of red… It was almost as though they were possessed by the hue. “You!”  
“I wondered how long it would take you notice… Though to be fair you’ve done more damage than I originally anticipated, but nothing that can’t be fixed.... Ah,ah, ah he’s still in here and any harm you do to me you only do to him.” Wyvern mocks in a tsking voice as he watches the surrounding agents back off, and turn to Iri for leadership. Iri doesn’t say anything choosing to meet their demanding stares with silence, and her steely gaze. “Oh, no witty comeback about how I should go suck a dick or something else obscene?”  
“Why can’t you just obey the rules of engagement?” Harrison shoots back as he watches his cousin stare the man down, her posture rigid. “Weren’t we supposed to duel to death at dawn, or something like that?”  
“Harrison, you and I both know that a full out battle would decimate all parties involved this is why I’m giving you one chance to call this off and come back… End the Civil War Tex, bring my Agents home.” Wyvern says in an almost pleading voice, but it was really just a mockery of Derrick's own tone.   
“Why so we can be slaughtered at your whim all over again? We are people who you manipulated, both physically and emotionally and you are asking for us to just give up our chance at freedom?.. Well fuck off Wyvern, we will die for our cause, and nothing you can say will ever change our conviction because if that’s one thing I’ve learned by now it is that the strength of a person’s conviction can destroy people like you… And we are far stronger than you ever anticipated, so we’ll be waiting, and we’ll be ready to fight.” Iri snaps at him, using her powers to pin him to a nearby wall and placing her hand around his throat.  
“Oh Tex, how… Don’t tell me you all actually believe in this… this child’s naive ideals?” Wyvern asks in disbelief as the agents circle around them, and wear similar looks of steel matching Iri’s intensity.  
“We don’t just believe in it, we’ll die for it.” Kentucky states as she looks to Utah who places a hand on Derrick’s shoulder, and forces her powers into him, cleansing his mind of the other’s oppressive presence. Once his eyes return to normal Iri releases his throat. “Derrick?”  
“... What… What happened?” Derrick stammers as he wobbles on his feet, Indy using her calm presence to soothe his aching body.   
“Derr it seems that Wyvern has been using you to discover our plans, but Utah managed to force him out.” Vermont answers as he looks at his mate Kentucky who puts an arm around his middle, to help him maintain his standing. “Thanks Dear.”   
“Come on Ver, you aren’t needed anymore.” Kentucky tells him quietly as she tugs him towards the upstairs leaving the rest chatting idly.   
“Texas, what do we do now? Who knows how long he’s been in there, and.”   
“Ori, it’s not like we actually have a plan anyways.” Iri points out calmly her tone soft in thinking.   
“I want to know why your mate left… It’s oddly ominous that he would just take his child and disappear.” Florida interjects loudly only to be punched by his son in the shoulder lightly. “Colin, it’s something we’re all thinking.”  
“Gavin’s disappearance has nothing to do with this, so just… Just drop it.” Harrison snap in defense of Iri, and causes her mates to bristle in anger as well.   
“It’s not… I’m just worried that he may have sensed something that we didn’t… He is a dreamwalker after all, and they are known for being perceptive.” Florida adds for clarification causing the others to quiet down. Iri looks to the man who seems to be telling the truth, but before she can say anything Dex walks over to her.  
‘Momma, Leo needs us to follow him… He says Fel has found something.’ Dex whispers in his mother’s mind as she flits her eyes to meet his… the same steely blue as hers, both transfixed on the other. ‘It’s important, she says it has to do with Poppa and Scar.’  
‘I figured as much, shouldn’t you tell your fathers?’  
‘No Mom, this is something we need to show you.’ Leo interjects softly as the form of a small wispy black faced marten appears in her mind. ‘Sol, and Champ have discovered the truth of the matter but cannot project the image that far.’  
‘Very well, I am coming… Dex, I need your help to project this illusion.’  
‘Yes Momma, Vex is helping as well.’ Dex answers with a smile as he opens his mind to that of his mother’s allowing for her to boost her powers. He watches as in an instant the form of his mother stands up while a copy is left in her place. It was almost like she was casting herself out, but he could still feel the quiet, vivaciousness that was Lexi in the back of their shared minds. He watches as she lifts him up, and in his place a copy is left in his place causing him to cock his head in curiosity. “Momma.”  
‘Dexy… no talking… I can’t mask everything.’ Iri tells her curious son who nods in understanding, and the pair begin to make their way away from the people, unaware of the deception too caught up in their conversation. Once free of the people Iri releases one of the links allowing Lexi to keep up the charade on her own, also freeing up some energy to use less of her own son’s power.   
“Momma, you can take.”  
“No Dexy, you might need it later.” Iri cuts off, stopping her son from his generous actions. “Now, what did he need to show me?”   
“Mommy, look at these tracks! They’re Scar, and Poppa’s I know it.” Fel says decisively as she trots over in her wolf form. “Champ, says that it was Poppa’s decision to leave, but Sol says it was a choice presented by this stranger… He says it was a bargain.”  
“I take it Sol can see the choice while Champ can see the actual decision… A cause and effect kind of power.” Iri mutters out loud causing the two animals whom she was talking about to nod in agreement. “That’s very interesting Leo, but why would he do this in the first place?”  
“Mom all I know is that the stranger offered safety for everyone if they came with him willingly, and they decided to go.” Leo answers still staring at the tracks, he felt he was missing something… something important, but he couldn’t tell what as his mother kneels beside him and puts a hand to the ground as though she could feel it too. He felt it before she said anything, the surge of strength, and the force of her power causing his own to grow. Before he could ask what she was doing, he could hear it, he could hear his Poppa’s frantic panting as he dashed madly down the trail… Leo could feel the panic coating his mind in a thick haze, and the sting of his paws as the sticks stabbed him… The fear in his Poppa’s heart as the sound of Scar’s desperate, fearful voice echoed in his ears, calling for him feverishly. Leo felt as though he was in Poppa’s mind living this moment as he bursts from the woods and onto the side of an access road; he sees Scarlett being dragged into a van by a man with brown hair… He doesn’t even hesitate to leap forward, but in doing so he miscalculates his landing as they all land face down in the back of the van… and then… and then it begins to get fuzzy. All he can make out is the sound of garbled words as his vision soon returns to that of his normal one revealing his brother and sister holding each of his hands worriedly. Blinking several times he looks to his mother to find her sprawled out on her side, her eyes open and her mouth slack. “Mom… Mom!” Leo shouts frantically as he shakes free of his siblings and rushes to where is mother lying deathly still. “Dex do something!”  
“She’s not dead Leo, Vex would have told me if she was close to dying… She’s just tired I think.” Dex conjectures as he closes her eyelids gently, and watches as they spring back open, her form jolting up as well. “Momma?”  
“I…. Leo did you see him?” Iri nearly shouts, she had to be quick before she passed out again.  
“I felt his panic… I think someone was taking her, and that bargain wasn’t real… Like someone planted it here.” Leo mumbles at his mother who shakes her head and moans in minor pain at the feeling.   
“Momma are you alright?” Felicia asks as she moves over to sit beside her mother, who was beginning to sit up.   
“I’ll be okay, get your father Felicia.” Iri tells her daughter who nods briefly, and scurries off to do as she asked. “Dex, you are to guard Leo’s mind strictly. Let no one in but me… They’ll try and pry, but you need to be strong Dexter…. Be strong for me boys.” Iri trails off as she passes out again, her body slumping back down, and her breathing becoming shallower. Dex and Leo both let out mournful noises, and the sound of their fathers running over fills their ears.   
“Dex what happened?” Geoff asks worriedly, and his son just shakes his head. “Dex?”  
“She… We were walking and she just dropped… Dad will she be okay?” Leo questions as he picks up the slack from a stunned Dex. It wasn’t like him to be so rattled considering he did just try to kill his father several hours ago. ‘Griff, get it together.. Mom gave us a mission.’ Leo thinks at his brother who was still staring at their mother’s form.   
‘Sorry Leo, I was trying to feel for Scar or Poppa like Momma does but I can’t… Vex says there’s too many voices for us to find either of them.’ Dex answers back softly shifting his eyes to meet his, and then shifting to Fel who was forming tiny little ice flowers that melt into fawns. ‘Fel?’  
‘I sent Frey out to see if he could catch a scent for Uncle Harry.’ Fel thinks softly making sure not to meet Dex eyes, careful to keep from drawing any adult attention. ‘Uncle Harry knows…‘   
‘That would be my doing Kits, I told him when Vex told me… Don’t you dare think of going off on your own. Do I make myself clear?’ Lexi states seriously in each of their minds and the kits merely blink in response.   
‘Yes Lexi.’ They respond softly and obediently as Ray lifts the sleeping woman up, and each man lifts up their child.   
“Boys did she hit her head on the way to the ground, there’s blood all over her neck?” Ray inquires as he notices the crimson trails. “It… It looks like it’s coming from her… ears.” He trails off worriedly and the boys just shrug unknowingly.   
“We were all walking, she stopped, I asked what was wrong, and she fell to the ground… Papa it was odd.” Dex says in a scared tone making sure to get the eyes of all, and really pour it on thick with a small shiver running through his body. Leo watches with a small smirk as the fathers all make cooing sounds in comfort as Fel starts nodding too.   
“It was awful Rapa, I ran to get you as fast as I could.” Fel starts to sob as she buries her face in Ryan’s neck with her body quivering.   
“Shh, it’s alright she’s just tired Kits… No need to be frightened Morning glory.” Ryan quiets soothingly as they start back towards the house, and Leo chances a look to Fel only to see her wink. Then casting a glance to their parents he can see them totally believing it, and Leo can’t help but roll his eyes at them as he wiggles from his father’s arms and starts walking beside him. Michael just smirks at him and bats his tail at his copper curls causing the boy to growl at him sharply. “Leonard!”  
“Oh bite me.” Leo mutters under his breath, and Michael just growls at him. “It was a joke… Geez, I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit.”  
“He is most definitely your child Michael.” Ray adds with a smirk, and the cat man just growls at him. “Go sit on a knot, Cub.”  
“Hey don’t tell my dad what to do!” Leo declares, and glares at Ray. It was moments like these he wished his power was more offensive like his twin sister or brother, instead all he could do was see choices. Why didn’t he get the ability to control storms like his dad? Literally everyone else got some aspect of their parent’s powers and all he got was the stupid ability to see choices… and it… It made him… It really… really pissed him off! So with that last bitter thought he turned to his father who looked at him in confusion before he clenched his fists and shifted into his form to that of his lion form. The adults watch as he dashes off into the front of the house leaving the rest of them in confusion. “Why do they get useful powers and I don’t?” Leo growls to himself as he continues running, oblivious to the creature lurking in the shadows behind him, and the thick haze of clouds as well. It wasn’t until he heard a twig snap behind him that he turned to meet the gaze of a dead eyed man.  
“Now what do we have here? What’s a sweet little kitten like you doing out here alone?” A sickeningly sweet voice asks, the man continues getting closer despite Leo’s dark growls.  
“I’m not afraid of you!” Leo states his tail held high, and his teeth bared showing no fear.  
“Mmm well you should be, now be a good boy and come here.” He commands, his hands reaching for the lion cub who just snaps at him viciously. Leo dodges the attempts to grab him, and managed to bite his attacker’s hand. “Ouch, you little bastard!.. I’m going to break you, and then sell you to the highest bidder.”  
“DAD!.... Momma…. Uncle Harry.” Leo trails off in fear as the man backs him against a briar bush effectively trapping him. His tone getting more and more frightened as the stranger inched closer to him. “Papa!” Leo begs, his bravery now gone replaced with a fear he’d never known before. Inching away as much as he could, oblivious to the sound of fleet foot falls on the ground coming towards him.  
“Get the fuck away from my nephew!” Fin snarls darkly as he aims his beretta at the attacker’s head. Leo shifts his amber gaze to meet the eyes of his Uncle’s own fearless blue, the gun steady in his hands. “Now!”   
“Oxford.”  
“I don’t know who you bloody think you are, but I suggest you leave.”  
“Uncle Fin.”  
“Leo, come here… Come on Cub.” Fin urges as he keeps the gun trained on the attacker, and motions for the shaking lion to his side. Leo shakes his head fearfully, and keeps his eyes stuck on the man reaching towards him. Fin cocks the gun, but the man keeps reaching and Leo just buries himself into the bush ignoring the stabbing of the thorns. In a split second the man grabs his scruff, and Leo just releases all his pent up rage, fear, and anxiety. Fin watches as the man is struck by a white streak of lightning so powerful it incinerates him completely. A pile of dusty ash is left in his place and the lion cub just continues shaking fearfully in the bush. “Leo?.. Leo are you alright?” Fin inquires softly, shifting down, and working his way into the thorny bush. The lion immediately buries himself into the side of the wolf, and whimpers quietly.   
“I… It… Momma makes it look so easy, how does she… That was.” Leo trails off fearfully, he just wanted to curl into a ball and cry… Is this what his mother felt like every time she did this? Is this how Dex felt when he killed a man to save Felicia?... Is this what it was to be a killer? “He wasn’t going to stop was he?”  
“No Cub, he was a man who is known for his ruthlessness… He wasn’t a nice man.” Fin comforts the lion who curls closer, and nuzzles the blonde wolf needily. “Shh, don’t fret little one… I’m here now.”  
“Can you carry me?” Leo asks shakily, and Fin just nods in understanding. Standing up quickly, he picks Leo up by his scruff, and starts towards the house. Upon reaching the threshold of the house Fin trots past the agents sleeping, conversing, and others just keeping watch honing their weapons. He carries the cub over to where his squad mates are sleeping, and lifts himself onto the mattress lying on the floor.   
“Fin?” Russ inquires as he shifts his gaze from Thames who was sleeping beside him, and moving over a little so the wolf could lay down comfortably with the cub in his side. “Pup, who is that?”  
“It’s one of my nephews, he’s much like his mother… and father… both angry, and surprised by their own strength. He’s a sweet boy, a tad over protective though.” Fin answers softly as he snuggles closely, and begins grooming the shivering cub beside him. “It’s a shame kids just can’t be kids anymore.”  
“Mhmm, these children are far less sheltered than I’d like them to be.” Geoff mutters as he strolls over, and notices Leo at his Uncle’s side. Reaching down he lifts the cub up, and starts stroking his wet fur. “Did you… Did you lick my son?”  
“He had scratches from the thorns, and.”  
“Fin, you don’t have to explain yourself to him… he should have been there not you.” Russ states, and Geoff just snaps at him as well as Fin too.  
“A parent cannot be everywhere, and you should know that Russ.” Fin spits at him as he stands up and follows Geoff back to the pack’s room. Leaving Russ alone on the mattress with Thames who was no longer asleep, rather awake and trailing his fingers over his side.   
“Don’t listen to Pup, he’s just sensitive…. You know how he is around her kids.” Thames soothes as he begins kissing at his lover’s neck. “You also know…”  
“Enough Thames, just go to bed.” Russ snaps as he turns away from the feline hybrid who shifts down, and steps off the bed.  
“I’m going to be with Fin right now… At least he won’t deny his heart like you do.”Thames mutters softly to the man who lies motionless on the mattress. “Can’t you just let him.”  
“I will not continue his delusions of parenthood! They’re unrealistic and distracting, he should be more focused on surviving today!” Russ shouts at the fossa who just stares at him with steely eyes.   
“I hope you don’t mean that because that doesn’t sound like the man I know… Then again these last few weeks have proven that you might not really be the man I thought you were.” Thames counters quietly, and turns to leave but not before Russ says one last bitter remark.  
“Are you sure you ever knew me, or just my cock?”   
“...” Thames doesn’t say anything more choosing to leave the bitter man with himself, and the sadness in his heart. Slinking downstairs he pads over to where the rest of his squad resides, and curls up beside Harrison who was snoring softly next to Fin on the bed where the whole family slept. He couldn’t help, but feel connected as Iri’s eyes flicker open slightly only to lock onto his with a sleepy smile.  
‘Hey Thames, you're welcome up here too.’ Iri’s tired voice says as it connects with his mind.   
‘Thanks Tex, and I know.’ Thames replies as he jumps up softly, and curls up on the end of the bed by Fin and Leo.


	156. In the Grips of a Monster

Gavin and Scarlett  
Like Ten Hours Later

He woke up with a start and his eyes unfocused, but that didn’t matter as they were soaked in an inky blackness leaving him with just the sounds around him…. Or actually the lack of said sounds, though it was only a moment of silence before he heard the ear splitting screams of his daughter. His response was immediate, a jerk toward the source of the her and a threatening growl of his own to ward off the danger around her. It was a primal instinct, one that ran deep down in his blood as Lance summoned his most terrifying sound. Then as suddenly as the screams had started it stopped, leaving his ears ringing and his mind reeling. What was going on?... What was happening?.... And where was Scarlett?  
“Princess?” Gavin shouts, and is surprised by the sound of a muffled poppa nearby him. “Baby girl where are you?”  
“Mmm!” Scarlett cries out against the gag in her mouth, but instead of her damped voice comes an ear piercing scream causing even her to flinch at the sound. Where was this dreadful noise coming from?   
“Scar stop please!” Gavin begs as the pitch of the sound increases till he feels blood running down the side of neck. “Scar….pl...ease.” He chokes out before his consciousness fades back out leaving Scarlett alone with the sound. Tears began streaming down the side of her face as her father slumped weakly to the ground. She wished she had the ability to truly block out minds like Dex, but all she could do was provide illusions to distract them. Right before her mind gives out the sound stops leaving her ears ringing and her mind reeling. Shifting her hazy gaze around she catches the sight of a man walking in… a man with striking red eyes, and a smile that made her nauseous. She knew that smile, that was a smile of a monster… She’d seen this monster in her nightmares, his eyes the color of blood as they stood in a large puddle of it the bodies of her family strung about in sickening ways. But were those dreams?... Wasn't he here just a minute ago, this wasn't the first time he'd been in here... Was it? Scarlett wasn't sure of much anymore only that when the screams started this man came in and talked to her.  
“Scarlett Rose, what a pretty name for a pretty little girl.” He praises, everything about his body language promoted relaxation but Scar knew better than that.  
“Flattery will get you no where mister.” Scar growls at the man, trying to get her eyes to focus and calling forth Dashford to help her. But he doesn't come, he might have been lost in her mind or perhaps he'd abandoned her... Perhaps he had saved himself from this torment. “Dash?”  
“Just like your mother.” He mutters with a smirk as he hears her whispered word.   
“Let... let us go.” Scarlett tries, using her powers to try and influence him to release them, but without Dash the images are meager at best. Her fear was getting the best of her mind, and causing a dissonance in her abilities. She tried her best to force him to see something, anything but it all just fell apart into broken images and nothing else.  
“So that’s what you do…. Interesting, one is death, one is the future, one is constantly changing, and you are the influencer…. Quite an interesting group you four are. What I wouldn’t give to have you here.” Wyvern purrs as he places a soothing hand on the side of her face and caressing downward till he trails to her neck. “Daddy isn’t awake to save you now.”   
“...don’t…. Stop!” Scarlett cries as she tries to crawl away from the deranged man above her, but her body is too weak and her movements too slow. In a last ditch effort to escape him she shifts into her wolf form allowing for Dash to take over completely, and hopes that he has the strength to escape this man. Once the wolf Dash strafes to the side, but the man just grips his neck tightly extinguishing Scar's hopes of evading his hands.   
“Leave my Mistress alone!” Dash growls sharply, snapping his teeth viciously at his captor. He may not have the ability to run, but that doesn't mean his teeth didn't work or his claws. Dash wouldn't let his Mistress' hopelessness smother his own hope. “What do you want?”  
“I want that little girl, not you.” Wyvern says in a soft voice in an attempt to soothe him.  
“Fuck off.”  
“Always so disobedient… Hasn’t your mother taught you any manners?” Wyvern mutters as he closes his hand around the little brown wolf’s neck tighter. “Shift.”  
“No, and my mother taught me that a madman’s motives are madness in themself.”  
“For the love…. Where do you people keep coming up with these things? Are you all just a bunch of fortune cookies?” Wyvern snaps in anger, and Dash just tries to wiggle free from his grasp but only succeeds in getting it tightened. “Shift.”  
“Release my daughter!” Gavin demands as he tackles the man in his wolf form. His blow isn’t very strong, but enough for the man to drop her in shock. “Dash run!” He commands as they both take off through the open door, and sprint down the halls. First it’s a left, then a right, next down several sets of stairs, and finally through an open window because it seemed logical. Landing with an oomph on the concrete below, and taking off again towards what they thought was a way off the complex. After running far enough from the building her wolf allows Scarlett to take back over, sensing the danger was gone for the most part. “Scar?”  
“Yes Poppa?” Scar answers trying to get her breath back, they had been running for what seemed like forever, and not that she wasn't fit but this was a lot of running even for her.  
“Where are we?” Gavin inquires as the pair starts sprinting again away from the building, and towards the dusty landscape.  
“Poppa, I… I….”  
“Shhh it’s okay Princess just focus on getting your breath back, let Dash do it if you need to.” Gavin assures his daughter who goes silent, and the pair just runs in quiet as the paved ground slowly turns to sandy dirt. “Princess, can you breathe yet?”  
“Yeah… Poppa, I don’t know where we are… I wish Felicia was here, she knows all of the United States geography, and the attributes of each part of it especially Texas.” Scar mumbles quietly, she should have paid better attention in class.   
“I… I didn’t know that.” Gavin says softly, they run in silence for several miles before slowing to a trot so his daughter could catch her breath again. It was much easier for Gavin since Lance had long taken over control of his muscles for the most part, he doubted she and Dash had that much control yet.   
“Yeah she’s a whiz at that kind of stuff… Didn’t she tell you guys she entered a competition for it? The finals are in two weeks at Saint Thomas High School in Houston, and people from all over the state will be there.” Scarlett tells her father only to watch him shake his head. “I know she told Momma because she’s going to take us.”   
“...That’s odd, your mom usually… I guess she just forgot.”  
“Murdering will do that to a gal.” A vixen says with a smirk as she and most of her squad in animal forms make their way over from across the way. “Now tell me how did you two get out on your own?” The vixen asks, and Gavin just huddles close to Scarlett unsure of the new comers. He wasn’t sure why, but these people didn’t feel safe and while the vixen looked similar to Iri, she didn’t look the same. “Gavin, Scarlett it’s me.”  
“No… No it’s not, Scarlett stay back.” Gavin commands as he flattens his ears and snaps his teeth at the squad.  
“Gavin, you are being ridiculous Scarlett come to your mother.” The vixen commands in a strong voice that Scarlett knew wasn’t her mother’s. Instead the wolf pup goes closer to her father, and snaps her own teeth at them. “Alright, I guess this is going to be the hard way… Ramirez take them down, and we’ll drag them back.” Said man begins inching forward, but not before Gavin uses his powers. Casting a wave of extreme despair over the creatures in front of him they watch as all five of the strangers to shift back and rip their throats out with a clawed hand, the dusty ground is splattered by crimson causing Scarlett to avert her eyes into her father’s side. Gavin watches with a look of anguish as the five bodies slowly stop twitching as the blood leaks from them a puddle of red growing quickly underneath the bodies. The sticky liquid seeps into the fur on their paws, and he has to steel himself as his gag reflex starts to react.   
“Come on Scarlett.” Gavin mumbles softly as his daughter just nods blankly, and follows him as they start towards the direction he thinks is home.


	157. A father's truth, and a daughter's conviction

Many Hours later  
Four Miles from The Safe House

They had been walking and running for hours, so long that the sun had begun to set again. He had followed Lance’s directions, and the constant badgering to go a certain way from the wolf. Almost as though the wolf didn't trust him to find them a way back and it had even begun to become annoying, but Gavin supposed he trusted the wolf’s sense of direction more than he trusted his own. Scarlett had resigned herself to silence, choosing to quietly accompany her father in the direction he chose. They had made it right to the edge of the woods that surrounded the Safe House, and Gavin only knew that because he had smelled his own stale scent that resided along the road where they were taken.   
“Scar?”  
“Yeah Poppa?”  
“Are you okay? I know that must have been scary.”  
“I’m fine, it’s not the first time I’ve seen death… I’ve just never been that close. Is that how our powers were meant to be used?” Scarlett inquires softly, almost as though afraid to ask. “Is that what that man wants us for?”  
“Yes… that is why your mother and the others are going to fight him they don’t want to be killers.” Gavin answers, and Scarlett just nods in understanding.  
“Why, did they decide to choose this in the first place?” Scarlett asks, and Gavin just looks away from her in thinking. “Why did Momma decide this was a good idea?”  
“Princess, I did this because… I… Because I was selfish.” Iri answers quietly with regret as she appears on the edge of the forest, and trots over to where they were walking along the desolate service road. “Because I thought that I could help our family, and stay safe in this line of work. I was incredibly selfish Scarlett, and now we’re going to pay for it… and for that I’m sorry.”   
“What… what did he offer you?” Scarlett asks, she wasn’t dumb she knew how these types of things worked… She’s seen enough movies to understand this sort of transaction.  
“Money, and your schooling.”   
“That’s pretty cliche Momma…. Like really cliche.” Scarlett mumbles with a smirk as she shifts back and jumps into her mother’s arms. “But… But you did it for us.”  
“Everything I do, I do for you guys… Unless it’s a me day, then it’s just for me.” Iri jests with a smile that has her daughter and even Gavin chuckling softly. “Where did he take you, Princess? Did he hurt you?”  
“To someplace in the middle of nowhere, I didn’t see a sign and he filled the room with screams in between… in between trying to touch me.” Scarlett mumbles with mild fear as she nuzzles closer to her mother. “He… Poppa would wake up and he would stop, but then the screams would knock him out again and he would… Momma.”  
“Shh, it’s alright baby girl, shhh…. It’s over now, he won’t touch you again, never again.” Iri soothes as she looks to Gavin who is shaking with anger, his eyes blazing and his posture rigid.   
‘I… I…’ Gavin trails off in his thoughts, his anger slowly turning to distress as he realizes what happened to her.  
“Momma he didn’t though… just everywhere else.” Scarlett clarifies when she glances at her parents, sensing their distress. “He was going to but Poppa woke up just in time to stop him.”  
“Thank god.” Iri mutters in mild relief, that man would still die for what he’d done but at least their daughter wouldn’t be permanently scarred by it. “Sweetheart let’s get you inside, and get you cleaned up… Gavi, I’m so proud of you.” Iri says knowingly as she sees the thoughts he projects at her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”   
“It’s alright Vixen, I knew I would have to do it before this day was over.” Gavin assures his fiancee who merely sighs, and wraps his arms around the pair. “Let’s just get inside.”  
“Of course Geoff and the others were crazy with worry when you disappeared.” Iri tells him as they begin walking towards the house, a shield cast around them like she used when she had wandered out here. She had felt his mind closing in, and instead of putting all of the house’s inhabitants in danger she figured going alone would be the best option…. Though this whole situation was her fault as Derrick had so eloquently pointed out last night, and while wallowing in guilt wasn’t necessarily the best option. Moving through the woods Iri doesn’t say anything as her daughter falls asleep quickly, and Gavin seems resigned to his somber silence, offering no words to lighten the mood.   
‘How do you guys do it?’ Gavin thinks at her, his sudden intrusion taking Iri by surprise.   
‘Do what Gavi?’ Iri answers quickly.  
‘Kill people and then go on like nothing happened?’  
‘Oh that… I guess it’s just something you have to come to terms with… How many?’  
‘Five, and I made them rip their own throats out, it was a bloody mess.’ Gavin explains quietly, his tone wavering and Iri could tell he was about to break down. Pulling him close, and wrapping her tail around his waist she kisses him gently.  
“Gavi, I’m so sorry you had to do that but they would have killed you… They would have ripped both of your throats out, and started with her… Those monsters would have made you watch, and possibly made you do it. We live in a kill or be killed world, and no one blames you for acting first.” Iri says to him as he leans onto her shoulder. “You did well Pup, you did very well.”  
“I don’t know… I don’t know if.”  
“You will because you're stronger than this, this isn’t worth falling apart over, and I know you won’t.” Iri tells him and watches as the man slowly nods on her shoulder. “You survived Erik, your parents, and you will survive this because this isn’t what defines you Gavin Free. This is not the end of you.” Iri says passionately, trying to inspire some courage into him. Trying to resolve the tension felt in his mind, and the distress in his heart. “Now come on I’m sure she’d sleep much better in a bed than in my arms.”  
“No… That’s not true Love, she sleeps the best when you hold her… They all do, and you know that.” Gavin states very seriously, he looked at her only to see a soft look still in her eyes. “I don’t need your pity, I just need you.”  
“... Me too Pup, me too.” Iri admits with a smirk as she pulls him in for a gentle kiss putting tender passion, and her healing vibes into his aching limbs helping to breathe life back into his aching body. “Gavvi, why don’t we put her down with Geoff and take a few moments to ourselves?... Hmm wouldn’t that be nice?”  
“... Yeah… Yes Love that would be fantastic!” Gavin nearly pants as he matches her soft kisses with fervent lips, and needy sounds. “Love, come on!”  
“I’m coming Pup, you go on ahead… Take her too!” Iri murmurs with a smirk as she hands her daughter over to the excited man. She watches him dash off into the setting sun, a brilliant display of reds and oranges that Iri would one day hope to paint. Iri could already feel the brush in hand sweeping gracefully from side to side, leaving splashes of color across the canvas. It was a nice picture within her mind, and even Lexi purred contently at the thought. ‘We haven’t painted in ages…or at least that’s what it feels like.’ Iri murmurs in her mind as Lexi just nods in agreement.  
‘Mistress, we haven’t painted in at least two weeks…. Plus this mess, and the business with your father coming back. Which reminds me, how do you suppose he cleaned up the bodies?’  
‘Lex, I honestly have no idea but he’s a mercenary so I’m sure he’s capable of it.’ Iri responds as they make their way back towards the service road, and the scent of mint… the scent of their father. Turning to face the sound of paw prints she spots the sleek form of her father’s orange fox, nearly the same as her own save for the silver around his muzzle. “Klein, what do you want from us?” Iri asks very seriously, she was tired of playing games whether it be with Wyvern, or Erik… Or really anyone, she just wanted the truth… Her mind was tired of tying shattered pieces together with a string of fraying yarn. Though to be truthful she was always tired and whether that be from these shenanigans, or from her nearly crippling headache brought on by exhaustion was unclear but for now she would settle for the truth. “Why of all the times to come reconnect with me why now?... And don’t give me that bullshit about Celeste dying or a statute of limitations, Lexi and I have seen your truth… We saw her smiling face bidding you farewell as Marie carried you across the ocean, and then snapped back to her… So tell me why.” Iri demands as she shifts down and tackles the fox to the ground, her paws pinning his own against the ground. “Tell me…. TELL ME!” Iri screams angrily at his bewildered eyes, and closed muzzle. “Tell me why!... Why you left me! Why you, you entrusted my fate to another!.. TELL ME THE TRUTH GOD DAMMIT! I… I deserve that much.” Iri trails off, her forelegs begin to waver as tears trail down her furry face dripping softly onto her father’s chest fur. “I want… I just want to know why.”  
“Because… we… we weren’t ready for you… We didn’t want to be parents, be tied down by a new child, to stop the lives we were living and take care of a new one, now granted that doesn’t mean we didn’t love you when you did show up… it just means we weren’t able to care for you at the time… And by the time we were ready you had grown so attached to Margaret and Kody that it didn’t seem fair to take you away so we just left it that way.” Klein explains quietly as he watches his daughter withdraw from on top of him in shock. “We left you in hopes that.”  
“Don’t give me that shit!... Geoff said, you said!”  
“I lied to him Daphne! I lied to avoid the truth, what every normal human being does! I wanted you to love us again!... is that so horrible? I wanted you to love me like you do Burnie and Joel… I want to be your father Daphne, and Celeste is ready.” Klein starts only to see his daughter back away from him in horror and shame. “Daphne please.”  
“You… you didn’t want me?... You...you lied to me…. Geoff should have never taken the blame because you two deserve every bit of it.” Iri growls her eyes afire with bitterness, the tears now gone and replaced by her anger. Shifting back she raises a hand and slams him into the nearest tree, cracking it with her force and picks him back up only to slam him down into the ground. She raises him again only to feel a sense of confusion as her own body is raised, and then slammed forcefully into a tree.   
“I will not be bested by you Daphne, I am stronger.”  
“Maybe but my conviction is stronger!” Iri snaps as she throws herself at him, and begins punching him furiously. “You!” She growls quietly, but is cut off as her body is tossed into the ground a large crater formed beneath her. Pushing herself up she attempts to stand only to feel herself thrown into another tree, but this time limbs stab through her legs, hands, and a final one wraps around her neck tightly. Blood begins dripping from the wounds, and Iri can feel her mind growing weak as her lungs start to run out of air. “I… I will not.” Iri murmurs with her last breaths she channels her anger, and tries to turn it into peace.. Make peace with the hatred for her parents’ actions, and forces herself to realize that her anger is a weakness right now… Harrison had taught her long ago that anger only worked for so long, and eventually she would have to face down her demons. This was that moment, this was the moment where she either let the anger she felt towards him suffocate her or she rose up and forgave him… Forgiveness wasn’t her strong point, but it was stronger than anger because hope lived in forgiveness. This would be the strength she needed to win, this would be her new conviction. Her eyes flutter open, and she forces the limbs from her body causing her to fall to the ground beneath her muddied by her blood. Rising to her feet, using her last strength she casts a shadowed glance at her father. Her eyes no longer burning with anger, but rather a conviction to win.   
“What… what happened?” Klein mutters as he holds his head and falls to his knees, she watches as he falls forward to lie face down on the ground completely. Inching closer she notices the blood trickling from his ears, and his tail lying limply beside him. Shifting her gaze around the vacant forest she catches the gaze of a white wolf sitting plainly next to a fallen tree. Iri isn’t sure how she never noticed it before, and looking at it fully she watches it inch closer wearing a smirk.   
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you always knew the truth?.. No person, or hybrid could ever hide it from you… Always in plain sight, and.” It trails off as it walks over slowly to the woman kneeling beside her unconscious father. “Didn’t it feel nice to hear the truth Iridessa?”  
“Alaska?” Iri questions as she looks into the creature’s eyes only to find nothing, but darkness residing in the faded yellow there.  
“Close, but no.”  
“Reaver… I always knew the devil wore white, but never knew he donned it as a coat of fur.” Iri mutters sarcastically, and watches with wary eyes as the wolf does naught but smirk at her comment. “Did you…”  
“I did, I detest lying but sometimes manipulation is the only way to bring the truth out.” Reaver answers with a sigh as he shifts into the shape of a tall man with hazy, murky hazel eyes, eyes that Iri could get lost in if she wasn’t careful… And not in a good way, eyes that if she stared at too long would lead her back into the darkness she worked so hard to leave. “You trust him even though you know he abandoned you?.. He left you in the hands of strangers with the hope they’d take care of you… Doesn’t that make you angry?”  
“It does, but it was you who influenced it wasn’t it?... Did you… You wanted me to kill him didn’t you?” Iri questions with a look of confusion, what could Wyvern’s attack dog want from her. “Why do you wear Alaska’s form?”  
“I’m not wearing Alaska’s form, I am the wolf and Wyvern merely gave me another body as it would have been strange for me to wear a dead lady’s form.”  
“So she is dead?... Truly?” Iri asks, tired of beating around the bush and knowing that their fight would draw the attention of someone.   
“Long dead, you can tell her coward of an ex-husband that… It’s a shame you weren’t weaker willed, you would have made a more formidable companion.” Reaver adds with a sigh as he pulls himself up, and helps Iri stand as well much to her confusion. She couldn’t tell what was happening, but her mind was beginning to slow so it didn’t seem to matter to her. “Would you care for a walk Iridessa?”  
“No, I… I would like to walk with you.” Iri wavers at first, but then responds in a monotonous tone.   
“That’s what I thought, come on take my hand.” Reaver ushers gently and watches as the confused woman takes his hand slowly. “There’s a good girl.”  
“IRI! Iri stop! Iri it’s me, it’s Geoff come away from that man.” Geoff coaxes as he and Ryan skid to a stop in front of the pair. “Kit, come to me.”  
“Come here Bambi, come to Daddy.”   
“That’s my daughter you, encule!” Klein mutters in mild disgust as a man nearly twice her age says daddy.  
“And she likes to call me daddy… Don’t be jealous because I’m a better father figure than you.” Ryan counters as they watch the woman slowly start to come back to herself. Her clouded eyes starting to brighten and fill will realization. Ripping her hand away from Reaver she scrambles away only to slip in the bloody mud, and scratch the side of her face. Ryan quickly leans down and scoops her up as Geoff helps Klein to his feet.   
“Well I suppose it would have been too easy that way, at any rate goodbye…. For now.”   
“Reaver!” Iri growls her hand raises a tree branch, but the man merely gives a wolfish grin and dissipates into the fading light. “God dammit!”  
“Shh, Bambi it’s alright.” Ryan soothes as he strokes the woman’s ears while placing a soft kiss on her forehead.   
“I could have killed him, if you hadn’t distracted me!”   
“You would have? I was going to kill him, I had tracked him to here and was about to shoot him when you showed up!” Klein snaps at his daughter who just raises her hackles at him. “Don’t you growl at me young lady.”  
“Or what? You’ll leave me… Yeah I’d actually prefer that.” Iri sneers at her father, she may have made peace with his actions but that didn’t mean she liked him. “You don’t get to come back in my life at a convenient time for you. If you really loved me than you would have stuck around even though it would have been inconvenient for you!”   
“... You speak like you understand our life, or can even begin to comprehend the complexity of our choices! You may know the truth, but you don’t know circumstances!” Klein shouts at his stubborn daughter, she had a right to be angry but her anger had been the distraction Reaver needed to gain access to their minds.   
“Then explain it to me!” Iri says as she pushes her way out of Ryan’s tight grip, and stumbles to where her father stood silent. “That’s what I thought Klein, there is no real excuse just ones you made up to make yourself seem better than you really are. The truth is that you and Celeste were too busy living life to take time to care for me, and instead of loving me you shipped me off to parents who would.. Or at least you hoped would.” Iri snaps, her eyes still calm but her tone reeked of anger.   
“Is that true?” Geoff inquires as he looks to the man who just scoffs, and stares at the ground.  
“You abandoned her for… for no reason except your selfish desire to be free.” Ryan mumbles as he walks to his lover’s side. “I knew foxes could be selfish creatures, but this is truly the worst.”  
“Selfish creatures? Like you're always the generous man you claim to be.” Iri mutters under her breath as she turns on her heel and starts to limp toward the house. She didn’t forgive him, how could she have been so naive? What was the point of forgiving him when in reality all that mattered was that she forgave his actions, she didn’t have to forgive… She just needed to come to terms with the fact that she was alright with being left… Left for another… To be someone else’s problem. She was always a problem, never a solution… She caused problems, and frankly this last one was beginning to become a mess. Iri thought by now a massive fight would have happened, but it was just mental gymnastics. It was all so distracting….. Distracting? What if this was their plot all along? What if their goal was to unravel their weak bonds, and cause the group to dissolve into chaos? Picking up her pace she heals her wounds caring little for the yawn it causes as she breaks off into a run. The house comes into view, and so does the group of people firing rapidly at it. Her thoughts shift into offense as does her body, her fox body sinking down to its’ belly in the tall grass. Thinking swiftly she makes her way to one of the creatures firing an assault rifle at the house. Shifting quickly she rips the knife from his belt and sinks it deep in his throat, ripping his head off as well. Using her powers she picks up the bullets from his ammo belt, and shoots them into the rest of the people firing on the front. The bodies drop like flies, and Iri is barely even panting by the time the gunshots stop. Glancing around she can see the rest of the group from the forest come out, and ignoring them she heads towards the front door. Reaching for the handle she hears the sound of a shotgun and before she can move, buckshot sprays at her. Preparing herself she waits for the inevitable pain only to see it fall to the ground. Opening her eyes, Iri sees Florida’s outstretched hand, and Russ wears an apologetic look.... Though not all that sorry when Iri looked into his eyes.   
“God damnit Russ how many times do I have to tell you to check your targets?” Thames growls as he watches his lover shrug, and point the shotgun down at the floor. “Sorry about that Tex.”  
“No it’s cool, is everyone okay?” Iri asks as she rubs her chest soothingly, and the men shake their heads. “What happened?”  
“Chewy, tried to help Indy... He tried to save her, but her injuries were too much… Dex helped he took the brunt of her pain away, he stopped her from dying in agony.” Russ comments as he watches the woman sigh. “Indy was outside when the barrage started as well as Iowa and Kansas…. Texas, I’m beginning to wonder if this is worth it.”   
“What?” Thames interjects in pure shock as he turns to face his lover, his leader, but mostly his friend. This was the man whose conviction could move mountains on pure principle, and to hear such doubt in his voice shook him in his own heart. “Russ, you’re joking right?”  
“No, I’m not… We’ve lost several of our weak force, and not to mention the predators she’s slaughtered basically for sport. I mean is this job really that bad?” Russ argues as he looks to the rest of their group listening intently as they glance around gauging the mood of the room. Gavin could feel a sense of unease start to grow in the room as they met each other's eyes. “He’s always held up his end of the bargain, and… and as long as he continues to why bother trying to change it?” Russ says as he addresses the confused room full of hybrids, who seemed stuck on his words. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it… Wyvern says he’s willing to take us all back still, I’m going. Am I going alone brothers, sisters?” As his words settle amongst the quiet room, the sound of Leo’s disbelieving grunt and his sisters matching sounds cause the adults to face the small children.   
“For a fearless leader you sure scare easily, four dead and suddenly your ideals don’t matter anymore… Momma anyone who leaves with him deserves Wyvern, they deserve whatever fate he chooses for them.” Leo states coldly as he stares Russ down with steely eyes, and the room seems to be shocked by the boy’s bluntness; the sound of dark growls reverberating off the silent walls all around her. Iri quickly scoops up her boy, and ushers the rest of her children behind her as her mates and the rest of her team take her sides defensively…. And much to her shock so did Fire Team Reach, Pippa’s followers, and the rest of the predators in the room. A vicious circle snapping and snarling at the man proposing mutiny.   
“We will die like the warriors and not the animals he chooses to portray us as.” Ori says as she looks to her fellow comrades. “Last I checked no one here was a coward, and Indy didn't die for nothing... She knew the risks as did the rest of us, we're prepared to die for this.” She adds and the group merely nods in agreement as Russ turns to meet Thames and Fins heart broken eyes.  
“Boys?”  
“We will fight with our friends, and… you don’t deserve to be our Team Leader. York, Fin, and I have decided that Texas is to be our specialist and our Captain…. Go back to where you belong at Wyvern’s side like the obedient dog you are.” Thames spits bitterly as he gestures to the door, turning to face a shocked Iri who was holding her son tightly. “Tex we’ll follow you, if you’ll have us.”  
“I… But she’s not even… She doesn’t have enough experience!” Russ shouts in outrage as he watches the surprised fox merely nod her head softly. It’s at this that Russ clenches his fists in anger, and raises his hand to strike her. However, Fin zips in swiftly and grips his wrist effectively stopping his ex leader’s attack.   
“No but she’s adaptable, and willing to listen to other’s ideas so that it’ll work just fine.” Fin interjects as he looks to their disgraced leader in disgust. “Consider yourself KIA Russ, I hope we never have the pleasure of meeting again.”   
“I… Pup…. Pup, Thames you can’t mean this…. York?” Russ tries again pulling his hand back and rubbing his wrist gently. “Please.”  
“Just go, Russ… You’ve done this to yourself.” Harrison mutters as he looks to Florida who uses his powers to force the unwilling hybrid’s feet towards the door.  
“You’ll regret this… This isn’t over.” Russ shouts as he is forced closer and closer to the door. “You stupid slut, you’ll get what’s coming to you if it’s the last thing I do!” He screams as he’s forced from the house finally, leaving the house echoing with the sound of his words. Iri wastes no time in ushering her children from the room. It wasn’t that the words had struck a chord deep within her rather it was the intensity of his words. And she had known many, many people who had only needed that tone to cause another’s demise… She had seen Russ fight, and she knew he was one such person; killing was something that he did well and had very little thought about the action itself. Upon making it to a room she slams the door shut, locks it, and pulls her children into her arms.  
“Momma what are you doing?” Felicia asks softly from her mother’s chest, and raises her gray eyes to meet her mother’s icy steel colored ones. “Mom?”  
“Fel, can shoot blasts of ice yet?” Iri inquires, ignoring her as she stares deeply into her daughter’s questioning eyes. “Leo, why the lightning?”  
“Kind of… It’s harder than just touching something and turning it to ice or engulfing it in fire.” Fel answers as she sees her mother sigh thoughtfully.   
“Mom, why does it matter?”  
“You could have manifested that power, that outburst in any manner of energy but you chose lightning… So why lightning Leo? And do not answer my question with Leonard.” Iri says sternly while pulling the twins to face her fully allowing for Scarlett and Dexter to sit on the sides of her.   
“I… I.. I don’t know Momma, I just chose it.” Leo stutters out sheepishly, he wasn’t sure why he’d chosen the lightning… He figured it was just part of his powers. “It just happened.”  
“No, nothing ever just happens Leonard at least not this kind of stuff…. Did you do it because your father does it?” Iri questions sensing that this may be the reason he limited himself to such a violent outburst of energy.   
“....”  
“You did, didn’t you?... And there is no shame in it, it just seems odd that you wouldn’t choose some other method of delivery method for your attack.” Iri says with a knowing smirk.   
“What of it Mother?” Leo growls bitterly, he didn’t need his mother’s sass right now.  
“Oh… Oh I mean nothing by it Lion, I am merely thinking aloud.. Sorry Leo, it was a very courageous move on your part.” Iri assures her son as he continues his stormy glare at her.   
“Momma why are you talking like that?”  
“Like what Scar?” Iri asks her voice taking on its normal friendliness, and her children sensing this release some of the tension they’d been holding on to. It was at that moment the sound of knocking could be heard, well more of a pounding as their fathers tried to open the door.   
“Iri open it or I’m breaking it down.” Ryan’s stern tone demands as the pounding stops, presumably awaiting her answer.   
“Kits, do you want to take a ride on Lexi with me?” Iri asks swiftly as she stands up and brushes her skirt down so it falls a few inches from her knees. “I have business to attend to that your fathers can’t assist me in, but you four may be able to.”   
“Iridessa!” They hear shouted and Iri doubted they had much more time before the rest of their family broke down the door.   
“Kits?”  
“An adventure with Momma?” Dex murmurs quietly to himself as he rubs his chin in thinking and stands up beside her.   
“Yes Dexter, it would be quite an adventure.” Iri comments with a smile as Lexi appears beside them in her dragon form. “So what do you say children?”  
“What about our fathers?” Scarlett inquires softly, almost unsure of the thought itself.  
“Scar, what do you mean?”  
“I’m just worried that they might get hurt while we’re gone.” Scar responds looking to her mother who just rolls her eyes at the comment. “They just seem so…”  
“So accident prone?” Felicia adds with a smirk.  
“Clumsy?” Leo says, and Dexter nods heartily.   
“Well yes they are…” Iri starts but is interrupted by the sound lightning zapping the door. “Kits decide now, either stay or come.”  
“I’m going.” Dex says with no hesitation, taking a seat on top of Lexi’s back.   
“We will too.” Fel states quickly as she answers for her twin as well, both of them hopping up beside their brother. Scarlett casts a wistful glance towards the nearly broken down door before sighing and raising her arms to her mother in the universal sign for up. Iri picks her up easily and then takes her place on the dragon’s broad back.   
“Lexi let’s go.” Iri commands briskly causing the dragon to surge forward into the door, busting through it easily, and barreling over the people trying to force their way in. The riders can see the confusion on the other’s faces but just wave somberly before continuing on without another thought. “Fel a wall of ice behind us please.” Felicia casts a thick wall of ice behind them effectively sealing the doorway shut in their wake, and watches her mother nod her head in thanks. Once free of the house Lexi launches herself high into the air with the help of Iri’s powers to gain the necessary altitude to use the natural currents to assist Lexi with all of her passengers.   
“Momma where are we going?” Scarlett questions after several minutes of silence in the sky.  
“To my mother’s home.” Iri answers truthfully, she wasn’t sure why but it seemed like the place to be. She wasn’t ready to lead a team of her own yet, not until this was settled, not until she faced the truth in her life… Not until her mother knew the consequence of her actions, not until she understood the effect this truly had on her only daughter’s life. “I believe that this will finally be the way to win this war.”  
“... So… So we’ll finally meet Grandma.” Leo mutters softly with a perplexed stare.  
“We all will, and I hope for her sake she’s a good host.” Iri adds with a smirk as her children soften their intense looks a bit.


	158. Why?

Back at the House

Michael was just about to bust through the door when it had been barreled through by a dragon, and the people riding it. They’d caught the little wave their children had given on the way out, and before they could lift a finger to stop them they were out the back and gone with a wall of ice blocking them. Causing the room to be filled with utter frustration and Ray the calmest of them all suddenly burst into flames, his fire licking all over his body and casting his arm out the wall dissolves into a puddle in less than moments. The rest of the group watches in shock as his body is continually bathed in the bright, dancing flames. Ray, still seething in rage dashes through the now clear door and glares out into the sky.   
“You stupid Vixen come back with my daughter!” Ray screams bitterly into the fading light, she would do this… She would take Felicia without a single thought in world like she was a single person and had no one to answer to… Just a vixen and her kits. “Iridescent come back!” Ray shouts again his voice fading out into a meek whisper as well as his flames till he is nothing but a naked spotted man, his spots smoldering like embers that had been burnt out.   
“Kitten, are you finished?” Ryan asks sharply as he listens to his Omega make mournful whines with his face on the ground. He had no doubt that his Kitten’s outburst had drained him of most of his energy. “Ray?”  
“She’s taken her Ry, she’s taken them all.” Ray mutters brokenly into the dirt as Ryan stoops down to pick him up. “Why?”  
“Ray, I have no idea but at the very least they are safe… Take heart in that Kitten, now come it’s time we go home… Geoff do you have any objections?” Ryan questions as he lifts his shivering Omega into his arms.   
“No, and I believe you are right Ryan.. I think it is time that we go home, Gav can you smell that?”  
“Heat…. Ray are you?”  
“I am, and she might be.” Ray groans as the pains in his stomach begin anew. “I want to go home.”  
“We are…. Geoff let’s just go.” Ryan assures their mate gently, and as they head towards their car hidden in the back. They had basically been living out of the vehicle since they came over here and the SUV was now filled with clothes as well as other necessities to their lives. Of course they hadn’t been able to stream content with this sudden situation, but now it seemed like they might be able to with Iri and her children gone… The threat to Wyvern’s army… The one person who could destroy it, and her offspring… Her most precious possession… Well less of a possession and more a part of her.   
“What do you mean she is too?” Michael asks as they enter the car, they were usually synced on their heats and he was nowhere close to it.  
“I could smell it on her too, I thought… Where are you guys going?” Harrison asks as he and the remainder of their team show up beside the car.  
“Where are the kits?” Fin inquires as he notices the lack of children.  
“Where’s Tex?” Thames asks as he sniffs the air and finds it devoid of her scent save the staleness of it in the vehicle.   
“We don’t know… She just left.” Ray grumbles as he is set down by Ryan, and the gent takes the seat beside him in the back. “She took the children too.”  
“.... Why?” Fin mutters after a moment, what could she possibly be doing with them.   
“If we knew then do you really think we’d be here?” Geoff snaps as he and the rest of the group load into the car. “Anyways we’re going back to our house… Wyvern has no quarrel with us so it’s time we get back to work.”  
“But… But what about us?” Fin asks in confusion as he looks to his cousin who just smiles softly at the lost man.   
“You are always welcome to stay with us Fin, same for you and Thames.” Geoff says as he gestures to the coyote. “In fact it would be welcome considering the situation.” The trio now leaderless look to the elder Alpha with gratitude in their eyes as they shift down and take their places in the SUV. With everyone now loaded up the group makes their way home, it had been trying times and they knew it wasn’t over yet but for now it seems a kind of stalemate had been reached so for now the fighting would stop. Considering each side had taken its own share of the losses, and each side would take their time in formulating a new plan… a plan better suited to annihilating the other…. But in the end no one really knew how long this quiet calm would last.


	159. At Last

Iri and her kits  
Several Weeks Later

It had taken them a long time to track Celeste to the mountain top home… Well it was more of a retreat Iri thought as she led Lexi to the top in her Clydesdale form. Her companions’ sleek flea-bitten grey coat and snow white mane as well as tail. Iri couldn’t help but notice the beauty of her predator, and she had a feeling it was due to Iri’s own unsurity about the whole situation. She had fled from her obligations, her mates, her own team to confront this woman whom she didn’t even know. In an attempt to gain some semblance of the understanding she so desperately desired after her realization when fighting her father. Iri had no other desire truer than this, her entire life had been searching for this one truth. This unattainable goal that had always been so close, but ripped away right as she stretched her hand out to grab it. Her fingers always slipping through it as though it was made of sand, leaving her grasping nothing but air. Did that make her selfish?... She had the opportunity to stop her wondering, and this was the best chance she had to doing it. So as they trekked slowly up the overgrown winding mountain path that seemed to go up endlessly, trees on either side and their branches jutting out as though they were trying to claw at any one who dared to tread past them like they were protecting the truth from her, almost as though they wouldn’t allow her to know it. The scene wasn’t as welcoming as Iri had hoped for, but these were the pair of selfish foxes who left her… Maybe Klein was right… Maybe this path was showing the truth of her reality… Maybe she should just go back… Maybe… No, she’d come too far to go back now. She’d done too much to not return victorious from this, she’d given up too much for it to all end in naught. Iri wanted something, she just didn’t know what…. and… and she wanted her children to have a grandmother. Iri just wanted them… She wanted some sense of normality for them and herself as well even if it was as simple as knowing the pair of selfish foxes who created her.  
“Who’s to say we didn’t have that before?” Dex states softly, interrupting his mother’s thoughts as she looks up to the boy on the tall horse; who looks back with bright blue eyes that reminded her of Geoff’s. She could see the inquisition, the sense of wonder, but also her own sense of calculation and an understanding of their responsibility to others. His was a duty to his siblings to protect them from harm, and try his best to keep them together. Hers was to protect their fathers and them from the mess she’d inadvertently drug them all into. Iri could see all of that in her eldest child, her strongest child… A rock just like his father.  
“This isn’t the life I wanted for you four… I wanted.”  
“But this is the life we got, Mom you need to stop drowning in regret and face the obstacles in front of you versus dwelling on the ones you left behind.” Leo interrupts with a sigh as he slides off the horse and takes his mother’s shaking hand. “We wouldn’t have you any other way Momma.”   
“He’s right Mommy, we wouldn’t dare dream of asking for anything else.” Felicia adds with a smile as she creates small fawns made of ice that trot around on the ground before melting away in moments. It was after that Iri found herself without words, or at least words that could extrapolate the feelings of warmth in her heart. So she says nothing and her children merely mirror her warm silence as they slowly come to the top of the mountain. The sight that awaited them was one of pure beauty, a landscape that looked right out of a painting. A small cottage was nestled snuggly in between blossoming apple trees with a river flowing to its side. Scarlett however was not as impressed as the rest of her family, and after a brief glance to her mother who shares a similar look. They both held a healthy amount of doubt as Lexi kneels to allow the children to slide off, and then shifts into the form of a large sleek lioness. Iri crowded her kits beside her and cast a protective barrier around them, she hoped it wasn’t necessary, she hoped that this would be what she truly wanted it to be… However, Iri knew that the chances of that would be slim so steeling her eyes and her mind Iri begins towards the house. 

Celeste 

She was sitting by her bay window with Marie lazing on the sill as a small dragon while she stitched slowly and methodically. Celeste’s eyes glance up carelessly as a woman, four children, and a lioness approach her sleepy little house.   
“Peculiar Mar.” Celeste murmurs while placing her needle point down, and picking up the glock she always kept handy. She starts towards the door, her companion shifting into the shape of a large threatening mountain lion. It was just a precaution the woman told herself, she doubted these people would hurt or hell if they even could. She had a feeling these were probably just lost locals, and honestly it wouldn’t be all that surprising people did have the tendency to wander up this high during spring due to the beauty of the mountain top. Tucking the pistol in the back of her pants and fluffing her shirt over it she heads out the front door to greet the strangers. Striding leisurely across the grass her eyes and powers begins to take in the group of people before her. Two of the children appeared to be fraternal twins while the other two were merely siblings, she guessed the small brown haired girl was the youngest due to the look cautious gaze she held. The eldest was the copper tinted hair, his eyes held a look of seriousness that matched woman leading them. It was odd to see such a group, almost liked they were looking for something. Perhaps these strangers weren’t strangers at all, and it was with that last thought Celeste finally truly looked at the woman leading them. She was very thin but muscular, her skin pale but not white, her hair fell in copper ringlets that reminded Celeste of her own; she walked with a confident gait as a bushy tail swayed gently with her steps. Upon closer inspection she can see a pair of matching fox ears on the top of the stranger’s head, and it’s at that moment they finally come into speaking range.  
“Bonjour, parlez-vous français?” Celeste greets in a friendly tone, but the woman just shakes her head gently. “Very well then, do you speak English?”  
“I do, I mean I also speak french but not all my children do and I would prefer for them to be able to understand us.” The woman states with a sheepish smile as she extends a hand to her. Celeste merely nods her head in understanding, and smiles warmly in greeting offering her hand as well to the stranger. “My name is Iridesscent Skye Burns, or as you may know me.”  
“Daphne….” Celeste interrupts as she trails off in disbelief while she watches the woman, her only daughter nod her head in yes. “How… How did you find me?”  
“Lexi, and I tracked you with the help of your grandchildren… I have waited a long time to meet you, mother.” Iri says calmly as she meets the woman’s look of confusion with a face of serenity. She had mentally prepared herself for this meeting and while looking at the woman before her who bore a remarkable resemblance to her own self. It was shocking how much they looked like each other, the same lips, nose, cheeks, slim waistline, lean legs, perky breasts, and gorgeous copper ringlets.   
“Grandchildren?” Celeste gasps in disbelief as she glances to the children before her. The four beautiful, albeit kind of dirty children before her but no less beautiful than she could ever have imagined. “Chiots!”   
“No Grandma, not all of us are dogs. I am a fox like Momma, and you are. Scarlett is a wolf like her father, Leo and Felicia have several forms that we are aware of.” Dexter explains quietly as he steps forth to meet his Grandmother’s curious eyes. “I am Dexter.”  
“And I am Scar.” Scarlett says with a curtsy, her brown hair and green eyes shining brilliantly before her.   
“I am Felicia, and this is my twin brother Leo.” Felicia offers with a grin while Leo merely waves a hand briefly. “He’s not a big talker when you first meet him. I’m sure he’ll warm up to you though.”   
“...Why…. Where’s your father Daphne?” Celeste questions, he had been gone for a few weeks to look for her in the states. Who would have ever guessed that she would come find her on their secluded mountain top?   
“He’s… I’m not really sure to be honest, and my family is in a bit of a dangerous situation as of now. I fled with them in hopes that our pursuer would leave our pack be, but I’m not sure if that’s what he’ll do.” Iri explains briefly, and her mother merely nods in understanding having done something similar to her.   
“Is it Erik?”  
“No… No I killed him a long time ago. This man is something worse, and I fear I may have given him exactly what he wanted by leaving.” Iri admits with a look of remorse on her lips, with her gone Wyvern had full reign and while her comrades were strong they were often unable to unite themselves. It was the reason that this program went on so long like this, they were amazing people but too stuck in the belief that it was their team against the world. An ingrained belief that was too deep for them to fight on their own. See when Iri was there she and her pack could help them to fight the urge to protect simply their own, and if she had to think about it honestly it might have been her children that truly drew them together. Those agents all had horrible childhoods due to Derrick and Wyvern, and now it was their chance to save four more children from the brutality of those two. And now that she took away their symbol they may very well have dissolved into chaos.   
“You…. You killed him?” Celeste mutters in shock, they had left her in hopes that the violence would follow them instead of her. “We left you.”  
“Don’t sound so shocked you know how he is.” Iri cuts off bitterly, and her mother notices the sudden shift sensing that there was more to this story than her daughter was letting on. “He made me kill one of my children.”  
“Erik did what?” Celeste shouts in outrage, the man had been awful but never to that extent… at least unprovoked which led her to her next question. “How did you meet him?” Celeste was sure that they’d hidden her so well, first with Kody and then with his brother. How did Erik find her in the first place? They had burned the records with the help of Harold and Otto, erased the memories   
“It’s a long story.” Iri growls softly as she turns away from her confused mother’s eyes. She wasn’t sure why but that look in her eyes caused her heart to hurt. Her mother’s look of utter defeat as she realized her whole rationalization for sending her only daughter away and leaving was for nothing. “But… But it wasn’t all bad I suppose…. I met my wonderful mates, and started a family.” She adds noticing how devastated her mother looked, and Iri shouldn’t have needed to comfort her… She shouldn’t have felt a desire to ease this woman’s suffering just because she was her mother… But she did, she did because a man once showed her that suffering only breeds more suffering. At this her mother’s eyes lighten to a sky blue shade as she gazes to the children no longer standing behind the woman but next to her instead. Their eyes bore a single emotion that Celeste immediately recognized due to her seeing it in the eyes of her own daughter so many years ago, curiosity.   
“Come inside, and I’ll cook dinner while you tell me it.” Celeste urges immediately, and begins to usher them towards the cottage. “No grandchild of mine should look this tired, and no daughter of mine should be this skinny.”  
“But… Are… I.”  
“No, you are all coming inside and resting for awhile… Besides I need to know everything about you, there is so much lost time we need to make up for.” Celeste interrupts her stuttering daughter as she just nods hesitantly and follows her mother to the house. “I’m so glad you came.”  
“... Me… me too, I think.” Iri adds hesitantly with a smile, perhaps this would finally be the truth she needed to conquer her doubt.

Sunset

Iri now sat alongside her mother out on the porch in a pair of wooden rocking chairs as the kits were resting inside, no doubt tired from the long journey. Her mother had cooked a hearty meal that consisted of a venison stew over rice, and wild peas Celeste grew herself in the garden along the house. The food as well as the bathes had put the kits to sleep, and left the pair to their own devices outside watching the sun set slowly.   
“So what do you plan to do now Iridessa?” Celeste inquires thoughtfully after having heard her daughter’s tale over the course of the last few hours. She hadn’t expected to hear such a gruesome story from a seemingly sweet girl. “Your father and I will not allow that man to kill you.”  
“Allow, that’s funny Mother…. He’s got an army of trained killers, not to mention those monsters in Russia.”  
“Hmm that’s true, but you too have an army. You have those followers, your pack, us, and I’m sure there are others willing to stand against him. It is merely about.”  
“Mother, I hate to break it to you but those people may be dead by now, and I’m more than likely going to get everyone I love killed… Including my own children.” Iri interrupts angrily as she leaps from the chair and shifts to the form of a fox. She takes off into the wilderness glancing back to see her mother staring with a sad smile on her lips. “I’m not running away, it’s called tactical fleeing.” Iri runs and runs until she can’t breathe, and then she runs until her vision is blurred by darkness, and then she falls. Her body crashes into the dirt, and her mind sinks into blackness.


	160. Be better than you were

Dream

It was a meadow filled with wildflowers growing in a variety of brilliant colors, and swaying softly in the breeze. The sun was low in the sky and the moon was just about to rise filling her eyes with the first gleam of that evening’s stars. Among these flowers Iri walked with little abandon not caring as her feet were cut on the sharp rocks hiding amongst the tall grass. She ignored the biting feeling of the cuts as she strolled through the meadow. It wasn’t until a large brown wolf came into view at the edge of the meadow did she stop to observe it. The wolf wastes no time in striding towards her, it’s four paws gliding swiftly through the rocky terrain. Iri isn’t sure what to do as the creature stops in front of her with a look of ease, a look that reassures her… Now what it was reassuring her of she had no idea only that it was reassuring.   
“So this is where you’ve gone… Not a bad place.” The wolf says as it settles beside the woman sitting there with a thoughtful look. “Iri do you recognize me?”   
“... Lance?” Iri murmurs after a rather large silence.  
“Yes, it has taken me a great deal of time to find you.” Lance says as he nuzzles her leg affectionately. “Gavin, and the others miss you tremendously, the kits as well.”  
“I’ve found my mother.” Iri murmurs as though that was supposed to make up for her disappearing. “She’s better than I ever dreamed she would be.”  
“Iri we miss you and Lexi, we need you to get the kits and come home.”  
“But without me there Wyvern will leave you alone.”  
“Alone? That man is still trying to kill us and we haven’t seen Geoff in weeks.”  
“Geoff is gone?”   
“He went out for groceries, and he hasn’t come back… Ryan hasn’t let anyone leave the house alone without him since he's... he's acting strange, Iri you need to come home.” Lance informs her worriedly. “We think Wyvern’s taken him.”  
“He… He wouldn’t dare!” Iri growls sharply as the landscape of flowers turn to dust, and the sky no longer bears the stars or the moon at all, nothing but darkness. “Geoff is mine, and no one takes what is mine!”  
“Then come home and get him.” Lance says before fading into the darkness, leaving Iri glowering in the night.

Iri 

She awakes to the feeling a soft bed, and the sound of sighing. Blinking awake rapidly she is looking into the kind eyes of her mother, and the curious eyes of her kits.   
“Mama?” Felicia inquires softly as Iri rubs her eyes hazily with a tired feeling in her heart.   
“I have found what I was looking for, and now we need to go back Kits… We are needed at home, and the conflict I left still goes on.” Iri tells her children somberly as they nod in understanding.   
“Mother did you expect anything less?” Dex asks with a knowing smirk.   
“You can’t tell me that you did?” Vex adds as he appears beside the group with a doubtful look.   
“No, but…”  
“But it couldn’t hurt to dream.” Lex finishes as she watches her mistress sigh heavily. “However, with that being said we need to go.”  
“If that is the case then I am coming with you.” Celeste states with surety as her daughter and her grandchildren eyed her carefully. “What?.. Oh don’t give me that look, I’m still deadly in my own right.”  
“Mother, you do understand the.”  
“I will not be lectured by my own daughter about the dangers of life.” Celeste cuts off with a strict look as her blue eyes become steely grey to match her own daughter’s stormy ones. “Besides with Marie’s help it won’t take nearly as long to get back, and it’ll take some of the stress off of Alexia.”  
“I am perfectly capable of flying all five of us.” Lexi mutters under her breath as the older woman and lioness give her an under whelmed look. “We made it here didn’t we?”  
“Alexia, take it as you will but age does have its advantages.” Marie states with a challenging smirk as the younger predator raises her hackles slightly in warning. “When we have time I look forward to discovering just how much of a challenge you truly provide.”   
“Grandma, you understand that you will lose correct?” Leo offers as Champ tells him the outcome quickly. “Champ says it only takes her three minutes to win.”  
“Hmmm… I thought your gift was feelings?”  
“More or less, but predicting the future isn’t hard either.’ Leo says as he lightens his tight lipped look, and pulls his mother closer with a possessive undertone. “Let’s go if we are going.”  
“Very well, come if you want. I will not stop you.” Iri states, lifting Leo into her arms and cuddles the boy close to her neck. A content purr lingering on her lips as the boy nuzzles closer in comfort.   
“It’s hard to fly with four children in your arms.” Celeste says with an endearing smile as she and the rest follow Iri outside. “We will gladly take the others.”  
“I said we are fine!” Lexi snaps as she bites and growls at the pair, her body shifting into a large black dragon, snarling dangerously at the other two. The children waste no time in flocking to their mother’s side, Felicia raising a wave of white hot fire in defense around them. “Kits come along.”   
“Felicia enough! Alexia cease!” Iri commands and the dragon unwillingly relaxes her posture while her daughter extinguishes the wall of flame. “Mother, apologize to her. She is a prideful creature and to have uttered such an offense is only going to serve as a thorn in our side for the rest of the night.”  
“I… we… It was only meant as playful banter, Alexia we are sorry for the misunderstanding. Can you forgive us?” Celeste asks humbly and Lexi nods curtly causing Iri to sigh at her predator's actions.  
“Very good, now can we be of assistance with the children… Oh Alexia please.” Marie begs eagerly, her lion’s tail shifting into that of a large black pegasus’ tail swishing with interest, wings twitching anxiously. “I vow to protect them with my dying breath.”  
“Yes, take Dex and Scarlett we are going back to Texas… I’m not sure of the mess that’s there… Be ready to take them and leave, take them far away… If I am able I will find you all later.” Iri says with a sense of uncertainty.   
“Iridessa?” Celeste starts only to see her daughter raise a hand to stop her questioning look.  
“I’m trusting you to be the guardian I never had… You must save them from not only my enemies, but also themselves.” Iri states very seriously, and her mother almost wanted to question what she meant but by the look in her daughter’s eyes it told her that she didn’t need to know… that she only needed to agree and do as she said. So with an agreeing nod Iri beckons for her children to head over towards her mother. “Good, now let’s go… I have a feeling things have become increasingly worse since we left.”


	161. A Shadow of Himself

Home

Gavin was losing his mind, surely he had re-taped his keys under the table by the door, he always placed his keys there. He may not have an American license, but he did still have his motorcycle license. Now it was not ideal for children, but in times like this it proved quite useful. His bike was stashed safely in the shed under a tarp. He needed to get out of here, Ryan wouldn’t let anyone leave, and at least for the moment it seemed like the blonde was gone. This was his chance to finally go search for Geoff, perhaps find out what happened to his Alpha, and bring the man back. Checking under the table one more time his fingers graze the metal he’d been desperately looking for, and swiftly he grabs them. Heading to the back door as silently as he could, and keeping his eyes vigilant for any sign of Ryan. Seeing nothing he opens the sliding glass door and sneaks out to the shed. Moving quickly he undoes the coded lock, and flings open the wood door to find Ryan standing there with a disappointed look on his lips, and a collar with a leash connected in his hand. Gavin flails back as the elder wolf edges forward to meet him, the man falls back onto his ass as Ryan inches closer to him.   
“Ry-bear! I’ve been looking all over for you… What.. What’s with the collar?” Gavin stutters softly, trying to shake the fear out of his voice as the man offers him a hand up, and begins dusting him off gently. “Ry?”  
“What are you doing out here Gavin?” Ryan asks in a cool, stern voice. “I believe I’ve made it very clear to all of you that you are not allowed outside without me.”  
“I...I… I was… I was looking for you.”  
“Don’t lie to me Omega.”   
“Honest!”  
“Then why are those keys in your hand?” Ryan demands, he thought he had hidden them all away from his omegas but apparently he missed a pair.  
“I… I don’t know what you are talking about.” Gavin utters as he slips the keys into his underwear quickly and shows the gent his empty hands. “See.” Ryan however just narrows his eyes and grips the man’s waist firmly, his nimble fingers finding the keys instantly, and pulls them out for the man to see. “Oh… Oh those keys.”  
“Don’t play dumb Gavin, don’t act like you haven’t been trying to escape me for the last few days. I’m not an idiot, and you are in trouble…. You’ve been a naughty puppy, and it is time you are disciplined.” Ryan states with a smirk as he places the collar on Gavin’s neck, and closes the clasp slowly, letting the feeling of him being his sink in… Gavin says nothing else as the gent kisses his jaw softly, and nibbles on his ear lobe gently. “Follow me Gavin.”  
“Yes Alpha.” Gavin murmurs in defeat as he let’s himself be lead by the leash up the stairs to the bedroom where Michael and Ray were laying already collared to the headboard. In Michael’s case chained to the headboard with each of his feet chained to the foot of the bed railing. “Boi? Ray?”  
“Gavi, Gavin run! Gavin get Burnie!” Michael orders as he twists, and tries to fight his bindings.   
“Gav, go!” Ray shouts as he creates a ring of flame around Ryan allowing for Gavin to burst free from his grip. The brit dashes down the stairs, and out the front door trying to ignore the sound of Ryan’s footsteps in his ears. Shifting Gavin dashes down the street in his wolf form, weaving around houses, and sprinting through backyards in an attempt to escape the crazed man. Running as fast as he can he let’s Lance take over as he struggles to figure out what to do next.   
‘Gavin we need to go back for them.’ Lance states worriedly as he continues sprinting and runs into the woods. ‘He’s lost his mind.’  
‘Lance, Michael is right we need to get help… let’s get Burnie and Joel, they can help… Or.’ Gavin starts, but trails off as a snarling Godric comes into view. However, Gavin doesn’t cower he puffs up his fur and growls right back.   
“Shift.” Godric orders curtly, his sharp teeth exposed by his curled lips, a dark growl emulating from his throat. “And you are coming with us.”  
“Ry… Ry, you need help… Ry let’s go find Geoff…. Ry?” Gavin tries as the wolf pounces, knocking him to the ground. He wanted to fight Ryan, but the brit just didn’t have it in him to fight his mate when he was like this. “Ry please this isn’t you.”   
“Shift back.” Ryan orders and this time presses his teeth to the smaller wolf’s throat, allowing him to feel his sincerity. Gavin shifts back unwilling to test the man further, and admits defeat again. The larger wolf wagging his tail as he watches the man stare at the floor, licking his neck Ryan allows the man up. Shifting himself Ryan pulls Gavin to his side, and begins leading him back in the direction of the house despite his quiet unwillingness. Ryan however, didn’t mind dragging him since he knew this was the best choice for him. It was for his protection, it was to keep him safe, it was to keep all of them safe…. Except her… She was gone, and she was never coming back….

Iri

They landed in the backyard, and she couldn’t help but notice how silent the house seemed. Now while they were usually most of the noise the house should have still appeared to be filled with life. Motioning for her mother to wait, she ushered her children towards her. Lexi and her began striding towards the house as silently as they could. Opening the sliding door silently she entered the house, and noticed how clean everything seemed it was sparkling… A sign that Ryan was having an OCD episode, and that was never a good thing. The smell of burnt flesh entered her nostrils as she continued up the stairs, and following the scent she finds Michael and Ray bound to the bed, unconscious, gagged, and blindfolded. Acting quickly she rushes to their aid, untying them, and using her strength to heal whatever injuries they may have had. Her powers find none save for deep rope burns on their wrists and ankles, suggesting that they had been there for a long time. Scenting the air all she found was the overwhelming stench of fear and Ryan, no Geoff, suggesting that Lance hadn’t been wrong about the gent’s disappearance. Pulling the restraints off of the men she nudges them gently, waking the sleepy pair slowly.   
“Cub, Kitten what happened? Where’s Ryan?” Iri asks as she helps them to sit up, and sends Lexi to get the Kits as well as her mother. “Guys?”  
“Iri, oh thank god you're back! Ryan’s lost his mind!” Michael nearly shouts as he stands up, and at that moment the kits rush in leaping at their fathers. Leo practically tackles his father as does Felicia leap at Ray who catches her eagerly. Scarlett and Dex merely stare at them with worry wondering where their fathers were. “Gav, went to get help… But Ryan went after him… I don’t know where they are.”  
“Where’s Harry?” Iri questions, having thought for sure her cousin would still be around.   
“Geoff chased him and Fin out a few days after you left… He turned so quickly once you left… I… it was my fault.” Ray murmurs with Felicia nuzzled close to his neck, eyes pricked with fat tears. “I… I should have never accused them of smothering you…. I… I didn’t think Geoff would leave, and Ryan would go crazy.”   
“Ray it’s not your fault, it’s mine…. I should have stayed, but I needed to go. I needed to clear out the skeletons, and learn as much as I could so Wyvern would have nothing left to throw in my face.” Iri explains to the men who nod in understanding, she thanked god that they were understanding all things considered. “I should have taken you all with me, but I thought… I thought that he’d leave you alone.”   
“He hasn’t… Gavin thinks he’s taken Geoff.” Michael mutters as he watches her stare at the ground in shame. “But now that you are here, you can fix it right?”  
“I…”  
“You!” Ryan growls as he and Gavin finally enter being dragged by the elder predator. The man looked incredibly disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, and he reeked of sweat as well as fear. Iri wastes no time in throwing Ryan against the wall, and ushering the rest of them out of the room.   
“Go, I got this.” Iri commands with a smirk as her tail sways playfully, and beckons to the man who was circling dangerously. Shifting quickly she leaps out the open window, and Ryan isn’t far behind. Once out of the house the fight for dominance begins, Iri was tired but she was sure she had enough energy to defeat him… She hoped, or at least distract him enough to get some of himself back again. This wasn’t something she was used to doing as Geoff would handle him before they ever had to see him this bad. She wondered if Godric had fallen under the man’s sickness as well. Dodging blow after blow Iri focuses on her footwork, and maintaining a safe distance from the enraged Alpha who seem to have twice the strength than he normally did. She didn’t want to hit him, but she could only run for so long, hoping he would realize what he was doing… But she was wrong, he was too far under so shifting back she draws her knife and makes a superficial cut on his chest. Hoping the pain would draw him to the surface, but it only serves to enrage him further. This is how she finds herself pinned to the ground with her hands above her head, and the knife kicked from her grasp lying uselessly in the dust a few feet away. Turning her head to the side she spits the blood from her mouth as while she hadn’t been hitting him, he’d been hitting her… Not hard, but just enough to hurt…. She wondered if that was a sliver of his mindset coming back, trying to resurface, and take back control…. His humanity lurking just beneath this inhuman facade. Reaching out to him was her only chance at this point, but her mind was aching already using her powers at this point would just serve to enunciate her weakness…. But wasn’t that her mortal flaw anyways? Doing what she knew she shouldn’t, and using her powers to the point of exhaustion, she enters his heavily guarded and unwilling mind by sheer force of will. Pushing her consciousness till it encompassed his own in a bright, cleansing light, purging the man’s mind of the disastrous illness clinging to it. Iri falls to the ground right as the man plunges her own knife into her side. She can see the look of horror on his lips as his murky brown eyes clarify into Ryan’s crystal clear sky blue.   
“It’s okay Stag…. It’s…. alright now…. My love.” Iri trails off, her words fading into nothingness along with her own consciousness.


	162. The Situation

Ryan

He watched the blade come down, he watched helplessly to stop his own arm, and he watched as her eyes fluttered shut as the words of comfort left her lips.   
“Iri!... Iri no, I’m so sorry! Help! Boys help me!... Help her!” Ryan begs in desperation as tears fall from his eyes, and her body lies limp in his arms with blood beginning to soak his jeans. Why had he done this? Why couldn’t he have just controlled his instincts… Why hadn’t Godric stopped him?  
‘I tried my friend… I tried to fight it, but it… It wouldn’t let go.’ Godric mutters in their mind, his tone laced with defeat as their mate lie silently in their arms. The others still stunned and frozen where they stood by the actions of them both. It isn’t long before Dex breaks through the trance and lurches forward to help his mother, ripping the knife out as gently as possible he begins healing the wound.   
“Rapa, it’s okay… We know you didn’t mean it… It wasn’t you.” Leo mutters as he leaves his father’s side to comfort the crying Alpha. “She knows it wasn’t you.”  
“I…”  
“Rapa, she has already forgiven you… I can tell.” Leo adds, trying to assure their father hoping to kick start the Alpha’s normal personality. Felicia says nothing leaving Ray’s arms choosing to hug her other father tightly, and comfort him.   
“She’s going to be fine… My daughter is durable to say the least.” Celeste murmurs as she sits beside Dexter, and lifts the boy who is now slumped over his mother into her arms while placing a hand on Iridessa’s side. Dex had said nothing as he gave all of his strength to heal his mother, and Celeste had watched him try desperately to heal her fully but his powers were just not strong enough. Aiding the boy in his task, she finishes the job he tried to do. It takes merely moments before Celeste is done and the eyes of all, but the children fall on her.   
“You.”  
“Are.”  
“Her mother?” Gavin finishes as the group of Omegas look on with worry as the woman rises with her grandson in her arms.   
“That I am, I have come to end the mess I started with my mate so many years ago.” Celeste answers calmly with a smile, but is shocked by the ring of white hot fire that surrounds her, and the sense of depression that suddenly overtakes her heart. It was crippling, and had her reaching for her own knife. But the man named Ryan raises his hand and the feeling stops as suddenly as it started leaving her in sensory overload… and the world starts to spin, her powers unable to maintain a balance and she falls unconscious as well. Ryan leans down to pick up Iri, but his hands are burnt by an unseen fire.  
“Do not touch her, do not touch any of us… She may be forgiving, but we are a different story.” Ray warns as he shoulders past the man, and lifts up their lover while Gavin lifts both Dex as well as Scarlett into his arms. Felicia still residing beside Ryan gestures for Leo to come over, but he chooses to stay in Michael’s arms. The group heads inside leaving Felicia, Ryan, and Celeste in the fading sun, their eyes falling upon the woman lying before them.  
“Is she really your grandmother?”  
“She is, and she is very nice… Much like Mommy, in appearance and in personality. I trust her and Leo does as well. Scar is not so sure, and neither is Dex but those two never are.” Fel answers her father who just sighs and lifts the slumbering redhead, taking her inside and placing her on the couch. He heads up the stairs expecting to find the rest of his pack, but they’re nowhere to be found. Not a single trace of them, and Felicia narrows her eyes in worry. “Rapa, where are they?”  
“Morning Glory, I do not know… But don’t worry Sweetheart… I will never leave you.” Ryan assures his daughter who inches closer to him, and pulls her close on a nearby arm chair. “We will find them tomorrow Fel, I promise.”  
The Others

Iri awoke to the sound of crying, and screaming… her own screaming as she felt a searing pain carved through her side. Bolting up she casts back the darkness clouding her mind, and the fear lurking in her heart. Once on her feet she sees herself surrounded by the concerned looks of Gavin, Michael, and Ray who were watching her warily.   
“The kits!” Iri cries, realizing that they were not in the room. Leaping up she dashes towards the smell of them hoping they weren’t lost like her mate was. She finds them sleeping peacefully while Fin, Harry, and Thames watching over them quietly.   
“It’s good to see you Iri.” Harry says in greeting as he watches the confused fox slowly gain an understanding of the situation. “It hasn’t been easy without you.”   
“Where’s Geoff?”  
“He’s… Well.”  
“Dead?” Iri murmurs in fear, but the men shake their head in no vigorously.   
“Wyvern has him, and the rest of us as well… Fin, Thames, and I finally managed to break free, but it won’t be long before we are dragged back… He has these monsters, they look like people but are.”  
“Nikolai’s creations I presume… I remember them, but how will he find you?” Iri questions, and the man lifts his head to reveal the silver collar around his neck.   
“It emits a frequency at all times, we’ve managed to melt it with the help of Ray but his dogs will be coming for us soon… That’s why I had to wake you so abruptly, you need to take them and go. Get out of here, and go north to the safe house. We’ll lead him away, and circle back if we can.” Harry explains somberly as his cousin’s heart sinks. “Fin says he can get there and back before they even realize he’s not with us… I’ll cast an illusion, it should be enough time.”  
“What about Ryan?”  
“He’s been under the influence of Wyvern’s creatures for weeks now… He’s not to be trusted.” Thames states as he watches the eyes of the Omegas flicker in understanding. “His mind has been tampered with.”  
“But I fixed that last night, he is fine now.” Iri assures them confidently, and Finn nods curtly before disappearing with a whoosh then reappearing with another. He carried both Ryan and Celeste in his arms with Felicia on his back. “Come with us.”  
“We can’t, if we do he’ll know you are back in the states this way we can keep you safe till a plan can be made to truly defeat him… Don’t worry though, we’re okay. Right boys?” Harry says with a calming smile, and the men just nod in agreement. Iri could tell they weren’t anywhere near fine, and the look in Fin’s eyes screamed pain but his smile said otherwise.  
“Never better.” Fin adds with a smirk as he brushes his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes and gives his cousin a quick hug. “I’ll see you guys soon.”  
“I mean he’s not wrong.” Thames says giving Iri a pat on the back. “We’ve been through worse, so don’t worry about us kid, just get to safety… We’ll see you soon.”  
“I can help.”  
“We know, but we also know that you stand a better chance of helping us end this if you stay away for now and focus on recovering strength… You’ll get your chance, but for now you need to go.” Harry commands as he picks up the twins, and Thames does the same with the other two children. They all head out of the small abandoned house to a junky van waiting in the driveway.   
“What will you do?”  
“We will survive… We are the Squadron Fate Forgot remember? Our motto is less is best.” Harry answers her as tears fall from her eyes. “We have suffered far worse Iri, don’t worry about us.” He says as he wipes them away with his hand before giving her a kiss on the forehead. “Keep them safe, and we will find you when we can Iri…. Leader. Fin take them now, they’re coming.”   
“No!” Iri shouts bitterly, but before she can stop anyone they’re parked in front of a snow covered cabin with trees all around them, and no sign of a road anywhere. She looks for Fin, but only finds his empty tracks, already being covered by the heavy snow drifting from the sky. Looking to the others she sees similar looks of despair save for the children who are still sleeping.   
“Iri, what do we do?” Gavin asks as he looks to the woman now staring out the windshield in quiet thinking. “Iri?”  
“We.”  
“Love?”  
“We survive… Boys take the kits inside as well as my mother she’s still unconscious, and get acquainted with the house. Ryan and I will search the woods for an idea of where we are.” Iri orders as she and the gent exit the car. The boys do as they are told and begin taking the kids inside, Ray searches the van with Ryan as well as Iri, and they find seven suitcases filled with the appropriate clothing for the weather in their sizes. “They were planning this.” Ryan mutters as he looks to Iri in shock.   
“They knew I’d come back eventually, and they were prepared to protect us… they.” Iri starts, but fades away as she trains her expression to that of an Alpha in charge. She was their leader, and they needed her to be calm. This wasn’t the time for tears, this was the time to act and not to waste their sacrifice. “Ray go inside, Ryan change, and let’s go.” Iri commands as she grabs a sleek coat lying in the back. Ray just nods and sets forth to do as he’s told. Once changed Ryan and Iri set forth down what they believe to be the path to civilization. ‘Lexi stay here, just in case.’  
‘Yes Mistress.’ Lexi answers curtly in her mind before detaching and dashing off in her fox form to catch up to Ray. Leaving just her and Ryan to trek out into the winter woods.


	163. Let's begin again

Many Hours Later

The moon was high in the sky, and the snow had finally stopped falling leaving the woods in a glittery, iridescent blanket. She and Ryan had discovered nothing about their new home save for that it had a large lake not more than a ten minute walk to the north, and it was very far from any known road in any direction. Giving the sense that they were comfortably isolated from the land outside, and safe from the clutches of Wyvern. Heading back to the cabin they found it casting a warming glow from the outside, and they could see the shapes of the others cuddled up by a lit fireplace through the front window. It looked like the perfect family vacation, save for the reality of it all. It was a safe house isolated from the dangers of a man, who was hell bent on controlling the world and killing any who got in his way; before they went inside Ryan grabbed her hand to get her attention.  
“Iri, how long are we going to be here?” Ryan asks worriedly, and Iri just shrugs. She has no answer to his question, and speculation would only serve to frustrate him. “How long till it all goes back to normal?”  
“As long as it takes me to kill him.” Iri states seriously as she looks to the man who was just staring at her in quiet contemplation. “Hopefully that’s not long.”  
“Iri you can’t fight him by yourself, let me help you.”   
“Ryan, you couldn’t even keep your own mind safe… You don’t have the strength necessary to combat them.” Iri says with a smirk, it wasn’t meant to hurt him, but rather it was to be honest. “You’ve scared them… Badly.” She murmurs gesturing to their family inside.  
“I know, it was like I couldn’t control it. I tried so hard to gain control.. I was drowning in my own mind.” Ryan explains to Iri who only offers him a calculating look. Her blue eyes were more gray, and she didn’t seem to be particularly interested in what he was saying. “Iri?”  
“Geoff should have been there, or I… But that doesn’t matter, at this point you need to gain their trust again, and I need to become stronger. Go inside with the others I need to think.”  
“Iri, should.”  
“I can handle myself Ryan, I always have been able to.” Iri states with a shortness her mate doesn’t question, and just sighs in defeat while heading into the cabin leaving her alone with her thoughts. Though that was how she liked it in the end, it was much easier to deceive them like this. She had no intentions of letting her mate and friends live under Wyvern’s thumb, and his creatures. No she would find a way back in and she would rescue all of them, but how is a better question…. A question that she necessarily didn’t have the answer to considering that she didn’t even know where she was. First things first she needed to rest and recharge, and become stronger if she could. The second thing was that she needed to figure out where she was, perhaps later she could fly up into the sky and find out where she was… Or at least the nearest town to discover where she was. Thirdly she… she wasn’t really sure what the third one was, but she was pretty sure she needed a third one for her list to be complete… Maybe she should write this down so she didn’t forget… Though it was a pretty short list, and she didn’t think she would need to write this down…. However, that was neither here nor there, she needed to focus, to be serious, and buckle down. No more whimsical thought, whimsical thoughts wouldn’t save the others depending on her, no they would only get them killed. It was time to be an adult, not a child… Geoff wouldn’t be here to save her when she was about to die, in fact no one would there to save her. She would have to save herself, and for once… for the very first time in her entire life she felt she just might be able to. That this would be the day she’s waited for, and this would be the day that opened many doors... Or closed in the case of some.

Geoff   
Months later

Geoff spit up blood as he was kicked again in the side, and he felt his ribs crack in painful ways. Though he couldn’t remember ever having his ribs cracked in a good way, but then again he might have had it happen. He wasn’t quite sure of much as the man above him continued beating him, at one point he had struggled, tried to fight but by now it was pointless. Geoff had no way of getting out of here, and no way of getting word to anyone else… So lying here was his only option, and making the best of this situation was his second best option... No one liked a sore loser he thought to himself with a smirk. Rolling to the left he escaped the man’s steel toed boot, and managed to sit up despite his injuries.   
“Have you decided to sign the contract Mr. Ramsey?” Wyvern asks with a smile as he pauses in his torture, and waits to see what his captive's answer would be. Geoff however, just smirks at him before spitting a mouthful of blood on Wyvern’s shoes. He really hoped it stained that man's stupid leather boots... I mean who wears leather to a torture session, pretentious much?  
“I served my country asshole, I’m a free man.” Geoff states with a defiant tone as he yanks at the chains on his arms.   
“But Ramsey, you aren’t a man… You are an animal.. A wanderer, nothing but a vicious animal.” Wyvern murmurs in a hypnotic tone causing Geoff to chuckle at his words.  
“No I’m not, and you realize I am a telepath right? Hypnosis isn’t all too effective on me.” Geoff taunts, he was rather proud of himself for retaining this smart ass tone despite the situation. It had been so long since he’d been tortured like this, but Erik had been right… You never forgot how to channel your mind, how to silence your lips even with a knife in your side, but mostly you never forgot what it felt like to survive past your last breath. To keep going even after you’ve extinguished every last ounce of fight you had in you. So yeah, Geoff would say he’s proud of himself for lasting this long though he hoped it wouldn’t be much longer. This was beginning to be taxing on his mind, and his body. Old age was definitely not helping his cause, and neither was Todd who had become frighteningly silent over the last few weeks… almost like he was afraid something might happen. Or maybe he was just silently trying to find a way out of this hell hole, Geoff wasn’t sure. However, with that last thought and another kick to the side his attention was drawn upwards to the man growling above him.  
“Where is she?”  
“Who?” Geoff sputters taken aback by the harshness of the kick. He turns his head up to meet the pair of crimson eyes looking down at him. “Iri?”  
“Who else would I be asking about? Your grandmother?” Wyvern states impatiently, he didn’t have all day but of course this man had to be difficult. “I know you know Geoffrey, an Alpha always knows.”  
“Tch, obviously you don’t know us as well as you think you do… I’ve never been able to keep track of that woman, hell the only one who could was Michael.” Geoff adds with a smirk as the man growls in frustration at him. “In fact my bet is that she’s far from here….So fuck off.”  
“If that’s the case than you have no use for me… And I don’t keep trash around.” Wyvern says as he places a hand on the man’s throat, squeezing tightly, and effectively crushing his windpipe. He watched with a sickening smile as Geoff struggled weakly beneath him, trying his best to break free… But he couldn’t and Wyvern smirked as Geoff slowly stops fighting against him, his the light in his eyes fading till there was nothing left, just a dead predator at his feet.


	164. Plan K for the Kool-Aid Man

Iri  
Miles from the complex in the forest 

Lexi had been right about Wyvern’s patience as Iri listened through Geoff’s mind, and fought to keep the man’s heart beating. She had allowed it to stop long enough for Wyvern to let go, and leave the man but restarted it the instant he left. Now all she had to do was figure out a way into the building without drawing too much attention. Dropping to the ground from her tree position, and turning towards the building she starts walking towards it. Iri figured she’d have a plan by the time she got to the door, or hell maybe she’d just bust through the side…. Like the kool aid man did, Iri thinks to herself out loud.   
“Tex that’s a terrible idea even for you.” Reaver mutters with a smirk as he grabs her from behind, a knife to her throat. Iri however, just drops to the ground and turns to face him. “I’m not here to kill you… I’d rather help.” Ori states as she shifts her form into her normal face. “We thought you were dead.”  
“Far from it my friend… How is it?”  
“Not great, he’s killing any who lose to those monsters and then turning them into those feral creatures.” Ori explains with a pained look. “He… He’s.. he’s killed a lot us Iri.”  
“Ori, Ori, I’m so sorry, I’m… I never meant for.”  
“I know, I know, this just comes with the territory I guess… It is nothing new to me Tex, just hurts when it is your own.” Ori trails off quietly as she looks to the fox hybrid giving her an understanding look. “However, it is not the time for this…. Vermont said you’d be looking for him.”  
“Vermont always is on his toes isn’t he? Ori, I know I have no right to ask, but I.. I don’t think I can get Geoff out without you.”  
“Iri, family never has to ask for help, and besides I’d rather die like this than in the coliseum he’s created.” Ori states with a smile, Iri could tell in her eyes that this woman was broken… Her eyes usually vibrant and playful were dull, and it killed Iri to see her like this. It was in this one decisive moment Iri knew what she needed to do.   
“Ori, you’re are taking Geoff.” Iri states suddenly, and with more surety than she should have.  
“Iri?” Ori questions, looking to the woman like she was insane because this idea was lunacy at its best.  
“I’m staying, and getting the rest out…. All I need is a car, and Fin.” Iri says in a thinking manner as she looks to the women who is staring at her in disbelief. “Go get the rest of them, and grab Geoff… I’m about to do something real stupid.... and don't bother trying to change my mind, it's already set.” Ori doesn’t say anything at all choosing to nod gratefully, give this stupidly brave woman a hug, and dash towards the building as Iri sighed. ‘Lexi?’  
‘Yes Mistress?’  
‘I need you to disconnect from me.’  
‘No, I.’  
‘This time I need you to follow orders, and I need you to take care of my kits… you remember how Klein lied to us?’  
‘Mistress, I can’t let you do this alone.’  
‘I don’t want that for them. I want you to tell them why I did it, I want you to tell them how much I love them everyday Alexia… I need you to do that.’ Iri tells her companion mentally as tears stream silently down, she looks to the fox walking beside her... This could be the last time she ever saw her fox, but she hoped it wasn't. ‘And you tell their fathers the same… Can you do that for me?’  
‘Yes, Iri… I will.’ Lexi laments in defeat, her mistress was set on this, and no amount of arguing with her would change this. ‘But, you won’t… you won’t die easily will you?’  
‘Never.’ Iri promises her friend with a soft smile, picking up the fox, and hugging her to her chest.   
‘What’s the plan then?’   
‘I’m going in there, and I’m going to fuck shit up.’ Iri responds back with as much gusto as she could manage at this point. “What we’re best at I suppose.”  
“You ready?” Lexi asks as she finally separates their minds for what may be the last time. She hoped it wasn’t, but if it was she would remember her promises and she’d remember everything about her Mistress. How she had cared for everyone, and given herself fully to any cause she took up… Lexi would never let Iri’s children feel the unloved like she had been as a child… They would never wonder if their mother loved them, and it wouldn’t be a question they ever thought about. As they walked to the front of the building Iri made no attempt to be silent about her entrance, but she did nothing to promote it either. Pulling the golden desert eagles from her thigh holsters she shoots the security guards to either side of her before any alarm can sound. However, with the sound of the gunshots agents filter in with weapons drawn. Looking at their eyes Iri connects with all of those pairs of dead eyes, and she doesn’t even question them while putting bullets between their eyes. Eliminating many before the sound of a man clearing their throat interrupts the sound of bullets and gun casings falling to the ground. She drops three more before a man tackles her, and knocks the guns from her hands. Lexi rips the man’s throat out before disappearing in a wisp of smoke, leaving a mental safe in Iri’s mind. Iri didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what that meant, and at that point allows the dead-eyed creatures to capture her.   
“Texas, how lovely it is to see you. Have you come to reconsider my offer?” Wyvern asks with a tone dripping in a syrupy sweetness that left a bad taste in her mouth.   
“How many times do I need to tell you to fuck off?” Iri asks in a seriously questioning manner. “Like at this point I’m starting to think you might be slow.”   
“Then why are you here?”  
“Well I was beginning to wonder if you were interested in making a deal?”  
“What kind of deal?”  
“Well the classic me against you for my freedom.”  
“.... No, I might be slow, but I’m not stupid.”  
“Awe big, bad raven is scared of a little fox?” Iri taunts the prideful man, she hoped he’d play into her ploy. Maybe this cliche might even save her life, but judging by the look on his face and the feeling of a prick in her neck she guessed not.   
“Not particularly, I just don’t fancy a bet I might lose.” Wyvern whispers in her ear as the woman falls limp in front of him. “Take her to my chambers, and tie her up.”


	165. Just Keep Him Happy

Geoff  
Days later

It had been a blur of colored moments in his eyes, and when he finally awakes to the world he feels the warmth of thick blankets wrapped around him. Blinking slowly he feels something move next to him, and to his surprise the feeling of three more furry creatures move around him. Opening his eyes fully Geoff sees the sight of a lion cub, fox kit, wolf pup, and an ocelot kitten.   
“Papa!” They shout brightly, and Geoff can’t help the smile that greets his face despite the pain in his limbs.   
“Papa, we’ve missed you so much!” Dex shouts as he shifts back and practically tackles the man in a hug. “I’ve missed you so much.”  
“So have I Dex, I’ve missed you so much too buddy… I’ve missed all of you so much, however, Dexy I need you to get off my chest.”  
“Oh, of course! I’m sorry Papa, I’ll get Celeste to help.” Dex says as he rushes out of the room before his father can ask what is happening.  
“Gran and Gram have come to stay with us, Mommy’s parents.” Fel explains as she runs her hands through Geoff’s sweat soaked hair as she places a soft kiss on his cheek. “Uncle Harry and Fin are here too, plus Thames…. And lots of others too.”   
“What… What do you mean others?”  
“I think we should let Rapa explain Felicia.” Scar tells her as she grabs each of the twins’ hands and pulls them towards the doors. “Let’s go see how the others are doing.” She adds as they all head out and walk outside of the room leaving Geoff in confusion. As the kits leave Ryan enters with a bowl of soup, and a bottle of what Geoff assumes to be pain killers. Sitting up he notices the look in Ryan’s eyes, and how murky they seemed to be.   
“Ry what’s happening?” Geoff inquires as he looks to the gent who seems to be avoiding his gaze. The gent continues to move silently as he pulls up a chair next to the bed while sitting down, and offering a full spoon to the man after blowing on it slightly.  
“Did you know Felicia has opted to started training?” Ryan states with a smile as he continues to feed the gent who merely nods silently. “I cooked this, but she used her powers to control the flames… It was incredibly impressive for such a young child, only eight to have such control.”  
“She’s astonishing Ryan, it’s hard not to be proud of her…. Did you know she’s the state champ for Geography?”  
“I am aware, she’s very smart… Her brothers as well, not too mention the medals they have… Or Scarlett as well, we have very gifted children.” Geoff says with a smile, trying to ease the man to tell whatever secret he was hiding. Ryan however, just continues on in silence choosing to grin softly at him, his eyes bright with unshed tears. “Ry, what’s happened?”  
“Nothing, I’m just.. We thought you were gone Geoff.” Ryan lies, he didn’t have the heart… He couldn’t tell him that the only reason he was here was because Iri wasn’t. Ori had told them what she had done, the recklessness Iri had acted on. The mess she had made so the rest could escape without being hindered. “I’m so happy you are here Geoffrey.”   
“Is that it?.. Well then come on you sappy dope, I’m hungry.” Geoff says with a bright smile as Ryan just nods and hands him the bowl.   
“Here Geoff, I’m going to go tell the boys you are up.” Ryan says while placing a kiss on his bruised lips before exiting the room to find the boys staring at him sadly. “I couldn’t tell him… Just leave it be for now, lie to him, and tell him she’s busy with the others.”  
“You want us to lie to him?” Gavin states in disbelief. “He’ll know.”  
“No he won’t, Gavi just avoid the topic.” Michael tells him, before ushering the other two omegas inside the room. Pulling Ryan aside, and into another room. “Do you think she’s dead?”  
“I.. I don’t really know, and Lexi won’t tell us anything… The others are too scared to go back for her.” Ryan explains to Michael who just nods, and releases the Alpha. “Cub.”  
“No, you don’t get to call me that! You don’t get!” Michael growls as he pushes the man away and storms out of the cabin. Ryan sighs in both frustration, and sadness as he watches the Omega go; he wanted to go after him but leaving Michael to blow off his steam was the best option. So that’s what he would do he’d let him be mad, and he’d be waiting with open arms for him when he got home.   
“Ryan!”   
“Yeah Geoff?”  
“We need pack cuddles get in here!” Geoff shouts smiling, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this happy. Having his pack here, and everyone in good health only served to make the moment even better, and he didn’t even question it as they all settled down sleepily.

Scarlett

Uncle Harry had spoken to her early, he had warned her that Geoff would be very sleepy and impressionable. Harry had urged her to use her powers to make him happy; to make him accept the prettiest reality possible when they all knew what he would do if knew the truth. Geoff would attempt to rescue his damsel only to get trapped himself by the dragon, and probably get both of them eaten. So for now she would help hide the truth from him if only for his own safety, though she doubted this would last very long given how perceptive the man was. Once Todd gained his wits he would most definitely kick Dash out, and then the adults would have to truly deal with the Alpha’s wrath. However, with that being said Scarlett watches her father come out of the room wearing the biggest smile she had seen on him in a long time.   
“Poppa what happens when he wakes and discovers this is all a ruse?” Scar asks in more of a demanding tone than a questioning. “What happens?”   
“Well Scarlett, I hate to say it, but you are my daughter and it isn’t up to you.” Gavin quips as he watches his daughter step back. “I am your father, and what the others and I decide will be what happens… You need to do as you are told.”   
“Excuse me?” Scarlett mutters in confusion, her father was never this strict with her.   
“You heard me Scarlett Rose.” Gavin states unrelenting in his tone or intense stare. His daughter holds his gaze for merely minutes before backing off, and heading upstairs to her bedroom. Sighing he turns away from the stairs, and looks up to see his cousin offering him a comforting look. “Don’t have children Fin.”  
“....” Fin doesn’t say anything at his cousin’s thoughtless words, they both knew of his desire to have a child, to become a father was one of his life long dreams. However, he would chalk up his cousin’s thoughtless words to the stress he was under with one mate injured, and the other missing Fin couldn’t help but feel for his cousin. But despite his attempt to mask his feelings he guessed Gavin had felt his emotions change.  
“Oh bugger…. I didn’t…. You know what I mean Fin.”  
“I know Gav, I’m just…. I’m going to go talk to her.”  
“Go for it, she’s becoming stubborn like her mother… I swear the less Iri is around the more they take after her.” Gavin mumbles with a smile to his family, who just nods in agreement as heading up the stairs. Leaving the man alone in the living room, he looks to the fire slowly dying in the hearth, and with a sad smile he puts another log on the fire. He doesn’t even notice when Thames and Ori come to the stand by the Omega as the fire nibbles at the edges of the log. They noticed how off the man’s scent was, and the lack of enthusiasm in his eyes… Granted not that this situation was wonderful, but Gavin was known for his underlying sense of optimism. Though now his attitude seemed more akin to a beaten puppy. Due to their proximity to so many alphas Harrison had mentioned that it might be beneficial for them to take suppressors for the time being, not to say the agents couldn’t control themselves… it was… in his words it would be less distracting for all involved. Thinking back to that moment Gavin had to agree with him as the overwhelming scents of alpha flooded his nostrils he couldn’t help but feel a twinge in his chest. Shifting his eyes up he notices Harry staring at him with pursed lips, in such a way that made him feel guilty for sitting here… Doing nothing to help his mate trapped in Hell, but in reality what could he really do? Gavin wasn’t a fighter, he just wasn’t no matter what the circumstance was… Sure he would protect the ones he loved, but he… He couldn’t push himself to save her, he couldn’t risk his life when he knew Scarlett would just lose them both. Iri knew that too, and he knew that Iri would want it this way.   
“Gav, you alright?” Harry asks as he noticed how close to the fire the man seemed to be his hands were merely inches from the flames, and the hopeless look in his eyes worried him deeply. “Why don’t I make you a glass of tea?”  
“I don’t want any, thank you though.” Gavin mutters as his clouded mind clears enough for him to pull back his reaching hand. He hadn’t even realized how close to the flames his was. “Harry what’s wrong?”  
“Gavin, why don’t we go for a walk? Get you out of this house, and outside.. I bet Lance would love to go for a run…. Kori and Kara wouldn’t mind escorting you, I’m sure.” Harry suggests helpfully, but the Omega only growls lowly at him. “Gav, Michael is.”  
“Michael is what!” Gavin snaps at the coyote who was taken back by his aggression. “If he was worried then he shouldn’t have ran away!” He basically screams in rage, his powers unrestrained attack the nearest person to him. Luckily Harrison had been ready for his outburst, and using his illusions he blanks the man’s mind out. Leaving Gavin’s thoughts floating alone in a calm sea surrounded by nothing but the clouds drifting lazily in the sky. Once the Omega was distracted by the Harrison’s powers Ori gently lifts the gangly man up, and lays him on the couch as Harrison maintains focus. Gavin was a strong influencer so if Harrison didn’t focus he’d see right through it.   
“Ori, please.” Harrison asks simply, he didn’t know how much longer he could fight Lance. As gently as Ori could she picks up Gavin’s hand and extends her snake’s fangs, injecting just enough venom to put the man into a restful slumber so nothing more than a few drops. The Omega’s breathing evens out to a deep sleep, and Ori watches Harrison blink roughly while rubbing the base of his neck.  
“You okay York?”  
“Yeah… He’s just very difficult to hold down in there… Lance didn’t want any part of the illusion I was providing for them.” Harrison tells Ori who nods in understanding, but he knew she really didn’t understand his plight. Her team were all venomous snakes, and were only able to shape shift. She understood causing illusions in real life, but mentally it was a bit of a toss up in her mind.   
“Has anyone seen Ray today?” Ori asks changing the subject to something else.  
“I have, he’s outside with Kentucky and most of team Zebra… They’re teaching him basic self defense, but from what I’ve heard it’s been a bit of a mess. These Omegas don’t seem to be cut out for combat.” Ori comments softly, a hand stroking through Gavin’s greasy hair. “When is the last time he’s showered? Or really any of them?”   
“Ori, I don’t know I’m more concerned with saving my cousin than their bathing habits.”   
“You don’t think I am too?” Ori questions with a growl to the man, who meets her challenge with his own only to realize what he was doing.  
“No, I’m just saying I don’t know.” Harrison says changing his tone from a growl, it wasn’t fair to her for his attitude when she was simply inquiring about the others well being. “Michael isn’t on the grounds anymore, he’s found a road and is running down it.”  
“And you haven’t stopped him?” Ori exclaims in anger. “You need to go get him before he does something stupid, or Wyvern finds him!”   
“He’s taken Dexter with him, Thames is following them.” Harrison states quietly to Ori who continues to stare at him in disbelief. “They aren’t trapped here Ori, I can’t just drag them back.”  
“You can, and you will. I promised my Mistress that they would be safe, and you’ve allowed them to basically wander off to their deaths.” Lexi interjects as she pads down the stairs quickly with Fin right behind her. “And just so you are aware the rest of the kits are nowhere to be found. They are not with Michael, who Marcus has convinced to come back, and they are not with Ray who is in Geoff’s room with Ryan.”  
“What? How did they get past? There’s like fifteen fucking agents out there.” Harrison exclaims grouchily as the others just shrug, Lexi just sighs in frustration as she dissipates to Michael’s location.


	166. Gently

The Forest

Michael plowed through the snow till he came to the very edge of the forest, he could see buildings not far from him, and he had the right mind to just continue. However, it was the calling of Marcus that stopped him in his tracks.   
‘How would these people react if you just transform suddenly because last I checked you weren’t dressed for this weather… If you shift back you’ll have frostbite before you can reach that bar.’ Marcus explains casually as Michael lingers just beside the treeline unaware of the hunter several feet away. It isn’t until a twig snaps that the bobcat notices the man pointing a large hunting rifle at him. Thinking quickly he dashes back, but the crack of a shot is heard and he waits for the inevitable feeling of a bullet. But instead is graced by the site of a small black baby fox, and a hot bullet dropping into the snow causing steam all around it. The man then wears a look of surprise however, it is soon turned to a blank stare as he begins walking toward the town.   
“You are lucky I followed you Dad.” Dex mumbles as he walks back into the cover of the trees.  
“Dex, what are you doing out here all alone?” Michael counters worriedly. “How did you manage to.”  
“Momma's taught me a lot .” Dex adds, using his powers to shield them from the other predators lurking in the forest. “It’s not as hard as you might think… They aren’t really looking for me so there’s no need for them to think anything is out of the ordinary.”   
“You sound like your mother.” Michael laments softly, he missed her so much, and he just hoped she wasn’t dead or worse… He hoped she hadn’t finally broken under Wyvern’s thumb. A person only had so much to give before.  
“Dad, you and I both know that’s not true… Momma can give more than anyone should ever have to, and then more… She’ll be fine, she always is.” Dexter states after hearing his father’s uncertain thoughts, uncertainty like that only bred poor decision making and this most definitely was not the time for that. “Go back to the house, I want to stay out here for awhile.”  
“Excuse me?” Michael snaps at his son. “I won’t leave you out here alone.”  
“I’m not, Vex is with me.” Dex quips with a smile before forcing his way into Michael’s mind and bending him to his will… As gently as he possibly could, but Dex would be the first to admit his skills in persuasion weren’t all that great, nothing compared to his mother. Watching quietly he watched as Michael slowly stopped fighting Dex’s will, and eventually turned around and dashed off towards the cabin. “Leo it’s clear.” He mumbles as a lion, wolf, and ocelot slowly appear from their hiding spots. Dex could see the hurt in his brother’s eyes as they sent their father back to the safety of the cabin.  
“It… you didn’t hurt him did you Griff?” Leo questions softly, and Dexter shakes his head in no. “I... Thanks Griff.”  
“Boys we don’t have all night, so let’s get going.” Felicia urges as they look to see the moon beginning to rise.   
“She’s right, and Lexi won’t be so easily evaded forever.” Scarlett adds as she figured their disappearance had most likely already been discovered. So with that in mind the four start their trek south, towards the road, and the world outside of the safety of their mother’s protection… But how protected had she really left them? Isolation wasn’t protection, no it was merely a way to stave off the inevitable. Hiding like this would only prolong the situation at hand, and the more they thought about it the worse it sounded.


	167. You Killed Them, Not I

Iri   
Days?

She woke to the feelings of her arms and legs tied to a wooden cross, her head chained by the neck keeping her from falling forward. The smell of blood was in the air, and she knew it was hers due to the smoky scent lingering in the air. Looking to the side she could see fresh blood dripping down from her fingers to rest in a sticky puddle at her feet. Not a very heartening sight to wake up to she thinks to herself, especially when she had no idea where or when she was. Hell she could have been hanging here for weeks, hours, or days. However, she doubted it was longer than a few days judging by the dried blood crusting around her feet not to mention the scabbing on the endless whip marks on her. If she had to guess it was most likely nothing more than three days, perhaps the end of two. After looking briefly around the room she sees two guards whom she had no idea their names, but judging by the soulless way they stared at her they were gone. Using what strength she had left she pushes the nails from her palms, and forces them deep into the brains of the guards, effectively scrambling their brain circuitry beyond repair. Once taken care of she shifts her attention to the cuffs and using the blood slips her wrists out of them, then undoing the ankle cuffs to secure her freedom. However, the celebration is short lived as seven more hulking men storm into the room with what seem to be shotguns, but with the AR look about them. She highly doubted that a shot from them would feel nice at all, so with a sigh she raises her arms in a defensive position.   
“Alright boys give me your best.” Iri mutters while spitting blood to the side, and narrowing her eyes at them. She doubted this would end very well for her, but right as one of the men raised their guns a man burst through the door wearing a smirk…. A pair of blood red eyes watched her with a smile that Iri could only describe as perverse. “Shit.”  
“Hmm it seems you’ve finally realized the severity.”  
“Blah, blah, blah will you just get on with it… Jesus you're worse than a Bond Villain, at least they had class.” Iri taunts with a bored look as she lowers her fists, and looks around the room for anything to use. “Are you going to tell me your evil plan now?”   
“Do you think I’m stupid Iridessa?”  
“I mean I don’t exactly not think that.” Iri quips finding the room filled with sharp knives, scalpels, and other torture devices she just clenches her fist and goes to town. The room is transformed into a bloody mess with brains and blood splattered against the walls. “Hows… that….. Shit…” Iri growls but trails off as the feeling of exhaustion takes hold. Wyvern just continues to wear a smirk that Iri wished she could cut off his face, but her powers could barely levitate a knife to her hand.  
“You aren’t as strong without Alexia are you?” He asks knowingly as he withdraws a syringe from his pocket. “I’m willing to bet that if I wanted I could turn you feral without much trouble… Mmm imagine the look on your lover’s faces as they are forced to put you down.” With each word he steps closer, and Iri tries to will herself to move but it’s weak at best. He was baiting her to draw Lexi to her, she didn’t know why, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to give him what he wanted. So biting the bullet she uses her strength to shift, and leap out the cracked door. Dashing into the bright light Iri finds several faces she recognized waiting outside the door, but their eyes were wrong... empty and soulless.   
“Tex what are you doing? Come here and let’s get you right as rain.” Indy says in her cheerful tone reaching for the wounded fox. “Don’t fret.”  
“You're dead, don’t… don’t get any closer.” Iri growls painfully at the woman, she had been nothing but a saint and this monster was using her body. It was an abomination, and Iri just watched as it inched closer to her with nothing but a warm smile on its face… its borrowed face that is. “Indy just stay back.”   
“Now Tex just stay.”  
“You aren’t her.” Iri mutters with tears in her eyes as she snaps her cerebral cord as well as with the rest of the people in the hallway. These meaningless copies were just dark shadows of the people they used to be, and killing them wasn’t mean it was… it was mercy… mercy on the minds of the loved ones who would have to face them. So that is what she told herself as each body dropped, lifeless and empty like it was supposed to be to the tiled ground.   
“Very good Texas, kill them all.” Wyvern urges with a smile as he watches the fox break a little more inside, his plan was working and soon she’d be driven mad by the loss. “Look at the death you create… Far more than I could have ever hoped my creatures to create.”   
“I… You… They weren’t.” Iri starts to mumble painfully, but her words trail off as her body begins to drain of adrenaline leaving her lucid. “Monsters.”  
“No my dearest, you are the only monster here.” Wyvern whispers as the fox’s exhaustion allows him to get close enough to inject the sleeping drug into her neck. “You killed them, not I.”   
“Fuck you.” Iri whispers as her body finally drops from exhaustion, knowing in her heart that she wasn’t the cause of this. She didn’t make him do this to them, she only pushed them to demand their freedom.


	168. Reckless like his Mother

Dexter

He could feel their mother fighting against the hold of her capture’s torments, but he also knew that this wasn’t the first time she had to fight. As they ran with their predators scouting ahead, clearing a path for them, and blazing the trail. Vex and Sol were leading fearlessly, but Dexter wasn’t sure how long the pair would actually work together considering how viciously the pair fought. Dex looked to Leo who was running beside him with their sisters trailing behind them, he could tell Felicia wanted to say something but seemed to be holding her tongue.  
“Fel, where we are going secrets aren’t going to help.” Leo states, not bothering to stop running or even turn around only continuing to run. Felicia doesn’t say anything at first rather choosing to stay silent. “Lorelai, I can literally feel you singeing my fur back there.”   
“This is stupid, and we are just going to get ourselves killed… or worse.” Fel states grouchily, raising a wall of flames to stop the boys in their tracks. “My father is tracking us, and Uncle Fin can’t be far behind… We’re just going to get in trouble.”  
“Then go back.” Scarlett mutters coldly turning to face her sister with a serious stare on her face, and her posture rigid. “No one is making you come, and you can only slow us down with that attitude.”  
“Dex, what do you think?” Fel asks her eyes and voice full of hurt. Dexter didn’t want to admit it, but Scarlett had a point. If they maintained this pace than they wouldn’t be moving quickly enough to even begin to track their Mother's mind. However, before he can say anything he notices the wall of flames fall, clearing their path. “I… I see… Well good luck I guess.” Fel whispers bitterly as she bows her head, and dashes back towards the way they’d come. Dex watches his sister run off dejectedly, but the other two wear steel eyed expressions and turn to him for direction.   
“Let’s go guys, Godric can't be far behind.” Dex urges quietly, and continuing forward. 

Felicia

She wasn’t stupid, she knew they were going to leave her… They always left her, and frankly she was fine with it. She didn’t need them, she had Ferah and Frey to talk to… and… and they were great company. Felicia couldn’t help the tears that streamed down her face as she realized what her siblings had done. How easily they had just left her in this strange place all alone, and without any means of finding her way home. Sure following their footprints back should have been a walk in the park, but the snow had already begun again and they were covered. It didn’t help that her eyes were now clouded with tears, and her powers were freezing everything around her. Trees were being covered in thick layers of ice and the snow falling became hail around her making it even harder to navigate home. Taking her chances she runs in the direction she believes is home, a trail of ice following her as she ran.   
‘Snowflake calm down…. Breathe Darling.’ A bell like voice whispers in her mind, and looking around quickly she searches for its owner. ‘Focus on the wind… follow it home.’ It urges her softly in a comforting tone.  
“Momma?” Felicia whispers aloud hoping for a response, but receives only the sound of the wind blowing in her ears. “Momma are you here?” Felicia whispers desperately into the biting wind, it was such a relief to hear her mother’s voice.  
‘Only in your heart Snowflake, I love you so much Felicia… With me you are never alone… You must get your Papa, stop them before the others find them.’ The voice urges quietly, imposing a seriousness in the girl’s mind leaving her with a new sense of purpose. Invigorating the young oncilla to run faster in the direction of home. 

The Cabin

Geoff was dozing gently under the warm covers when a woman’s voice barges into his thoughts.   
‘Save them Geoffrey!’ It screams, jolting him awake and sending Todd into overdrive. Using their powers Todd pushes all the influencers out of their mind, clearing it of the cloud that settled over it. Jolting up the events of the last few months rush back into his mind, and the realization horrifies him. While he’d been resting in bed oblivious to everything where had Iri been, where had his children been, and now the voice? “Iri! Oh god,Todd the kits! Go Todd, find them!” Geoff commands throwing the covers off of himself, and grabbing the pair of pants off the edge of the bed. Not bothering to alert anyone else he throws open the door of the cabin, and rushes off into the snowy night. It isn’t ten minutes before he realizes how cold it was, and shifting swiftly he takes off into the forest on all fours. His fur much warmer than a shirt and a pair of pants.   
‘Todd did you find them?’ Geoff questions his companion who doesn’t respond to him. ‘Todd?’  
‘Geoffrey, there are a lot of people… well predators in this forest I need time.’  
‘Well we don’t have any, I need you to work faster.’ Geoff practically growls at him, his companion says nothing in rebuttal choosing to do as the man asked. Todd knew he was just worried, but the strain of their still recovering body and worry was only slowing him down. The fox wasn’t sure that he could even work faster is he wanted to. ‘Todd, please.’  
‘Geoffrey, I can’t!.... I’m trying!’ Todd shouts back in their mind, Geoff at this point can feel his frustration growing and understands that he isn’t helping. Taking a moment to breathe Geoff scents the air looking for anything that could help them. He can smell the scent of nature, which consisted of mainly trees and grass… Nothing that he could discern from the scents of his children. However, he doesn’t let this concern him rather he pushes on in the direction Todd was urging him, he didn’t know if it was right but it was his best guess. 

Half hour 

Geoff hears it… He hears someone shouting Papa, it was weak… almost whispered by the wind, but he heard it. Turning to the side he can hear the fading voice better. With little hesitation he runs towards it, ignoring the way the brambles caught on his fur. Running as fast as he could he bursts through snowy bushes to find a small spotted kitten coated in snow, and shivering violently.  
“Pa...Pa… Papa.” Felicia chokes out in between teeth clattering together. “Papa.” She whispers before collapsing in the deepening snow, her body shivering so much it looked like it was convulsing. Wasting no time he sends Todd in the direction Felicia was coming from, and picks the kit up swiftly. Looking around for shelter he finds a tree with a large hole by its roots, pushing his way into the hole he uses his powers to clear a large enough space for them both. He places her down softly on the pine needle covered ground, Geoff wraps his warm body around hers hoping to warm it up. She had the power to create fire, but he bet she had used them too much to keep her warm anymore. Geoff had no idea how long she had been out here in the dropping temperatures, but judging by her shivering he figured it had to be a while. Using his powers he gently enters her sleeping mind to find the truth. He watches her siblings tell her to leave, he can feel the sense of abandonment, the fear she felt, and lastly he hears the voice urging her to find him. The same voice that woke him from his dreams to find them. It can’t be a coincidence that the same voice came to both of them, and with that thought Todd bursts back into his mind.  
‘I found them Geoffrey, they’re freezing to death… Dexter is barely breathing and he's bleeding… It looks like claw marks, and Leo has stopped shivering… Scarlett… Scarlett isn’t with them.’ Todd tells him gravely as he notices the state of Felicia beside Geoff. ‘Geoff?’  
“Get Ray, I don’t care what you have to do lead him to her and I’ll get them.” Geoff says seriously to him, trying to hide how hard it was for him to move but Todd could see it.   
‘Geoff you... Geoffrey.’  
“I said go Todd, I’m pushing on.” Geoff states, as he leaves the roots and shifts back, taking off the shirt he wore to place it around the kitten. Shifting back he uses his powers to packs the snow around the roots to create a barrier against the cold. Using his claws he scratches the trunk of the tree in a cross hatch pattern so the others could find them easier, and he would be able to find his way back… without the use of his powers, if he used them further he’d be in worse shape than his son. So with that in mind he begins trekking the way Todd had told him, and pushing against the strong wind trying to force him back. He could tell the temperature was dropping quicker than he’d hoped it would, and moved as fast as his feet would let him. It was slow going, and despite his push to move faster his body just couldn’t. Geoff wasn’t sure how long it was before he found them, but when he did the pair were unconscious in a snow drift. The snow around them was disturbed… almost like they’d been fighting something, but what worried him the most was the blood dying the snow surrounding Dexter dark red. Using a little of his remaining strength he heals the claw marks raked down the boy’s sides, and nudges them gently to see if they’d rouse. Leo remains deathly still, but Dexter awakes slightly.  
“Papa…. I… I tried to...Scar…. A bear…” Dexter mutters before collapsing again, Geoff lifts the boys up by their scruff and searches for another tree to put them in or somewhere to hide them from the cold. He stumbles upon another den looking spot, and once again he wraps himself around the kits hoping to warm them up. He notices how cold they still were after ten minutes and exiting the den he shifts back, practically ripping the jeans from his body. Shifting back to a fox he drags the material into the area, and rips open the seams around the legs. He lies them in the seat of his jeans and wraps the thick denim around them, creating a sort of warm, jean blanket burrito, and then nuzzling them briefly before heading back out packing the snow around the outside like he’d done for Felicia. Scratching up the outside he looks for a trail to follow, something that would lead him to Scarlett, and he finds it… In the shape of footprints, definitely bear footprints and the small canine ones that undoubtedly belonged to Scarlett. Following the trail he feels Todd suddenly re enter his mind.  
‘Ray, Michael, Ryan, and Harrison are with her, I’ve alerted them of the boys too… Gavin is searching for Scarlett with Fin.’ Todd alerts him only to see Geoff shake his head. ‘Geoffrey?’  
“Get them here… I’m going for Scarlett…. Dex said something about a bear.” Geoff explains in between deep breaths, his body was giving out on him but he wasn’t quitting.   
‘Geoffrey, you.’  
“Just get them here Todd, and what’s one bear to the great Geoff Ramsey?” Geoff adds with a smile causing the predator to just shake his head. “I’ll be fine my friend, just do as I ask please.”  
‘........ I don’t like this, but I will. Try not to get yourself killed in the meantime will you?’ Todd says after a long sigh through his snout. ‘And try not to use anymore energy than necessary.’  
“I know, now go.” Geoff commands with a soothing smile as he sends his companion off into the night air. Turning to the tracks he puts his nose to them trying to catch a scent, and upon sniffing he is met with the stench of wet bear. It was unpleasant to say the least, but very strong and that was exactly what he needed to track them. Raising his muzzle to the sky he breathes in the surrounding air, and pinpoints the direction he needs to follow. Taking off quickly towards the bitter stench he pushes his paws as fast as they’ll go. Running through the snowy woods, not caring as the branches of bushes tear at his fur nor the underlying feeling of exhaustion threatening to stop his paws. Geoff runs for maybe four miles before hearing the sound of a frightened whimper, glancing around swiftly he spots a small pup shivering deep in a patch of thick brambles with a large grizzly bear swiping its paw at it.   
“Scar, hold on!” Geoff shouts getting the wounded puppy’s attention, and subsequently the bear too. Sprinting at the bear Geoff launches his body, and drags his claws down the animal’s large back. The bear roars in anger, and quickly shakes Geoff off choosing then to bat him to the side. Geoff lands on his paws…. Barely, and mounts another attack, attempting to draw the bear from his wounded daughter. “He stupid, over here!.... I bet you have a small bear dick!” Geoff taunts viciously, in a mocking tone. He doubted very much that the bear understood English, but the tone should have been enough to garner his attention…. And Geoff was right it is, the bear is now looking at him as he strafes side to side. The bear swipes at him, only missing narrowly causing Geoff to exert more of his weakening strength. He honestly didn’t know how long he could really fight this animal, but he doubted that it would be very long. His mind and body were still recovering from the months of abuse and undernourishment, it was only by adrenaline and luck that he’d managed to survive this long. With the bear now focused on him Geoff decides that leading it away from Scarlett would be the best course of action. So with that in mind he leaps to the left and starts to run slowly, giving the bear the idea that he could catch him when in reality he wouldn’t….. Unless…. Unless Geoff tripped over a log, and hit his head on a rock rendering him a woozy mess of limbs. And that is exactly what happened, Geoff laid there dizzy as the bear caught up and growled menacingly at him. “Shit.” Geoff mutters as he braces himself for the swipe of the bear’s claws, but right at the last moment a bolt of lightning strikes the bear, electrifying it. Geoff watches as the bear’s eyes open widely, and the creature falls into a seizing heap at his paws.   
“You’re lucky Marcus followed Todd, Old man.” Michael murmurs with a smirk as he runs over in his bobcat form, his ears pointed back in anger. “You shouldn’t have left your bed… You're hurt.”  
“I’m fine… Scarlett!” Geoff shouts as he shucks off the cat’s worry and dashes back to where he left the puppy. Scarlett was just untangling herself when she hears, and spots Geoff trotting over to her.   
“Papa!” Scarlett cries out tearfully, her body shifting from a wolf pup to a crying girl, her clothes tattered, and scratches covering her from head to toe. Geoff shifts back too, uncaring that he was just in his boxers as he hugs her tightly. “Oh Papa it was awful, we were… Felicia!”  
“She’s fine, I found her Princess….. Shh, now tell me what were you thinking?” Geoff asks quietly as he hugs the girl tightly, shushing her frantic cries. “Tell Papa what you were thinking.” He urges gently, making sure not to push the girl too much.  
“We… we just wanted to help.”   
“How was running away helping us Princess?”  
“We were going to save Momma so she could…. She saved everyone else… and we just wanted to save her too…. Dexter said we could do this... He said we were strong enough.” Scarlett sobs into Geoff’s shoulder as he just rocks her. Michael watches the pair worriedly, he hadn’t had time to find Leo but judging by her state he hoped Leo was doing better.   
“Geoff, we need to get you two back to the house… Scarlett, I can carry you but you need to shift… Princess you’ll freeze if you stay human.” Michael warns as he watches the girl shake her head and cling tighter to Geoff. “Scar, please.”  
“Cub it’s alright, I’ll carry her.” Geoff chatters out, his body begins shivering as they stand in the deep snow. Michael sighs and shucks off his coat, handing that to him, and wrapping his scarf around them both. “We’ll… meet... Ray… soon.”  
“Of course Geoff, we’ll get there soon.” Michael assures him, he was lying and Geoff knew it, but this way Scarlett wouldn’t panic if they were both calm about it. The trio begins making their way back towards the tree trunk where Geoff had left Dexter and Leo. About half way back to the tree Geoff stops and motions for Michael to take Scarlett, who he wrapped in the thick jacket Michael had given them. The Omega does quickly and watches as the Alpha drops to the ground, his body shifting painfully slow. Michael guessed that his natural instincts were kicking in to save the man’s life. The fox doesn’t move for several moments, but eventually it does and Michael watches it shake its fur out before streaking off in the direction they were going. It couldn’t have been longer than twenty minutes before they come to the spot, the fox wastes no time in breaking the snow seal meant to keep the heat in. Once open the fox crawls into the hole, nuzzling the kits that resided in there. The fox was pleasantly surprised with the warmth their bodies were producing and nudging them gently the pair began to rouse grumpily.   
“Papa, no…. I’m sleepy.” Dexter mumbles in a soft voice, his body was stiff and his muscles cold, unwilling to move. He waits for his father’s response however, none comes rather just the gentle nudging again, pushing him towards the entrance of the hole. Dexter didn’t remember being in this hole to begin with, and a sense panic sets in as he urges Leo awake. Leo doesn’t move at all, but this doesn’t seem to worry the fox staring at him. “Papa, Leo.”  
‘Leo is fine Dexter, your father isn’t feeling well right now… I’ve taken over in his absence.’ Todd explains softly in the boy’s mind, he picks up the still sleeping cub up by the scruff of his teeth, and the trio reenter the cold winter night.   
“Dexter, thank god….. Leo?” Michael murmurs as he watches the fox hold the lion cub in his teeth. “Geoff?”  
“That’s Todd… Papa isn’t awake right now.” Dexter laments quietly, his shame getting the better of him. It was his fault they’d left the safety of the cabin, it was his plan that got them hurt. He should have known this wouldn't work, his mother told him before she left to be smart, to be a strong pack leader, and he’d done the complete opposite leading his pack to ruin. Not only had he lost the one member of the pack who could have saved them he let the others push her away with little care for her feelings. What had he been thinking when they pushed Felicia away? How scared had she been wandering these woods by herself? God, what a self absorbed fool he’d been…. Making mistakes that.  
‘That a nine year old should make, you are just a kit, Dexter… Please do not be too hard on yourself.’ Todd assures the young boy who was beating himself up quite harshly. ‘Your mother would not.’  
“You don’t know what she’d want Todd, you never have!” Dexter lashes back at the fox who seems shocked by his outburst as they trek down the path. “They could have been killed and it would have been my fault, I could have killed them!” He shouts his words before leaving in a huff, he didn’t need to be chided by the fox and he wouldn’t. Dexter would find his mother and bring her back if it was the last thing he did. So pushing on through the snow he dodges the strikes of lightning around him.   
“Dexter Griffon Ramsey!” Michael growls as the Omega uses his powers to force a strong gust of wind to blow the angry kit back into his arms. Gripping the squirming fox carefully he wrestles him onto his shoulder, but the boy shifts back giving him an armful of child. “Dexter, shift back and stop squirming I am in no mood for your attitude… And do not test me today.”   
“Y…. Yes Daddy.” Dexter remarks somberly as he settles into his father’s grasp. “I… I didn’t mean for this to happen.”  
“I know Dexy, I know you didn’t.” Michael assures the boys, he had just wanted to help and Michael could tell the boy had good intentions… but as the old saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. With this in mind the party begins the walk back to where Ryan, and the rest of the group was. It doesn’t take long with Michael using his powers to blow a path in front of them, and they come back to the cabin where many agents waited outside. Ryan was on the porch speaking to all of them about the importance of vigilance, and how several children and an injured man should have never been allowed to escape the sight of twenty trained professionals. As they walk up the group turn to Michael who was holding a still sleeping Scarlett, and Dexter who avoided the penetrating gazes of them.   
“Ray is inside by the fire, and Florida is there helping with her injuries.” Ryan states as he opens the door, ushering the group in before going back to speaking with the agents. Once inside Michael immediately sees Ray manipulating fire around Felicia, a worried expression set deep into his eyes.   
“She’s lucky Geoff found her when he did otherwise she’d be frozen to death.” Florida says as he looks over the kitten again, but raises his eyes to the new patients. “The lion and the wolf seem to have a minor case of hypothermia, but nothing too ridiculous…. Dex, those claw marks are infected…. It’s in your blood too, a quick moving infection. Geoff, is just tired…. And old…. Yeah his injuries are mostly….” Florida mutters as he trails off in thought, there was something else lurking behind it. Nothing that caused him worry, it just seemed that his healing abilities were being masked by something. He’d have to ask Kentucky about it, she always was good at unlocking things. “Anyways, he’ll have to heal naturally and these children too.”   
“Uhh… Okay, is there anything.”  
“No, I can’t heal hypothermia or blood poisoning… The fox needs antibiotics, and the rest need warmth as well as rest. Put them in bed with Geoffrey, and cover them in as many blankets as you can…. Dexter, how do you feel?” Florida asks, trying to judge how severe the sepsis was. He doubted the boy had even realized it in his adrenaline state, but now that the adrenaline had worn off Florida figured it was starting to wane finally. The boy in question says nothing choosing to look to the man with a strange look. “Can you not feel it?”  
“I...it…” Dex mumbles before his body begins to shiver violently. “I’m fine.”  
‘Dexter, no you aren’t.’ Vex mutters in his friend’s mind. ‘You are sick.’  
“Can’t admit…. Weakness.” Dexter murmurs as he stumbles away from the men, he needed to help his mother, and he couldn’t do that if he was stuck in a bed.   
‘You are sick though, and only going to get sicker. Dexter, I don’t like it either but for now you need to rest. What use are you dead?’ Vex adds as he watches his friend shiver and shake as the fever ravages his body. ‘Lie down with Geoff.’ Vex finishes and he watches Dex hesitate for merely a moment before heading to the bedroom where his father is. The boy curls up next to the man, and settles down comfortable with a tiny sigh.


End file.
